The Managing Director of Africell Sierra Leone, Mr Shadi Gerjawi has Tuesday 18th October 2022 described education as one of his company’s key Corporate Social Responsibility pillars.“Over the years Africell SL has identified education as a key CRS pillar, which is why we are always ready and willing to support educational projects”, he said. Mr Shadi Gerjawi made the observation with a reaffirmed commitment at the unveiling and handing over ceremony of a newly refurbished Saint Luke Junior Secondary School structure at Wilberforce Barracks, West of Freetown. Wilberforce is the home of headquarters of Africell SL.
Africell SL’s involvement in the aiding the St Luke JSS structure forms part of one of the telecommunication CSR interventions in Wilberforce and beyond. This, in the words of MD Mr Shadi Gerjawi clearly manifest the value of the inclusivity of the human capital development scheme, reiterating that Africell SL is always more than willing and ready to work with communities in the promotion development.
He therefore warmly congratulated the pioneers of the remarkable project, saying: “We responded without holding back”, and vowed to sustain Africell SL’s bond with communities at all levels.
MD Mr Shadi Gerjawi said Africell SL has invested not only in joint projects of such nature with support to learning institutions, but have also provided basic computer programming education to students from primary to university level, by hosting the first-ever coding boot camp in Sierra Leone.
“Recently, we opened a learning center that will be used as a resource center to train and prepare future leaders. Let me also add that the results from public examinations show that there has been a giant leap in the quality of education provided across the board and not just in Freetown”, he observed.
Mr Shadi Gerjawi said that most significant, is the fact that girls are emerging with some of the best results at all levels. “We should be proud of them. That is why Africell SL is identifying itself with that success by contributing to education and learning projects”, he said.
The MD Africell SL quoted the late Nelson Mandela saying that; “Education is the greatest weapon by which we can change the world.” He generously thanked the First Lady Mrs Fatima Bio and encouraged her to continue with support to the children of Sierra Leone.
First Lady Mrs Fatmata Bio described education as the most important thing in the world. She said that the Free Quality Education is aimed at developing the children so that they cannot be used for the wrong purpose in future. I don’t care who vote me. I don’t believe in political affiliations. I believe in development without political affiliation, she said. Mrs Bio urged parents to be watchful over their children, especially girls. She admonished parents not allow their daughters out of their homes at nights. The First Lady informed that to protect rape is better than to wait for justice, adding that she has long refused from being holding back in quietness, as her predecessors were not given the free will to express themselves. Mrs Bio vowed: “I will continue to speak up for the girls”, and discouraged early marriages.
Declaring the purpose of the unveiling of the newly refurbished St Luke JSS classroom block, Father Vincent Davies registered the Catholic Mission’s commitments towards further collaboration with government departments of education, Africell SL and the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces.
He acknowledged the role of government in the area of education, saying that government is poised to making sure that every child is educated. He said that the ministry is set to offer intellectual and moral knowledge to communities.
Chairman of the programme, Gilda Lamboi said she wrote to Africell SL and the RSLAF for the refurbishment of the JSS structures, adding that the project was unveiled at the right time.
Father Joseph Kamanda profusely thanked Africell SL and other partners who contributed in diverse ways towards the fullest accomplishment of the project.
On behalf of the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Jattu described school as the hub for learning. She informed that the ministry is working relentlessly in making sure that every child is educated. She thanked Africell SL and other partners for giving a facelift to the St Luke JSS facility.
The Director of Armed Forces Technical and Education College, of the RSLAF, Col. Richard Bockarie extended the RSLAF and Wilberforce Barracks community’s’ gratitude to Africell SL and its partners for their support to the St Luke JSS. He expressed delight at the gesture from the telecommunications company and its partners.
