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Thursday, February 12, 2015

After Ebola: Orphaned children find home at SOS Children's Villages Sierra Leone




Charles posed for the camera

For the first time since June 2014 new cases of Ebola in Sierra Leone have fallen below 100 per week. As the outbreak slows, focus shifts to how to care for the thousands of children left orphaned by Ebola.
4 February 2015 - Charles* is just 18 months old. Already in life, he lost his father to Ebola. Then his mother. Then three brothers, one sister, an uncle and an aunt. All within weeks.
Two more sisters caught the virus, but survived. One of them, 23-year-old Mabinty, says: “I and my sister went through pain but survived. We were thinking of Charles.”

With his family dead or very sick, the Ebola Holding Centre became Charles's home for three months of observation. There, nurse Fatmata cared for him, loved him, and made him smile.
But Holding Centers are not homes, so little Charles was moved to an Interim Care Center (ICC). After a month there, he tested negative for Ebola and was discharged to make way for other children who had lost their parents to Ebola.

But where could Charles live next? The government asked SOS Children’s Villages to take him. But it was still too early, too dangerous. Too many children with negative results on the ICC’s initial tests later developed Ebola symptoms. “We couldn’t risk infecting the other children in the village” said Olatungie Woode, SOS Children's Villages Sierra Leone National Director.

Nowhere for Charles to go.

But there was still Fatmata. “It was then that I decided to take Charles to my sister’s home where we stayed until SOS was ready to take him in,” Fatmata said. “Sometimes I did not go to work just to take care of Charles. He has a bright future.”

Finally, on Friday, 23 January 2015, it was time. Charles, along with three other children with similarly harrowing stories, became part of an SOS family.
His departure was bittersweet for Fatmata. “I am so emotionally attached to this boy,” she said. “I will always keep in touch with him. My family will miss him. I know SOS Children’s Villages is a loving and caring home for children.”
Charles and the three other children with a similar plight, Lamia*, Kadia*, and Rania*, arrived at the SOS Children’s Village Makeni mid-morning. A crowd of SOS mothers and children had gathered, singing welcome songs.“I was excited to receive the children with an open heart,” said SOS mother Mabinty “I will give them the best care and protection they deserve. It’s a big challenge for me and I have to prove myself.”

“As the Ebola epidemic appears to ebb, much of the world has turned its attention elsewhere. But enormous challenges remain. More than 10,000 children have lost one or both parents to the virus. They are often shunned by their communities because of the fear and stigma associated with the disease. SOS Children’s Villages Sierra Leone has already begun taking in such children, offering them a caring, loving home – to which they, like all children, have a right. This underscores SOS Children’s Villages’ long-term commitment, in line with its fundamental values, to the children affected by Ebola.”

*The child's name has been changed to protect privacy.


Friday, January 30, 2015

HEALTH AND SAFETY EXPERTS FROM NETHOPE VISITS THE SOS CHILDREN’S VILLAGE FREETOWN



Ingolfur Harldsson and Bragi Rexnisson both Health and Safety experts from NetHope on Thursday, 29th January, visited the SOS Children’s Village, Freetown. During their visit, they were welcomed by the National Communications Officer; Ms. Alimatu Koroma and the Children’s Village Secretary, Ms. Hussainatu Kamara who gave them a tour of the facility. Mr. Harldsson who is a sponsor of a child in one of the SOS Children’s Villages in Central African Republic said he was very impressed with SOS Children’s Village Freetown. “There are lots of difference between here-in the SOS Children’s Village and the streets. Its cleanliness amazed me” he stated.
His colleague Mr. Rexnisson said the Ebola situation in the country is very pathetic. “The faces of the people on the streets shows desperation but here- in the SOS Children’s Village everyone is smiling and do not worry too much. Everyone seems so happy!” 
At the end of the visit, Mr. Rexnisson said since they are in the country for a while he would love to visit the Children’s Village, Freetown again.

