Freetown — AMBASSADOR LINDA THOMAS-GREENFIELD: I can‘t say how delighted I am to be here with you. In my heart of hearts, I’m an academic, and more deeply, I’m an Africanist. And so for many, many years, I studied Africa, lived in Liberia, and Fourah Bay University was, like, at the top. You heard about all of these amazing universities that produced amazing leaders and amazing academics, and Fourah Bay University was one of those universities. And I never, ever expected to be here, and I’m really just honored to be in your presence and to be on this historical campus. For you young people, if you don’t realize the historical relevance of your university, then you need to go back and read your history. So thank you, Chancellor, for welcoming me here.
I have come to Sierra Leone in my role as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations as Sierra Leone takes on its two-year elected membership on the Security Council. And during those two years, I expect to be working closely with the Sierra Leone permanent representative in New York, with the Government of Sierra Leone, as we work together to pursue issues to address global peace and security, women’s peace and security, humanitarian and food security, and a broad range of issues.
So I’m delighted to be here in Freetown for the first time. I have to tell people that I – this is not my first time to Sierra Leone, because when I was living in Liberia, I regularly crossed the border into Koindu, many years ago. And when I was ambassador, I would cross the border at Bo Waterside to come into Sierra Leone, and so I count that as my visits to Sierra Leone, although I’d never been to Freetown. So thank you guys. All right. (Applause.)
MODERATOR ASMAA JAMES: Thank you very much, Ambassador. And again, I want to remind you all that we are here to talk about – to discuss (inaudible) women (inaudible), including women in leadership. Here we always start with prayer to God, but I pray that the Lord God Almighty be with us as we continue (inaudible) to discuss this very important topic that is beneficial to us (inaudible).
Thank you to the U.S. embassy for asking me to host this program, and we’ll start the program with a discussion of said topic. And I want start with you, Madam Minister and Dr. Isata Mahoi. Can you tell us or share some personal or professional experience that inspired your commitment for advocating for gender and women leadership? And that question will go for all of you, but I would like you to start. Thank you.
MINISTER OF GENDER AND CHILDREN’S AFFAIRS ISATA MAHOI: Thank you very much, Asmaa. Ms. Excellency Ambassador, Excellency, (inaudible) civil society here present, students, I greet you all, and I bring you greetings from his excellency the president.
So today I want to share with you a brief story about myself. What is my relation to the question that has been posed? As a young girl growing up, after leaving secondary school, I did not do well when I took my GCE exams. I got three credits, and I went into acting. So I was acting on the streets of Freetown – dancing, singing – to make a living. So I was doing this, then one day there was this call that actors and actresses are needed at (inaudible), so I went there for an audition. So I went for this audition, and the program that we were going to audition for was Atunda Ayenda, which is one of the most famous and (inaudible) soap operas in Sierra Leone.
So I played several roles. So whilst I was doing the auditioning, and then the country director then, (inaudible) Frances Fortune, said, “Ah, my lady, come to this audition. You have been doing – whatever role you are given, you come off very perfect in (inaudible).” Then – so I was casted as Mammy Saio, I was casted as (inaudible). I was casted in several roles. In some of the episodes, I would play, like, two or three characters, changing my voice and character and everything.
So one day I was transferred to Makeni just to make some brief – and I realized that I need to do a lot more education. Then I saw that they are doing some certificate courses in Makeni. So I told Frances – I said, “Frances, I want to go back to school.” He said, “Isata, you’re working. You want to go back to school?” I said, “Yes, Mr. Frances.” He said, “Then I’ll pay for you if you want to go back to school.” He said, “It is good to get it from here.” Bottom line is I was determined. I was focused. I knew I had to go back to school because my inspiration tells me that I need to be somebody who maybe will become a teacher one day or will be an activist one day.
I loved what I was doing at Talking Drum Studios. I did not only act there; I became a radio editor, a producer, and everything. So I became, like, very glued to all those programs and I said I need to learn more.
Then I started a certificates course. I did a certificate course at Polytechnic, I went to University of Makeni – then it was called Fatima Institute. I did a diploma. And then I was very much serious, and I said let me take (inaudible) so I’ll get a view. So I took the (inaudible) and get, like, about seven credits at that time. I was studying, working, studying for exams, and then I cut that.
So I pursued for the B.A. I got the B.A. I said no, I won’t stop. Why? A certain woman who is a lecturer in this particular university came to the university one day to give a public lecture. That is Mama Aisha (ph). That’s how I call her, Dr. Aisha (inaudible). She came, she was talking about her dissertation. (Applause.)
