By Sulaiman Jalloh
A philanthropist, one Andrew Yamba Conteh, based in the United States of America (USA) has, during a ceremony held at the Mayawa Community Centre at the weekend, distributed over 200 solar lights to his people covering 34 villages within Mayawa Section in Yele Chiefdom, formally Gbonkolenken Chiefdom in Tonkolili District.
These villages have been for ages without access to power, leaving them in perpetual darkness and the solar lights were distributed according to their size.
The Paramount Cheif of Yele Chiefdom, Bai Komp Kanason II and Town Chiefs from the 30 beneficiary villages witnessed the handing over ceremony.
Addressing a mammoth crowd of community dwellers and stakeholders, the donor Andrew Yamba Conteh informed the community that the solar lights donation is part of his dream to take his people from the old age and perineal darkness.
He maintained that his people have been suffering to access electricity supply for many years and it is time for him to share the little he has in order to salvage his people from the dire situation.
“I donate these solar panels to you not just for decoration but to help our younger generation to have access to electricity supply in bid to ease their study at night. Education is key to success and it is high time for our young brothers and sisters engaged in meaningful educational activities for their sustainable development in the future,” he stated.
He emphasized the need for the community to embrace the project and admonished parents to urge their children to study and make good use of the gesture. “This time I encourage us all to be proactive and stay in peace and tranquility and as well embrace development for the future of our community and the country,” Andrew Conteh stated.
He furthered that he was among those that suffered seriously during their days in school due to lack of electricity supply to study.
He further admonished the community and youths to use the light judiciously and for the intended purposes.
The Paramount Cheif of Yele Cheifdom, PC Bai Komp Kanason II, expressed his deepest appreciation to Andrew Y. Conteh whom he described as the saviour to his community.
He said as a paramount chief and custodian of the land, it is a blessing for such development which has never happened in his community to come to pass.
“I was dumbfounded when I received an invitation from Andrew Conteh for such huge donation. This is one of the biggest donations I have witnessed in my community. I have no regret of saying that Andrew Y Conteh is a blessing to my chiefdom. In fact, before this time, I have had about Andrew Conteh helping his people in many ways,” PC Kanason stated.
The PC urged the beneficiaries to use the solar lights for the purposes for which they have been donated and not for personal aggrandizement.
“As PC, I am very much impressive and I also appeal with Andrew Y Conteh to help more villages with same or similar developments,” he pleaded.
In his statement, Brima Kanu, Chief of Patifu Mayawa village, heaped praises on Andrew Conteh and his family for their generosity.
He said his people are overwhelmed with joy for delivering them from darkness to light.
“This has never happened since I was born in the late 70s. Since I was born the light I had enjoyed in my village had been the moon from God. I never had access to such opportunity in my life. Today my village is enjoying flamboyantly from solar lights and this will give an opportunity to my villages people, especially our students to study and enjoy the beauty of light” the town chief said.
The women’s leader of Patifu Mayawa village, Ya Mamusu Conteh, said their community is one of the most vulnerable in the country as it has never had access to such opportunity given to them by their son, Andrew Y Conteh.
Ya Mamusu pointed out that the solar lights would beautify their community and enhance their daily life.
She appealed to Andrew Y Conteh for more solar lights as many communities still live in miserable situation.
Other beneficiaries also shared similar sentiment and expressed their satisfaction for the donation and pleaded for more.
Copyright –Published in print in Expo Times Newspaper on Friday, May 22nd , 2024 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
