Concord Times (Freetown)
Abraham Abdulai
11 November 2008
Vice chairman of the polio challenged association at Grafton Camp said they were dismayed at their poor conditions of living.
Christopher Bangura told Concord Times that since they formed the association in 1989, they have not been getting any assistance from the government or non governmental organizations in the country.
Members of the association and their families live at Grafton Camp. Because the polio left them with disabilities, many of the people were unable to work and provide for their families. Their basic needs were not being met and most of them spent their days begging for food.
Bangura said they would like to be helped with transportation, assisted with food and sponsored to enable their children go to school.
He described drivers as jezebels because they are wicked enough to cry them down even when they have their poda-poda or taxi fare. "They always referred to as the most troublesome people in the society," he said.
He appealed to government to provide them with a mini bus which they could use to run their businesses so that drivers would stop embarrassing them.
Bangura said during the war some of their homes were vandalized which left most of their colleagues on the street begging.
"After the war, we have written several project proposals to the national commission for social action to help rehabilitate our homes and workshops that were vandalized but to no avail," he said.
Bangura said before now the association was called polio victim but they decided to change the name to polio challenged association adding that his organization has a membership of more than 250 people including men, women and children.
"We started the movement in August 1989 with the aim of helping our colleagues in terms of education, medication and shelter. 25 of us went to State House to protest so that the president at that time will know our plight," he said.
The vice chairman said when they met with the president, they were given the sum of Le 50,000 with the idea that they went there to beg.
He said they made it clear to the president that they where there for money but they wanted the president to address some of their problems.
Bangura said that their first homes were built by the deceased retired major Abu Noah and German embassy before the war broke out. "After the 11-year war they were rebuilt by a Catholic Father by the name of John Nicolato," he said.
Financial secretary Fatta Algahali said her association has no tribal affiliation adding the institution believes in democratic.
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