The Young African Women Congress Network, Sierra Leone Chapter accompanied by the Executive Chairperson for the Network globally, Mr. Daniel Osei Tuffuor has paid a courtesy call on the First Lady of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Her Excellency Mrs Fatima Maada Bio in her office in Free Town on Thursday 27th July, 2023.

Michaela Y. Kargbo, Esq, the Sierra Leone Chapter President of the Network who was the Leader of the delegation introduced the Team to the First Lady after which she recounted the impact of the country’s Chapter of the pan-African women’s network in Sierra Leone.

On his part, Mr. Daniel Osei Tuffuor began by commending Mrs Maada Bio for her effort and significant impact in the women empowerment space in Sierra Leone. He lauded her for her impressive advocacy against child marriage and teenage pregnancy in the country.

“Generally, your fight against sexual and gender-based violence in Sierra Leone is one that is worth emulating. You have been a vibrant First Lady on the African continent and your contribution has been noted at the global stage.” He emphasized.

Mr. Osei Tuffuor then gave the background to the YAWC Network by stating that the pan-African women’s movement has been at the forefront of women empowerment on the continent since its inception in 2016.

He added that the network has empowered thousands of African women through its annual convocations, which young women from Sierra Leone have been beneficiaries.

He also highlighted the purposeful advocacies the network has embarked upon in Africa including the work it did in bringing to justice the rapist who defiled the five-year-old Kadijah Madinatu Saccoh to death in Sierra Leone in June 2020, 22-year-old Vera Uwaila Omozuwa, a Nigerian student who was brutally raped and killed at church premises in Nigeria in 2020 and the unified flagship continental campaign against rape and defilement by the Network during the peak of covid-19 pandemic that brought a number of perpetrators to book.

Mr. Osei Tuffuor concluded his remarks by extending an invitation to H.E Fatima Maada Bio as the keynote speaker for the Young African Women Congress 2023 annual continental convocation in Accra in September this year.

In her response, H.E Mrs Maada Bio commended the YAWC Network for its achievements over the years especially for the fact that young Sierra Leonean women have played an active role. She added that even though she may be taking all the accolades as a gender champion in the country but the young women in the country like the members of YAWC Network are the ones who make her work easier due to their contribution at the grassroot level. She pledged her readiness to work with the network both at the national Chapter level and the global secretariat.

Mrs Maada Bio ended by making some useful suggestions to the delegation in order to make this year’s Young African Women Congress annual continental convocation successful.

Ms. Isatu Moses, the Media Liaison Officer for Sierra Leone Chapter delivered the vote of thanks by expressing the Network’s profound gratitude to the First Lady for receiving the delegation in her office and for her readiness to work with the network.