And so she spoke from the heart about a study. She looked into some of (inaudible) kind of study. That day I was inspired by her speech. I was touched. And then I went back. The following morning I came to the – one of my professors and said that, “Father” – I said, “Father, I want to do a master’s.” I said, “I want to pursue my education.” I said, “I don’t want to stop at a B.A.” I said, “Let me study that. I don’t have money to pay for this,” I said, “but I am (inaudible).” He said, “Well, if that is the case, you are fine. We are here to give you the support. We will guide you through it all.”
So I just want to say that particular woman sitting there, Mama Aisha, she inspired me just by being herself. (Applause.)
And I never stopped. So I went for the – I applied in several universities. Sussex accepted me. Sussex University – I was going to do a master’s in gender and development, because I loved working on gender issues. Then a few days later, they recalled the acceptance, saying it was an administrative blunder of theirs. (Laughter.) I was so determined, then I said, “Oh, I’ll pursue again.” Then a week later, I was called again by the University of Rome, who said, “We have accepted you, processed the acceptance and everything.” So that was how I got there. And you can imagine in the first semester of my master’s, I started applying for PhD. (Laughter.)
So I got the urge, because it’s not only about getting the paper per se, it’s about thinking. When they asked me, “What do you want?” I said, “I want to go back home, I want to create change. I see that a lot of people in my communities are suffering. A lot of people do not value education. I want to create that affluence.” And that is what brought me here today. Thank you. (Applause.)
MODERATOR: Thank you very much, and thank you to Dr. Aisha (inaudible) for inspiring our own minister of gender, Ms. – Dr. Isata Mahoi. Thank you very much for that inspiring story.
And now to you, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield. I know you are passionate about women’s leadership. Can we hear your personal and professional experience?
AMBASSADOR THOMAS-GREENFIELD: Thank you very much. This was amazing. I don’t know if I can top the minister’s description of her experience. I joined the U.S. Foreign Service in 1982, and I wanted to be a Foreign Service officer. I didn’t have a particular focus. I’m an Africanist, as I described myself. I’d gone to university. So I wanted to come to Africa, and eventually I ended up coming. My first African assignment was Nigeria and then I went to the Gambia, and you know our brothers in this continent – ruled by men. There were very few women in positions of power in those early years.
I would later go to Kenya, working on refugee issues, and I went into a refugee camp in Kenya with Somali refugees. And we were meeting with the chiefs, we were meeting with the then-leaders, we were meeting with the male employees of the UN. And the Somali women – I was with our ambassador, who was a woman, and the Somali women asked for a meeting, and they were told that we didn’t have time to meet with them. And not by us, but by the people who were organizing for us. And as we were driving out of the refugee camp, these women blocked the road, and they put seats in front of the road and invited the ambassador, who got out of the car and sat in one of those chairs, and we met with these women. And that’s when I understood – (applause) – the power of women and that I needed to be a voice for them. I couldn’t let men tell me I couldn’t meet with them, our ambassador couldn’t meet with them. (Applause.) So I would always ask at that point, “I want to meet with the women’s groups.”
And of course, fast-forward a few years and we had the war in Liberia – you know the impact of that war. It impacted you and it got worse and worse. And who were the people who brought that war to an end? It was the women of Liberia praying every day, praying the devil back to hell, supporting President Sirleaf, voting for the first woman president on the continent of Africa – in fact, the only woman to (inaudible) president. (Applause.) And I got the opportunity to work with her and saw the extent to which she worked to empower women.
Seeing that made me commit to doing everything I can to empower women in the jobs that I do. I have two women on my staff here with me today. (Applause.) And our staff is made up mostly of women.
MODERATOR: All right, thank you very much, Ambassador Greenfield. Interesting and inspiring stories this morning. And to our own (inaudible) now. Not many women are in that space, and we are our proud to have her here (inaudible), yeah. Also we want to say thank you very much for coming, and we are part of all (inaudible). All the women in that field, you guys are – you are very (inaudible). And so now I want to say – I want to call on Michelle Sesay – TechWomen – to share her story with us.
CIVIL ENGINEER MICHELLE SESAY: Good morning, all. Thank you so much for this opportunity to speak here. I cannot beat the stories that have been shared at this table already, but I’ll just give two instances that have stood out to me (inaudible).
