By Janet Sam-Kobba
After years of clamoring for support, the people of During Town, a community in the Western Area Rural, finally decided to construct a community center by themselves.
Work on the construction of the center which started on Saturday, September 21, comes after about a decade of efforts the inhabitants say failed due to corruption and poor leadership.
During Town is located along the highway leading to Tombo from Waterloo, the Western Area Rural District (WARD) headquarters.
Formerly called Jumu Town, the community which was renamed by its early inhabitants is still referred to by its first name by some people. With a population of over 1000 people, it lacks many basic amenities.
The people believe that the Community Center is the start of the end to this status quo.
On Saturday, every able-bodied man and woman turned up at the proposed site of the center to construct bricks. Those spearheading the initiative told ManoReporters that the resources required are being sourced locally.
Abdul S. Kamara, the Headman of the town, said they had to take the bull by its hone after years of miss use of public funds meant for the project. He explained that past leaders could only construct the foundation and sold some parts of the two-acre land allocated by government.
Kamara alleged that he was elected 10 years ago as headman but that he was removed from his position due to his refusal to comply with demands bothering on dubious activities by senior leaders of the community.
“I was given 220 million old leones to sell the community field, but I refused. So I was removed from my position because I refused to sign the document,” he recalled, noting that following his re-election as Headman nine months ago, he revived his idea of the center as part of his development drive.
The project, according to Mr Kamara, is being funded partly from donations and partly funds they generated locally through fines on people who fall short of community by-laws. The Headman stressed that the center is very important for the growth of the community, hence their determination to complete it. Among other things, he added, they intend to use the community center to provide the youths with opportunities to learn skills. He pleaded for support from the central government and every other person who has the opportunity to help towards the initiative.
For the inhabitants of During Town, this center also hold the key to their desire to operate as an autonomous community from the larger neighbouring Kerry Town, which it is presently under.
“The During Town community is under Kerry Town but the people of the town have always been crying that they want us to be on our own. We cannot be on our own except we have a community center where we will be voting during elections. And when we are done constructing the community center, by the next election in 2028 we will be on our own and no longer under Kerry town,” he said.
He added: “I want During Town community to change in the next five years to During City, with electricity and all other basic amenities,” added the Headman.
Kamara’s deputy as head of the town, Sallay Paul, is happy that after so many years they are finally constructing the community center. She said that it’s their plan to realize many development initiatives for their community as leaders.
As a woman and a mother, Ms Paul said, she is very happy for the construction of the center because of the opportunities it offers for skills development for the youths.
The community people also hope to have a hall within the center which host social events like wedding celebrations, which they said could reduce cost on them.
“After the construction, people who are getting married will use the hall for reception, when there is a meeting it will be done in the community center and not at people’s houses. During elections, we don’t have to walk to Kerry Town but we can do ours at the community center peacefully,” said Ms Paul.
Like other communities within its surroundings, such as Ballay Town and Russel Village, During Town is contending with various socioeconomic issues like poverty and youth unemployment. Most of its inhabitants make their living from trading. Some cultivate crops, like rice, groundnut, corn and vegetables, which they sell in nearby Waterloo and Tombo.
Richard Jacob Gordon, Youth Chairman of During Town, expressed gratitude to the new leadership of the community for pushing for development. He said that as youths, they were willing to help out with initiatives that seeks development for the community.
But Gordon also pleaded, on behalf of fellow inhabitants, for a helping hand from the government of Sierra Leone, noting that their support would be a contribution to youth empowerment.
“There are many unemployed youths in the community and we are suffering because the past government (town administration) left nothing for the community. There are some of us that have gone out to learn skills and are back here. With the community center, we can help to teach others so they won’t go out to steal to feed themselves,” said Gordon.
Another resident, Fatmata B. Kamara, highlighted some of the constraints they go through as youths. She said that she and many others were dealing with countless challenges, especially unemployment. And according to her, she is a trained caterer who would like to train others in the community to improve on their skills, if the opportunity is available.
“When this center is constructed, I can be able to train others to improve their skills. We can also use it for those who are getting married in order to reduce cost,” she said.
Fatmata also pleaded with the government, fellow youths and members of the community to help in the construction efforts in whatever little way they can.
Janet Sam-Kobba is an intern at ManoReporters and she is a final year student at the Mass Communication Department at Central University in Mile 91.
