A local Non-Governmental Organization, ‘GEKO Sierra Leone’ over the past weekend officially launched a project for the construction of a Resource Centre and vocational and Skills Training Centres in the Gbendembu Ngowahun and Sanda Taindaren Chiefdoms respectively.

Residents of the two chiefdoms were in a jubilant mood when a philanthropist, Liz Peloso and Family from Canada presented a 40 feet container, loaded with assorted tools, equipments and text books to GEKO.

Presenting the consignment on behalf of her family and friends, Liz Peloso revealed that the good will gesture was in line with GEKO-SL’s objectives of supporting the educational aspirations of underprivileged youths and children.  She said her choice to support the activities of GEKO-SL stemmed from the realization that the organization is one of the few organisations that works with sincerity and diligence to uplift the status of grassroots communities using simple but sustainable strategies.

Liz Peloso cited many instances where GEKO-SL had intervened in the past to promote education, “Since 2011 we have supported 105 orphans and underprivileged children in the two chiefdoms with scholarships that will see them through university”, she cited, whilst further reassured the gathering that her family and friends will continue to support GEKO-SL in its development strides. Receiving the consignment, the Associate Director of GEKO-SL, Mr. Isheka Turay thanked Liz Peloso and the people of Canada for the donation. He asked that special thanks be conveyed to Gloria and Ed Cardoso who squeezed time out of their busy schedules and further pour their financial and other resources to bring the project to fruition. According to Mr Turay, these resource centres are for peer teaching, where brighter students can help the weaker ones. He expressed the hope that the two resource centres will curb the spate of pupils idling after school hours.

The vocational skills training centres, he went on, will provide to non-school-going youths, the requisite skills in masonry, carpentry, tailoring and the repairing and servicing of small engines, that would enable them live a life of independence and dignity. The associate director used the forum to advise the beneficiaries to be steadfast in their educational pursuit, whilst referring to them as the future leaders of their communities.He admonished them not to misuse the materials provided for them but to use them judiciously. Mr Isheka Turay expressed thanks and appreciation to the Liz Peloso Consulting Inc and family friends for supporting GEKO-SL educational project in the North.

Speaking on behalf of the heads of schools, the Principal of Gbendembu Baptists Secondary School, Mr. Thomas R Khanu, expressed thanks and appreciation to GEKO-SL and Liz Peloso for what he referred to as their patriotic gesture. He noted that the gesture was timely since according to him, one of the major constraints facing students was the lack of adequate and appropriate text books for the various subjects offered by the schools. Mr Khanu called on GEKO-SL to lend more support to the learning resource centres, especially with computers and accessories and other modern technical aids.

He assured GEKO-SL that, the learning resource centre and the vocational resource centres would be adequately utilized by students, teachers as well as visiting researchers.