Tallah-Musa Charity gives 100 scholarships

By Bampia Bundu

It was an historic event and a moment of joy for pupils, teachers, parents, guardians and the entire people of Nieni Chiefdom in the Koinadugu District as the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Tallah-Musa Charity Fund, Mr. Edward Marah, over the weekend, presented one hundred scholarships worth over twenty millions Leones to deprived and less privileged pupils in the Chiefdom to support their schooling.

Making the presentation at the Yiffin through the Chiefdom Paramount Chief, PC Foday Alimany Jalloh, Mr. Edward Marah, a Sierra Leonean Journalist, said that the donation was part of his organization’s continued support to the development of the Chiefdom particularly in the area of education as, he observed that education is the foundation for tomorrow’s development.

He informed the jam-packed gathering that the Tallah-Musa Charity Fund is a charity organization established in 2009 with the aim of helping and empowering deprived and less privileged children, women and youths in the country particularly in his home district of Koinadugu, which he referred to as one of the most backward districts in the country.

He disclosed that that Tallah-Musa Charity Fund is a name given to the charity organization in honour of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Musa-Tallah Marah in appreciation of their commitment and contribution to the service of humanity.

Describing his parents as philanthropists, he disclosed that he wanted to follow their footsteps to contribute to the service of humanity and community transformation especially in the areas of peace building and human resource development.

Mr. Marah further informed the people of Neini Chiefdom that his organisation is a non-political, non-religious social service organization that wants to contribute to the service of humanity, adding that their major focus is to support areas such as education, health and the provision of clothing and food to less privileged people.

He noted that they were giving the scholarships to compliment the efforts of the Government of President Ernest Bai Koroma to give a new face to the educational system of the country, stressing that the award of the scholarships was in response to the President’s call for Sierra Leoneans to join hands to move the country forward.

Mr. Marah called on the beneficiaries to take their education seriously, adding that they will only continue to pay for them if they improve on their performance in school.

He commended the board members of the Tallah-Musa Charity Fund for their commitment to the ideals of the organisation, adding that their support has made them realise their dream of promoting and contributing to the development of the country.

In his comments, a member of the board, Mr. Karamoh Kabba, commended the initiative of Mr. Edward Marah for establishing the fund and assured them of their continued support at all times. He advised the pupils to take their school work seriously, stressing that education is the key to success.

In his statement, the Paramount Chief Foday Alimamy Jalloh of Nieni Chiefdom commended Mr. Edward Marah for remembering the children of his chiefdom, who, he said are in dire need of help. He described Mr. Marah as a development man who has and continues to associate himself with the overall development of not only Nieni Chiefdom and Koinadugu District but Sierra Leone as a whole. He prayed that God will continue to give him the courage to server his people and the country at all times.

In his comments, the Chairman of the programme, Mr. Edison Balla Koroma, lauded the efforts of Mr. Edward Marah for bringing joy on the faces of the children of Nieni Chiefdom, adding that they as a people are short of word to praise him. He called on Government, nion Governmental organisations, and citizens of Neini Chiefdom to emulate his good works.

Statements of thanks and appreciation were also made by representatives of Nieni Section, Wolley Section, Barawa Section, Fudu/Kalia Section and Sieradu Section while Mr. G.P.M. Marah made a statement on behalf of the Principal and heads of the different schools in Neini Chiefdom.

Among the communities that benefited from the scholarships are the Nieni Section with 30 pupils, Wolley Section, 15, Barawa Section, 15, Fudu/Kalia Section, 10 and Sieradu Section, 15.

A pupil, Mohamed Yanka, from the Alikalia Secondary School, gave the vote of thanks while the ceremony was climaxed with a colourful display of traditional music and dance.