Today, May 26th 2016, the second Anniversary of May 26th 2014 (which was the date on which Sierra Leone officially announced it was under an Ebola Outbreak), the hardworking Minister of Social Welfare, Gender & Children’s Affairs ended the day by signing an M.O.U. with Ebola Survivors. Here follows the details of the signed document.
*_MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN MSWGCA &SLAES*_
Thursday 26th May 2016
Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender & Children’s Affairs (MSWGCA) represented by Honourable Minister, Dr. Sylvia Olayinka Blyden and the Sierra Leone Association of Ebola Survivors (SLAES) represented by its president, Mr. Yusuf Kabba hereby reaffirm their continued determination to collaborate and work together to ensure the Post-Ebola Recovery priorities and plans of His Excellency the President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma, reach fruition especially with respect to the welfare of the survivors of Ebola Virus Disease.
We specifically acknowledge the need to, in order of priority:
1. Immediate Creation of Ebola Survivors’ Desk at MSWGCA manned by a caring officer.
2. Intensify Media & Community Outreach nationwide so as to attract and bring forth for registration, those Ebola Survivors whose details are not yet in the current nationwide Database available;
3. Develop a more accurate Database of Survivors that will contain photographic & other important demographic Data of every single Ebola Survivor who currently exists in Sierra Leone;
4. Ensure the printing and distribution of Securitized Identity Cards for every single Ebola Survivor living in Sierra Leone.
5. Undertake a nationwide Needs Assessment exercise to evaluate which specific kind of support each demographic grouping of Ebola survivors will require.
6. Strengthening of SLAES through immediate provision of rented offices, office furniture & equipment plus running costs for all Offices over next 12 months.
7. Develop Plans and Programmes which will ensure local/international funds are secured that will sustain the socio-economic and psycho-social welfare of Survivors for now and in the years to come.
✒SIGNED………….
Dr. Sylvia Olayinka Blyden
Minister of Social Welfare, Gender & Children’s Affairs.
Republic of Sierra Leone.
✒SIGNED………….
Mr. Yusuf Kabba
President
SLAES
WITNESSED BY DADDY HASSAN KAMARA (SLAES P.R.O.)
