Access to Justice Law Centre Enrols Faith Leaders in the Fight against Ebola By Hassan Bruz Northern Bureau Chief The fight against Ebola in the West African State of Sierra Leone does not only require concerted efforts as demanded in the clarion call of President Ernest Bai Koroma, but it further demands a well defined strategy that will enhance the unreserved participation of certain categories of community members. To enrol Faith Leaders in the battle against the dreadful Ebola virus is perceived to be one of the most workable strategies. It is a strategy that is being adopted by the Access to Justice Law Centre –an advocacy organisation set up some 10 years ago with the principal objective of protecting and promoting the Rights of the poor, disadvantaged and less privileged ones in particular. It is an Organisation that operates in the North of the Country and has immensely helped a lot of people especially women and children to become much more aware of their rights and responsibilities in society. Chernor M .B Jalloh is the Director of the Access to Justice Law Centre and doubles as Barrister at Law and Solicitor of the High Court of Sierra Leone. He said the resolve to intervene in the battle against Ebola was reached upon the realisation that the Ebola virus has the potential to ravage the Region and hamper the development agenda of the entire Country if appropriate methods were not adopted to combat its spread. The current Project therefore categorised Faith Leaders into Muslims, Christians and Societal Heads who are said to respectively form 60, 30 and 10 percent of the population in the various communities. It singles out ‘Belief’ as one of the most critical aspects in the fight against Ebola and one that can be better addressed by the active participation of these categories of Faith Leaders. It has a bottom / top approach wherein the Imams, Pastors, ‘Agbas’ , the ‘Debgas’ and other Societal Leaders will have cause to directly address their Congregations and Members on Ebola related issues. At Mafaray in the Gbinlen Dixon Chiefdom, Kambia in the Magbema Chiefdom, and Kawulla in the Masumgbala Chiefdom, the Director of Access to Justice Law Centre used the opportunity to brief Participants on the immense havoc Ebola has caused on the Educational sector which has rendered Schools and every other learning Institution closed for several months now, and has also halted President Koroma’s Agenda for Prosperity. Lawyer Jalloh noted that a lot of things have been brought to an abrupt stop for far too long and it was time for a more robust method of approach. As outlined by Susan Ironn –Sky-Turay and Samuela A Y Turay who served as Lead Facilitators for the Participants in Gibinlen Dixion and Magbema Chiefdoms, the 2 day Sensitisation and Social Mobilisation had a total of 441 Participants for the seven Chiefdoms in the District. They explained in an interview with the Sierra Leone News Agency [SLENA] that each Chiefdom was required to provide 57 Muslims, 4 Christians and 2 Societal Leaders –be they Ojeh, Poro, Gbagbani or so. The training itself was based on the history of Ebola, the mode of transmission, its signs and symptoms, when and how the outbreak occurred in Sierra Leone together with ways through which the spread can be prevented. In each of these Chiefdoms, an 8 point memorandum was signed by the Faith Leaders in the various Chiefdoms that was witnessed by members of Access to Justice Law Centre and endorsed by the Paramount Chiefs. The signing of the Memorandum implied that Participants should from now on, pray for the souls of those whose lives have been claimed by the virus, together with their surviving families and relatives. They were also required to preach and encourage their congregations to adhere to the Public Health State of Emergency, its regulations and to also abide to all the Ebola Bye Laws in their Chiefdoms. It is henceforth, incumbent on them to abstain from the washing of corpses of suspected Ebola victims and abstain from night or secret burials of all corpses in their Chiefdoms. As maintained by the Director of Access to Justice Law Centre, Natives were however Okayed to participate and ensure safe and dignified burials of all deceased persons in their Localities. He said all Faith Leaders should welcome and support all Ebola Survivors that return to their communities. Participants were further urged to encouraged and support any other activity that will enhance the immediate eradication of the virus. Below are some photos of the Director –Lawyer Jalloh, a cross section of his staff, and Faith Leaders at Mafaray, Kambia, and Kawula.....
Posted on: Sat, 20 Dec 2014 10:53:56 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015