NetHope enables humanitarian organizations to better serve the developing world through smarter use of technology. Presently they are connecting organizations that are helping in the fight against Ebola in the affected countries. In Sierra Leone, SOS Children’s Villages is acting as a logistic base for ICT materials that will be used to provide connectivity to Ebola holding Centers, Ebola treatment Units and other NGO’s supporting the fight against the Ebola virus.
Recently, SOS Sierra Leone received $80,000 from NetHope as SOS coordinated ICT Ebola response fund to help in the fight against the Ebola Virus in partnership with the Emergency Telecommunication Cluster and British Telecommunications. With this fund, the five pairs of high gained Frequency Motorola Point-To-Point Links provided by BT and the equipment and technical support ETC provided through the Ericsson response package, SOS Children’s Villages Sierra Leone has extended its VISAT services to nine Ebola centers in the Southern Region.

There are presently, approximately 100 active users of the internet service provided by SOS Children’s Village, Bo including major actors in the fight against the epidemic like the Ministry of Social Welfare, the Bo Government Hospital Ebola Treatment Unit, Saint Mary’s Orphanage Home through Christian Brothers, Jonathan Child Care, and the District Health Medical Team Office including the District Ebola Response Coordinator’s Office.

“We are grateful to SOS Children’s Villages Sierra Leone and its partners, for this timely intervention in providing internet connectivity. It enhances communication in the Ebola Holding Centers with our District Ebola Response Coordinator’s Office,” stated Mercy a Nurse of the Bo Government Hospital Ebola Treatment Unit.

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

German Ambassador and Germany’s Special Representative in the Fight against the Ebola Epidemic, Visits SOS Children’s Village Freetown.




The German Ambassador to Sierra Leone, His Excellency Christian Dumplecker and the Special Representative of the Federal government of Germany charged with the responsibility in the fight against the Ebola epidemic, Mr Walter Lindner, on Tuesday 27th 2014 January visited the SOS Children’s Village Freetown.
On their arrival, they were received by the National Director, Mr. Olatungie Woode who briefed them about the work of SOS Children’s Villages Sierra Leone. He informed them that since the Ebola outbreak none of the SOS facilities in the three locations-Freetown, Bo and Makeni has been affected by the disease; the only setback faced by the organization was the indefinite closure of all Hermann Gmeiner schools, Kindergartens and the suspension of all SOS major activities. “The movements of people in and out of our facilities have been restricted,” Mr Woode further states. On the issue of Ebola orphans, the National Director briefed the delegation on the situation of Ebola orphans in Sierra Leone. He informed them that SOS Children’s Village Makeni, admitted four Ebola orphans on Saturday 24th January 2014. 
 
The Special Representative of the Federal German government, Mr Walter, informed the National Director that a German parliamentarian would be making a special donation to Ebola orphans in Sierra Leone in the form of toys.  He also assured the National Director that SOS Children’s Villages Sierra Leone would be one of the beneficiaries. He further disclosed to the National Director that a German technical team is presently operating in Sierra Leone. Mr. Walter assured Mr. Woode that should the need arise for technical support in the SOS Children’s Villages; he should not hesitate to contact him for assistance.
The German delegation had a tour of the SOS Children’s Village, Kindergarten, clinic, Home for The Physically Challenged and the SOS Hermann Gmeiner International School.The Special Representative of the Federal German government said on his visit to Makeni, he would seize the opportunity to visit the SOS Children’s Village Makeni, Makama.
At the end of their visit, the National Director, a copy of SOS Children’s Villages Sierra Leone Ebola weekly report, a copy of the stories of the four Ebola orphans admitted into the SOS Children’s Village Makeni and a ‘Gara’ Batik bed sheets.

Thursday, December 18, 2014

SOS Provides Ebola Emergency Response Items to Caregivers In Bo



On Saturday, 11th October, SOS gave out Ebola response items to hundreds of caregivers at Ansarul Primary School in New London, Bo.  The Caregivers received disinfectants, food items and they were also sensitized on how to keep themselves and their families safe from the EBola virus. The Assistant Village Director of SOS Children's Village, Bo; Mr. Bangalie who was representing the National Director during the distribution exercise said these items provided to them is to show that SOS is with them and their families during the Ebola outbreak. He also assured them that SOS will continue to support  families who are in need through their Family Strengthening and Food Security Programmes. 
Gbassay, one of the Caregivers present during the distribution process, said with gratitude "I and my family are very grateful to SOS for their support; thank you SOS for helping us during this difficult period.”