KONO STAKEHOLDERS MEETING

FAMBUL TOK SIERRA LEONE 2014

In my last blog I mentioned a high level stakeholders meeting.  This meeting is part of a US State Department grant as a follow-up of the non-violent election sensitization grant from 2012.  The grant for the election focused on women for the purpose of using and training the Peace Mothers as Peace Ambassadors.

The purpose of this meeting is to gather the stakeholders who are responsible for solving women’s issues and two Peace Mothers from each chiefdom.  A representative of each stakeholder gave a presentation outlining the roles and responsibilities as pertaining to women’s issues specifically. The Peace Mothers presented a list of concerns.  It was then determined who of the stakeholders would be the responsible party to assist.

We needed City Councilors, Members of Parliament,

Paramount Chiefs, MPs and Education Minister

Paramount Chiefs, Deputy Mayor and Mayor to attend.  Working to get all of these players is like herding cats, so we were extremely blessed the day we pulled up to the City Council building to find out they were all in a meeting!!

Because the Deputy Mayor is a woman and this meeting

Council Woman with Mayor In Background

is about meeting women's needs, Micheala decided to get her involved so we could chat with a representative of each group before their meeting adjourned.  This was accomplished and the meeting date, time and venue set.  All stakeholders agreed to attend!!!!  We even were able to get the Director of Education.

Pre-meeting gatherings were held for the Deputy Mayor, Mayor, Paramount Chiefs, City Council members and Peace Mothers.  The gatherings were informal allowing for questions and discussions before the formal meeting.  The purpose was to make sure the loss of

Peace Mothers

control that happened in Kailahun (an earlier blog) is avoided here.  We learn from our experiences.

The meeting was a wonderful success.  The only fly in the ointment was the Member of Parliament who took the opportunity to make a long winded speech.  Oh well, once a politician gets the floor.............

We came away from the meeting convinced the bridges between all the groups and a new understanding of each were begun.  Follow-ups will be conducted to determine to level of success and to reinforce roles and responsibilities.

Much Love To You All,

Mom/Grandma Syrup/Sara