First Lady Dr Fatima Maada Bio of Sierra Leone has shown an incredible commitment to empowering women and advancing education by giving the female advocacy group Women in the Media Sierra Leone (WIMSAL) administrative and financial support.
Moreover, she has awarded seventeen worthy WIMSAL members full-tuition scholarships. As part of their mission to assist women and girls in realising their full potential, these kinds of donations were made on behalf of the recently registered INGO, the Hands Off Our Girls (HOOG) Foundation. In addition to improving WIMSAL’s capacity as an organisation, the seventeen female media practitioners who have been awarded fully funded tuition scholarships also directly benefit from the support of the HOOG Foundation. With the help of this chance, they can pursue a variety of postsecondary educational options and gain the knowledge and abilities needed to succeed in their chosen fields.
First Lady Fatima Maada Bio has contributed 80 million Leones to the creation of office space for WIMSAL in addition to the scholarships. This contribution represents a critical turning point in the organisation’s long-standing problem-solving process. The First Lady of Sierra Leone exhibits her steadfast dedication to empowering diverse women in the media industry by offering a designated workspace. In the course of exclusive mentoring sessions with the WIMSAL members, the First Lady underscored the critical significance of education. She urged all seventeen recipients to take advantage of this chance and maximise their educational experience. In addition, Dr Fatima Maada Bio counselled them to put their mental and physical health first, pushing them to walk tall and confidently as women.
The aspirant media professionals found inspiration and motivation in her mentorship. The president of WIMSAL, Eastina Taylor, thanked the First Lady, acknowledged the scholarships given, and praised the organization’s continued partnership with the First Lady. Taylor emphasised the enormous influence that this support has on WIMSAL members’ lives, especially those of single mothers. She related the tale of one of the recipients, Yvette, a single mother of three who found it difficult to pay for her schooling and provide for her family. Yvette’s future is brightened by the First Lady’s support, which not only helps her pursue her education but also lessens some of her financial obligations. One of the recipients, Haja Mariama Bangura, conveyed her sincere appreciation to the First Lady during the vote of thanks.
She underlined how the scholarships have freed her from the worries she had about paying for her education. In her speech, Bangura pledged on behalf of all the recipients to make the First Lady proud by attaining outstanding outcomes in their specialised fields. First Lady Dr. Fatima Maada Bio’s incredible initiative is evidence of her unwavering commitment to President Julius Maada Bio’s Big Five Game Changers. It emphasises how vital it is to support women’s emancipation and education as engines for Sierra Leone’s change.
The First Lady is laying the groundwork for a better future in which women in the media can prosper and make substantial contributions to the advancement of the country by sponsoring WIMSAL and offering scholarships. In conclusion, First Lady Dr. Fatima Maada Bio’s support and scholarships given to Women in the Media Sierra Leone (WIMSAL) bear witness to her dedication to advancing women’s emancipation and education.
The scholarships give seventeen worthy women the chance to fulfil their aspirations of pursuing postsecondary education while also strengthening WIMSAL’s capacity as an organisation. The First Lady’s commitment to empowering women in the media industry is further evidenced by her kind donation of office space for WIMSAL. By providing guidance and supportive remarks, she motivates the recipients to achieve success in their academic endeavours and project confidence. This programme is in line with President Julius Maada Bio’s Big Five Game Changers, which highlights the value of empowering women and funding education as a means of transforming Sierra Leone.
