The Healey Foundation Secures USAID Grant to Work in Sierra Leone
By Mohamed Konneh
Healey Relief International Foundation has secured a USAID Grant to support work in Sierra Leone. The grant award was made through the American Schools and Hospitals Abroad ASHA Program that focusses on at-risk youth and improving health outcomes. The announcement was made on Friday 18th November 2022 during a press conference held at the Caritas Freetown office, St. Edwards Compound, Kingtom in Freetown.
Briefing the media Ishmael Alfred Charles said the support is from the American Schools and Hospitals Abroad program under USAID.
He said the ASHA program works to strengthen local capacity and to increase mutual understanding between the US and other countries by funding projects at school libraries, and hospitals that highlight US values.
Charles noted that Healey International Relief Foundation will partner with Caritas Freetown to implement the innovate Your Future Projects and that the project will focus on teaching at-risk youth in Sierra Leone and demonstrating to them how the values of teamwork, science and innovation can help solve economic and healthcare challenges.
‘Sierra Leone has a very young population with nearly 25 percent of its population between the ages of 10-19. To support this program eight Universal Anesthesia Machines will be purchased and placed at four faith-based hospitals throughout Sierra Leone. The Universal Anesthesia Machines was selected for the project as it was specifically designed to address obstacles many hospitals face in Sierra Leone such as intermittent electricity supply and lack of medical oxygen, he said.’
Charles noted that workshops and site visit will show the youth how this equipment is saving lives and improving health outcomes in their communities.
The Executive Director of Caritas Freetown, Rev. Father, Peter Konteh in his statement said through these program efforts and other planned activities, the project objectives is to have a program participants feel more empowered.
Father Konteh noted that Healey International Relief Foundation has been working in Sierra Leone since 2001 and has partnered with Caritas Freetown on a variety of effort including disaster relief, delivery of healthcare service and education in the country.
He said the Innovate your future project will be a two-year effort but will have a long-lasting impact on program youth and communities through a greater understanding of each countries shared values.
Ben Fara is the Executive Director, Healey International Relief Foundation noting that ‘ASHA grant is significant step forward in their work in Sierra Leone.
‘The UAMs will not only provide a needed resource to the health facilities we support, but our partner Caritas Freetown has long worked with at-risk youth and this will help enhance their project efforts in this critical time, Ben Fara noted.’
The grant announced on Friday is another step in improving the work these organizations continue to do in the country especially in empowering youth and health care systems in the country.
