According to the Deputy Director of Operations, Morison Aruna the 18-month skills development project was jointly funded by the United Nations Development Programme, Multi Partners Trust Fund and the Finish Government.
Giving an overview of the initiative, the Project Manager of the Skills Development and Integration Project, Nancy Bockarie, said the project comprised of five components, namely business development skills, vocational training, continuing schooling, trauma and psycho-social counseling.
She added that the immediate impact of the skilling and reintegration project can hardly be measured at the moment, but that the Red Cross Society is expecting to see huge impact of this project in communities, on the lives of the volunteers and their families.
In his keynote address, former Secretary General SLRCS, Arthur Cummings said the ceremony marking the distribution of startup kits is in recognition and appreciation of true heroes in the fight against Ebola who sacrificed and volunteered in providing safe and dignified burials of Ebola corpses.
‘’The Federation of Red Cross is pleased to recognize and also to appreciate the volunteers for their sacrifices and that it is the first in history the International Federation of Red Cross and the United Nations have come together to implement a success project’, said Nassil Khan of the International Federation of Red Cross in Sierra Leone.
He urged the volunteers neither to be careless, nor abandon the skills and startup kits they have acquired as token in recognition of their huge sacrifices.
‘’Red Cross would like the target beneficiaries to meaningfully engage themselves in the various skills they have gained’’, he ended.
Part of the recognition and giving back ceremony to the volunteers was a former President of the SLRCS, Doctor M.A. Jalloh who now doubles as an Advisor of the Society.
In his statement, he said the distribution ceremony of the last set of startup kits to 1,300 volunteers nationwide coincided with the International Day of Peace, September 21.
The former President of the Society said it was good and motivating to recognize and appreciate these volunteers whose contributions in the fight against Ebola cannot be quantified. He urged the volunteers to make the most of the kits.
