This maiden award instituted in 2017 honours an individual Member Association staff who has over the length of his/her career significantly enhanced the promotion, realization or defence of sexual and reproductive health and rights.
The award was bestowed on the recipient for prolonged exemplary leadership quality, innovation in advancing the course of Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights agenda and ability to motivate staff and be an example to others.
Other outlined criteria for the award included significant contribution to the International Planned Parenthood Federation organization above and beyond the job description, outstanding management of significant projects that help the IPPF towards achievement of its mission and vision.
Mr. David Williams has had prolonged relationship with IPPF/PPASL spanning nineteen years, and served in various capacities until he became Executive Director in January 2014.He worked beyond normal working hours (8 hours daily) to produce quality documents, including Saturdays his day of worship.
His response time to International Planned Parenthood Federation Africa Regional Office mails has been very good, according to IPPF Africa Regional Office Advisors.
When Ebola struck in the country, he provided strategic leadership and inspired staff to integrate Ebola Response initiative into Sexual Reproductive Health & Rights service provision.
In an interview with Mr. Williams he maintained that family planning is critical to national development and cautions against indiscriminate abortion.
“ We are not supporting indiscriminate abortion. We view the provision of safe abortion services as a Human Right issue which must be promoted and supported . “We help people who had gone through incomplete and unsafe abortion by providing Comprehensive Abortion Care services. The organization advises clients to practise responsible family planning”.
Currently, the organization is affected by funding gap due to lack of support from the Republican led administration in the United States of America led by President Donald Trump.
The Executive Director maintained that the award should be a motivating factor to others so that they too can be recognized , based on commitment and dedication to duty , a prerequisite to win future awards.
The Planned Parenthood Association of Sierra Leone (PPASL) focuses on the Right Based Approach to empower with SRH&R knowledge and skills to have families not by chance but by choice in giving birth to children they are able to take care of which will have a ripple effect on the development of the nation.
