In his efforts to complement President Julius Maada Bio’s Free Quality Education project, the former Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament and a Member of Parliament representing Pujehun district, Hon. Sidie Mohamed Tunis, has disclosed that him and his wife last year launched a ten billion old Leones scholarship scheme for a period of five years.
He said the scholarship is meant for deserving students in all public universities and colleges across the country, through the One Love Salone Foundation.
He made the disclosure at the launching of fundraising and turning of sod for the construction of the Students Resource Center at the University of Makeni, on Saturday, October 26th 2024. As the distinguished guest of honour, he added that the initiative was created to ensure financial constraints would not be a barrier to the dreams and aspirations of the young people.
He said, “It’s crucial to remember that investing in our youth is not merely a gesture of goodwill; it’s an investment in the future of our nation. Supporting young people cannot simply be about promises or rhetoric, it must be about action. It’s my hope that this scholarship will continue to open doors for many students, empowering them to realize their goals and contribute meaningfully to our society.”
Kahunwa, as he’s fondly called maintained that the future of Sierra Leone rest in the hands of the young people, and they must do everything within their power to equip them with the tools they needed to succeed.
In this spirit, the political godfather of Pujehun District and his wife donated three hundred millions old Leones and two hundred bags of cement to towards the construction of the SRC office and the Students Resource Center for the students of the Unimak. He also pronounced a year scholarship opportunity to five deserving students to be honored in due course.
Hon. Tunis urged the students to take full advantage of the opportunities that the university offers. He also encouraged the general populace to embrace and support government’s efforts and the president’s Big Five Game Changer.
Giving the overview of the programme, the president of the Students Union of Unimak, Edmond Alim B. Fornah, started off by explaining that SRC is going to be a place where students will meet to do their assignments and also discuss their affairs. “We cannot achieve this project without funding and that’s why we have organized this fundraising program,” he said.
He explained that with the help of AYV his administration has organized media training for some students and also they have initiated an internship programme where some students are doing their internship at Rokel Commercial Bank and Sierra Leone Commercial Bank.
Adding his voice, the Mayor of Makeni City Council, His Worship Abubakarr Lamtales Kamara said, the programme is a proud moment not only for Unimak but for the entire City of Makeni. He said they were at the occasion to mark the beginning of a project that will support the growth, education and leadership development of thousands of young people.
“As the Mayor of Makeni City, I’m thrilled to support this project. It aligns with our city’s ongoing commitment to fostering growth, development and opportunity for all,” he expressed.
The chairman of the Council of Paramount Chief, Bombali district, PC Bai Bairoh stated that, “This is a real historic event as somebody from the Southern part of Sierra Leone is coming to develop a university in the North. Sierra Leone is a small country but politics is dividing us. Let’s work as a team and develop this country.”
He expressed delight that the former ECOWAS Parliament Speaker joined them to develop the district and that was why all the paramount chiefs were present to give him a friendly welcome in Bombali district.
