NOSLINA donates face masks to market women in Freetown

Sierra Leone Telegraph: 28 September 2021:

The National Organization of Sierra Leoneans in North America (NOSLINA), on Tuesday 7th September 2021 donated over a thousand face masks to various markets across Freetown, including Kroo Town Road Market, Dove Cot Market, Congo Market, King Jimmy Market, and Big Market – in its effort to help curtail the spread of the corona-virus pandemic in the country,

Co-founder of NOSLINA, Kwame Cumale Fitzjohn, said that his organisation distributed over one thousand masks. The mask project he said, is geared towards augmenting the efforts of the government in combatting the disease in the country.

He noted that the spate of Covid-19 cases was at an alarming rate in July this year, adding that there was need for NOSLINA’s intervention.

He mentioned that NOSLINA had made several interventions in many areas, such as health and sanitation, education, cultural arts, among others. He added that during the Ebola crisis in 2014, NOSLINA partnered with an organization known as AIRLINK for the shipment of medical supplies worth over $55 million dollars to affected countries in the Mano River Union. “Out of the above amount, five thousand pounds of medical supplies were shipped to Sierra Leone,” he said.

While he stressed the need for the effective use of face masks, he urged all and sundry to take the vaccine and observe social distance, which he said have saved many lives across the world.

Chairlady, Congo Market Women Association, ‘Ya’ Alimamy, said she is confident that the face mask will prevent her from contracting the disease. She expressed thanks and appreciation to NOSLINA, adding that the face mask will be very helpful to them as market women, mentioning that they cross paths with thousands of people on a daily basis. (Photo: NOSLINA’s co-founder Kwame Fitzjohn handing over masks).  

She thanked NOSLINA and many other organizations which she said have made similar gestures. She pledged that she would encourage all her subjects to always mask up.

Queen Mother, King Jimmy Market, expressed delight over the donated face masks. She said that Covid-19 has brought untold suffering to the lives of fellow market women, adding that she will ensure that her subjects effectively use the face mask to prevent them from Covid-19.

Chairman of Big Market, Alhaji Abdul Hassan Kamara, said he and his members have been very cooperative with regards the use of face mask. However, he said what is very challenging for them is the fact that most if not all of the sellers are not willing to take the vaccine.

For 23 years now NOSLINA has served as the leading Diaspora organization based in the U.S.A, and has been very helpful in many areas, such as the provision of medical supplies during the Ebola disease, provision of dumpsters to keep the city clean and improve sanitation.

The Organization has also supported community projects and other initiatives in Sierra Leone, in such areas as education, health and sanitation, cultural arts, advocating good governance and citizenship, and publicly recognizing individuals of Sierra Leone descent, friends of Sierra Leone and related entities in the Diaspora for their professional accomplishments and distinctive contribution to society.