AS WFP RUNS DRY… STARVATION LOOMS AT KABALA

By Ibrahim Joenal Sesay

Residents of Kabala in the Koinadugu North of Sierra Leone are currently facing the worst hardship in their lives as things gets tough every day. Most of the children cannot stand the test of time in that community but  go in search for their living.

Children whose parents cannot afford to take care of them abandon their schools for their daily living. Mohamed Kuyateh a ten year old boy and of class four of the DEC Primary School Yogomaia Sengbeh Chiefdom Kabala district lost his parents sometime last year but currently lives with his aunt said he stopped attending school because his aunt cannot afford to pay and provide food and clothing for him.

 Kuyateh joined his friends to go in search of scrap metal so that they can survive for the day. "He used to sell 1 kilo weight of iron Le200.00 whilst aluminum costs Le1,000 per kilo" he said.

Looking very tired under the mango tree after searching for iron Kuyateh said they don't only use the money for food but also for buying soap, clothes and slippers among others.

"Things are really hard for us in this community" he cried out.

Among the six children SALONE TIMES talked to there was a six year old boy who is currently in class three Foday Koroma of the same school. Some say they are still attending school "after school at 2.00 pm we immediately go in search of iron so that we can get our lunch for the  next day." Says Mike Yillah a nine year old boy of class three.

Fanta Koroma a parent described the situation as very tough for them because of the number of children she has to take care of.

Head teacher of the DEC Primary School Abubakarr D. Fofanah confirmed to SALONE TIMES  that there is a huge reduction in the number of children attending school due to lack of feeding programme. He said the school used to get help from World Food Programme (WFP) but nearly a year now, such programmes have stopped. "This has led to the reduction of the number of children going to school, hence their struggling for lunch" he said.

He added that the food programme helped greatly to upkeep the children in the schools and also help them to perform remarkably well. He said if the condition is improved the children and staff will do better. DEC Primary School is one of the most popular school in that community but yet still lacks toilet facilities, furniture and accommodation especially for teachers.

Currently the school has five hundred children and less trained and qualified teachers. "We need help to develop the school and the future leaders" the principal appealed.

Public Information and Report Assistance of WFP Francis Boima said they now have adequate food to distribute to the school and explained that they were faced with lack of funds that was why they were not able to provide the complete food basket

He said lack of food should not be the main factor for children to stay out of school. "We recognize the important role the school feeding programme played for children to complete their courses.

But it base on our funding," he said.

He disclosed that WFP will partners with local producers of rice, also introduce a new recovery programme and very soon they will have a consultative conference to determine which schools to support.

He assured SALONE TIMES that come June this year WFP will start distributing complete school basket that makes up the full food meal.

Mostly children and women make  up Kabala community one of Sierra Leone's potential tourist area.