The winner of Housemate Salone Season 3, Juliana D.Conteh a.k.a Julie Tombo, has been presented with NLE250,000 (OLE250,000,000) as grand prize for emerging the winner of the reality TV show organized by the African Young Voices(AYV) Media Empire and Africell.
She was also officially made brand Ambassador for Afrimoney after a promised trip to Dubai.
In his opening remarks, Africell Media Manager, John Konteh, indicated that the selection and voting processes of Housemate Salone was very tough and challenging, but thanked God that the show ended well.
He said during the selection process, the judges paid keen attention to the contestants' personalities, social media handles etc.
John Konteh mentioned that this year's show was highly contested as there were not only applications from home-based, but from Sierra Leoneans in the diaspora as well, and that it was a fruitful sign that the show was spreading across the world.
"We had to put a lot of things together to making the show a success. We had to bring them on the radio, had a photoshoot done on their behalf so we could use them," he said.
He also mentioned that for this year's show, they strictly utilised mobile money in the voting process as they wanted to advertise their Afrimoney service, as compared to the previous shows wherein SMS were used to cast votes.
He continued that the show took nine weeks before it ended, and those nine weeks were filled with excitement, pleasure, and a lot of discipline rules in the house.
Making a statement on behalf of AYV, Samuel Wise Bangura started by registering the apologies of the CEO, AYV, Junior Navo, who was conspicuously absent.
Samuel Wise said at AYV they were ready to socially experiment young people with any platform and initiative available to AYV.
He mentioned that when they initially thought about organizing a reality TV show, they knew that they needed someone to work with in accomplishing it, so they decided to work with Africell.
"AYV has done successfully great because we believe as the vision of the chairman of the company mostly target young people who have the physique, vigour and vim to pull through if only we can help correct the mistake of the past and create a trajectory that put young people at the pinnacle of its initiative," he said.
He continued that Anthony Navo came up with the AYV initiative as a result of the 11 years brutal war, so that they could identify young people and create a platform for them wherein their voices will be heard and can create life and develop generations.
He concluded that participants of the just concluded Housemate have created a platform where they could develop themselves and acquire their dreams.
In his remarks, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Joe Abass Bangura, thanked the housemates for participating in the show, stating that even though a lot of them had returned to the countries they reside the moment.
He thanked the winner Julie Tombo calling her a unique woman who because of her story will help a lot of other ladies actualize their dreams.
He stressed that even though there were stories of the winner having six children that does not deter her from applying and participating in the just concluded Housemate show.
He emphasized that it was as a result of her story that has brought her to that level.
"Nobody is down enough that they cannot fight to bounce back," he said.
He expressed hope that every young girl in Sierra Leone would be inspired by the story of Julie Tombo, who felt that there was no hope for them because of the first mistake they have made in life.
Joe Abass stated that they eliminated competitors' for two reasons: to reduce the number of housemates and to get a winner via the votes.
He said that in season two of housemates, they introduced Mr. and Mrs. Housemate for the top ten to ensure that there were a lot of winners that will look forward to something order than the ultimate prize.
He said that the winners, male and female have already received NLe10, 000, one MIFI, one year unlimited data, NLe 250 top up every month till a year.
He noted that the first runners up received NLe 5,000, 1 MIFI, six months of unlimited data subscription and NLe250 monthly for a period of six months.
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The second runners up received 3,000, 1 MIFI, three months unlimited data, 250 top up monthly for a period of three months.
Also for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Housemates was announced brand ambassador for Afrimoney.
In her officially statement as the winner of the Housemate Season 3, Juliana Conteh, a.k.a Julie Tombo thanked God for giving her the opportunity and also thanked the viewers of the show as well as those that voted her the winner.
She further stated that people actually believed in her that was why she was voted winner even though they were 22 in the house.
She continued that the people saw what she never saw in herself because she went into the House to find herself and she did found herself, and it was a great experience.
"In life you need to bear patience in anything you do, and you should careless about what people say about you. I never had money for this show, but God blessed me so I could partake," she said.
