By Pateh Bah
First Lady Fatima Bio
Sierra Leone’s First Lady, Madam Fatima Bio has, on 10th of July, 2024, thrilled audience during the first day of the 3-Day Certified Executive Leadership Training in Health and Development, held at Ford Foundation in New York for the 2024 Global First Ladies Academy.
According to Madam Fatima Bio, Knowledge is power and with power comes responsibility. She furthered that she considered herself a lifetime learner and an advocate of the importance of education on both national and global platforms.
“As a training programme initiated to foster collaboration and create opportunities for First Ladies to collaborate across continents, strategically equipping First Ladies with the tools and knowledge to run their offices more effectively, and deepen the understanding of significant global developments in a constantly changing geopolitical, economic, environmental, social, and technological context, today’s opening session was well received,” Madam Fatima Bio stated, adding that, “Interestingly, being an advocate and a key player in women’s and children-related issues in my home country and the globe, these sessions allow me to reflect and ponder on the importance of key foundational principles within my unique role as the First Lady of my beloved Sierra Leone, and how I intend to solidify the importance of access to Education, Healthcare and Economic independence for my country’s youthful population.”
She further disclosed about her flagship programme; the ‘Hands Off Our Girls’ Campaign, stating her vision and inspiration behind its launch, and its tremendous impact on girls, and by extension, Sierra Leone, and briefly spoke about the newly passed “Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2024”, which saw the ban of child marriage in Sierra Leone.
It could be recalled that the Global First Ladies Academy (GFLA) was founded in 2009 and it aims to empower and support First Ladies and other female leaders worldwide by providing them with the tools, knowledge and networks needed to effect positive change in their countries and communities.
Copyright –Published in print in Expo Times Newspaper on Monday, July 15th, 2024 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
