35 quotes found
"Only a new government can bring equality for women."
"We must tap this reservoir of intellect to re-energize our workforce and bring much needed skills to our fragile economy."
"This has not been helped by the politicization of the current government’s Diaspora office. Staffed entirely by members of President Koroma’s All-Peoples’ Congress party, it has become a largely partisan operation."
"So it is understandable that many in the Diaspora are uncertain whether to engage more substantially in investment and support for Sierra Leone under its current government, despite their love for their country."
"Other leaders, not least the current president, have offered visionary words but few have the track record of Julius Maada Bio of acting on their pledges."
"And we will ensure that contracts and business dealings by the government are made transparently, allowing for members of the Diaspora to have the confidence they can invest in their country knowing it is a nation led by an administration committed to transparency, equality and fairness."
"Only by opening up civic institutions, government and business to all, and challenging the unwritten rules that exclude so many from political participation, can we ensure lasting change in Sierra Leone."
"It was very interesting growing up because I am from a fanatic Muslim background. When my mom died, my auntie took me and brought me to Freetown, and I was with her until I started secondary school. Immediately after school, I went into journalism as a volunteer. And I have been there until now, growing myself and trying to put myself together professionally. So, I must say it was a bittersweet experience growing up. I did not actually enjoy growing up because you know what it means when you are in a foster home without your biological parents. But it is all the same, I grew up and they tried to give me the best. And here I am today, I own a whole media house."
"Yes. When my mother died, my mother’s friend took me and brought me to Freetown, and I have been here ever since. I go to the village. I am traditional. I believe in all the rights of being a traditional woman. So yes, I grew up in Freetown."
"I hold certain traditions very sacred, but I do not put them in people’s faces. I just believe in what my instinct tells me. That is why I said I am very traditional. I go to my people a lot, I visit them, and whatever is in the village or in anything to do, if I’m there, I participate. So that’s why I said I’m very traditional."
"I must say I had the best time in broadcasting and that is why I stayed for so long. Radio Democracy remains the station that you go to when you want to talk about democracy, good governance and human rights. I maintained that mantra of the station. Everyone had to listen to Radio Democracy and then the station manager was a woman, so she gave us all the support, all the opportunities. Many women were working there and so we maintained what the station was established for. In Sierra Leone, the media space is male-dominated and most of the media houses are privately owned by men. So, Radio Democracy is unique because it is owned by civil society."
"One day, a lawyer called about a girl who was abused, and she insisted that I come in to see the girl. The lawyer said, “We believe in you and we know if you champion this case, it’ll go beyond just reporting.” I went and met this 5-year-old and I saw her lying on a hospital bed with all these tubes."
"I decided to start Black Tuesday, and I told people to wear black on Tuesday to raise awareness about this issue. We held a town hall and it was jam packed. There was nowhere to sit, people were standing outside. I brought in panelists and organizations that support adolescents, lawyers, and police."
"We tell parents to listen to their children if they bring up these issues and not to dismiss them as lies. We tell community leaders to end the blame game. Sometimes they tell people, “Why did you go there? Why did you wear this?” Yet, we’ve seen cases of sexual abuse of 6-month-old babies and 3 year olds."
"The voices of people are very crucial in this matter. When we go to communities, people come out and give testimonies. You can’t just hide a case now — there’s no way. My phone is always ringing with people calling to report cases."
"Overall, I feel fulfilled because my voice really added to the change we see today. I started it because action was needed, and action was taken. We’re growing stronger as a movement and we will make the change that we want to make."
"By recognizing the family as the foundation of societal well-being, we acknowledge the critical role families play in shaping the next generation."
"Empowering women is crucial in this endeavor, as they often play a pivotal role in child-rearing"
"Let us seize this moment to prioritize family strengthening and women’s empowerment, paving the way for a brighter future for Sierra Leone"
"Even during our political campaigns, there were people who used to question why was I playing such a leading role. But because of my empowerment, I was focused and determined to support my husband to become our President"
"The greatest achievement is not the number of awards you receive but the number of lives of Africans you have changed"
"If you have heard anything negative, in the past, about Sierra Leone, I am here to confidently inform you that Sierra Leone is the most beautiful country in the world"
"I call on all other African leaders to emulate what my husband has done to introduce free education for children from pre-primary to secondary school"
"This evening is about more than fellowship — it is about shaping a new world together. With partnerships like NBPA, World Shoe, and OAFLAD, we are showing that women and children will no longer be afterthoughts in development, but the very heart of it."
"You cannot take away the fact that you have more women in Africa than men, and if you’re going to deprive women in Africa to be [left] behind, then definitely, nothing is going to grow."
"The emotion is not about feeling somebody else’s pain — it’s about feeling my own pain"
"I know what it means to be a victim, and it is only by the grace of God that you find yourself in a situation like that and get out of it, and get out and become somebody"
"[At that time], the law still gave the power to the family or a guardian to give consent. So where the child says no, an adult could say yes — and they could still go ahead and marry that child off,For that reason, I decided that I’m not going to wait for policies and government."
"When you bring [this topic] up in Africa, it could immediately cost your husband his next election"
"If the people want to vote for my husband, they’ll vote for him. If they don’t want to vote for him, don’t vote for him. But what we need to say is … it’s better to be remembered for doing a good thing than to be remembered for protecting a political seat"
"I’ve said this and I continue to say it: The reason why we have the situations we have in Africa today is because of the silence,We cover our ears to what is happening to women."
"Until people can show me what FGM is doing in Sierra Leone, I’m not part of the conversation"
"As a proud daughter of the soil, I joined my brothers and sisters working at the Koidu Limited Mining Company in Kono Town to peacefully protest"
"Our collective action aimed to urge Koidu Limited to enhance working conditions and provide better services for all employees"
"This protest is a call to action for the company to improve the working conditions and provide better services. We believe that these demands are reasonable and essential for maintaining the well-being and dignity of workers"