The Global President of the Tongo International Solutions (TIS), Mr. Abdulai Kabbah, Monday 10th February 2025, informed this medium in an exclusive interview at his Freetown office that on 8th February 2025, they distributed 190 bags of rice to the less-fortunate, aged, physically-challenged, religious leaders, the police, prisoners, motorbike riders and other stakeholders in Tongofields- Lower Bambara Chiefdom, Kenema District.
The distribution exercise, which benefited residents in 32 villages, took place at the Tongofields Mini-Stadium.
Prior to the distribution, the TIS 25-member delegation visited the Paramount Chief of Lower Bambara Chiefdom, Alimamy Lahai Farma, and his Speaker in Kenema Town, and donated some bags of rice to them and a million Leones respectively.
Food was served to members of the delegation and other stakeholders.
Earlier, the TIS executive sensitized the people on the modalities for the distribution exercise with a promise that similar donations would be done yearly.
Kabba underscored that TIS is determined to give back to the community that has made them successful and productive people in society, revealing that the number one priority of TIS is the renovation of the former National Diamond Mining Company (NDMC) Hospital in Tongofields that was renowned for medical excellence not only in the community but in Sierra Leone and the sub-region at large, adding that when the project would have been completed, TIS and its partners abroad would ship specialised medical and surgical equipment, ambulances, hospital beds and other medical and surgical supplies to the hospital- all of which would be paid for by TIS to transform the hospital to a state-of-the-art facility.
He Kabbah continued that TIS would also pay the experts from abroad to install the equipment, adding that the hospital project includes rehabilitation of quarters for doctors and nurses and a modern mortuary, but lamented that pledges made for the hospital project are not forthcoming; and he appealed to all indigenes and well-wishers to support a worthy cause.
He further intimated that the only source of income for TIS to support development projects in Tongofield and its surrounding communities is through members’ personal contributions, which accounts for over 90 percent of their income, reiterating that they do not receive funding from government or any other source.
The Global TIS president continued that the government of Sierra Leone, through the National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA), would renovate the hospital, asserting that TIS is lobbying and advocating to government, NGOs and other stakeholders for the completion of the hospital project, also disclosing that the project is among the first five to be financed by government; and he reiterated that TIS is doing all in its power to actualize the project as soon as possible.
“Tongofield is strategically-located. When completed, the hospital will not only serve the people of Tongofield and its surroundings but neighbouring districts and even the West-Africa sub-region,” he assured.
He went on to recall 2022 after the COVID-19 outbreak when the organisation donated 150 bags of rice and other condiments to the poor, aged and needy; and that this year some indigenes of the chiefdom also donated a military vehicle and 10 personnel to transport the rice and supervise the distribution exercise.
He continued that plans are also underway for TIS to construct boreholes for the people estimated at between 1.5-2,000 dollars due to the absence of a water supply system in the community, and went on to inform that electricity poles are now being erected for the supply of electricity in the community.
On the award of scholarships to needy children, Kabbah revealed that he is personally paying the school fees of seven pupils while Mrs. Claire Hanciles is doing same, and disclosed that the best pupil in last year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) was from Tongofield.
He commended all those who made the distribution exercise a success, especially the Army Chief of Staff for providing a vehicle and personnel to supervise the process.
He appealed to all indigenes and well-wishers of Tongofield and its surrounding communities to kindly contribute to the development of the chiefdom by contacting him on cell phone number +12407062108 and Mrs Claire Hanciles- Director of the Legal Aid Board, at Wilberforce Street in Freetown, concluding that a lot of people, including foreigners, have benefited from Tongo, and that now is the time to give back.
Other executive members who made the trip to Kenema for the distribution included Mrs. Claire Carlton-Hanciles and Lansana Gandor Esq., Vice President of TIS.
Most of the beneficiaries of the rice commended the organisation for always coming to their aid at the time of need, and appealed for more of such donations that would help alleviate their suffering.