I was a student here at Fourah Bay College some 14 years ago, and I remember that we were only six women in a class of about 100 men. So there is a scarcity of female engineers or even women in tech, represented in tech. It’s a reality we get to see every day in our work, and as a professional engineer, I don’t know why I assumed it would get better, but it got worse. I remember the first project meeting I attended, I was the only woman in the room, and the men naturally assumed I was there as maybe the secretary to take minutes of the meeting (inaudible). So I had to reintroduce myself as the project engineer, and you could imagine the laughs start in the room. It was humiliating. But these kinds of experiences, we deal with them every day, and they become our reality. And this gives me the motivation to fight for women in STEM. Thank you so much. (Applause.)
MODERATOR: Thank you, Michelle, for that story. And at some point, we’ll entertain questions, but for now, I will come to you, Ambassador Linda Greenfield. We have (inaudible) for that there is a lack of self-confidence here in Sierra Leone when it comes to women, and so we want to now share with those how could we overcome that particular issue of overcoming self-confidence in particular because, like I said, it’s a big issue for some of us. You have ladies and you have also boys in the room, and there is question time, and it’s always a problem for the women or the girls to ask a question. So how do you –
AMBASSADOR THOMAS-GREENFIELD: I lacked confidence as well when I was your age, and that lack of confidence came from lack of experience and lack of exposure. So what you’re doing today is part of experience and exposure, and then you want to add to that role models and mentors who can encourage you to speak out, encourage you to use your voice. And at some point, I moved from this very – I never was shy, I have to say – but a person who lacked confidence to an extraordinarily confident person. And when I walk in the room, I’m confident in my skin, I’m confident in my knowledge, I’m confident in my abilities. And that’s because I force myself to engage; I force myself to speak out.
If you’re sitting in a room and people are asking questions, don’t sit there. Think about a question you want to ask even before the meeting starts and immediately raise your hand. And sit in the front of the room if you can – because shy people tend to sit in the back of the room. They don’t want to be exposed. And I know some of you are sitting in the back of the room because that’s – those were the only seats that were available. (Laughter.) So I’m not really talking about all of you, but do your best to expose yourself, to raise your hand.
And no question is stupid. So sometimes you think, oh my God, this – I – this question I’m going to ask is so stupid. Ask it. No question – the only stupid question, the only bad question, is the unasked question. So start to raise your hand and show your knowledge and just push yourself so that at some point you become this confident person who can walk in a room with 500 people and feel comfortable. (Applause.)
MODERATOR: That’s a great seat there, I hope we’ve learned, or we are learning. Next to you, Michelle. I have a question for you. Now, what innovative solutions or strategies have you come across with the support to women who are serving in leadership roles in Sierra Leone?
SESAY: Well, here in Sierra Leone, I think networking is very important – joining professional organizations where you get to meet other women, where you get to exchange ideas. Women, we tend to isolate ourselves sometimes, and to be honest with you, the problems we all face are so similar that if we could just get ourselves together and discuss these issues, they may not be as difficult or as challenging as we think. So for me, I think joining networks is very important, and talking with people, meeting people, getting mentors across the board. You could learn from your colleagues and you could also learn from people that are way ahead of you, so I think it’s very important to network and mix and meet all the people in similar situations as well. Thank you.
MODERATOR: Thank you. Women tend to isolate; we tend to isolate ourselves (inaudible). And now to the Minister Isata. You’ve worked in this space, civil society space for a very long time. You know the challenges we all face in the room when it comes to leadership position. Now, how can we challenge gender stereotypes?
MINISTER MAHOI: Okay. The first thing we have to do is firstly to identify the challenge that you have as a leader. Try to understand the gaps that you have, and then from that you are able to identify people that you think will be your mentors. And this is just to reiterate what the speakers have just said: Try to always speak up. I know there are many challenges and stereotypes. And when those that associate themselves (inaudible) saying women cannot do this, you have to prove to the world that you can do it. When I assumed this role as a minister, the first engagement I had with some people I said, “Oh, I have to learn. I need to get my facts straight. I need my leadership position to be strengthened. How do I do this? I need to learn from other people.”
So I went to visit the World Bank director, and he said – I told him, “Listen,” I said, “if I should get something that will help me in terms of overcoming my fears and challenges, you people should help me, or maybe that should grow.” It’s not about women; it’s about getting people to support me technically out and really appreciate this. And he answered, and I told – I tell you they have decided to support me with the cause of training for me to be able to get that. That’s just the beginning.
So the stereotyped way of thinking, the way (inaudible) have surrounded the women cannot do it. We all as women sitting here in this room should be able to overcome this by saying, yes, I can do it. Keep telling yourself. If you are working in a room that has several women, maybe men, 90 percent of men, tell yourself that as I have come here today, I am going to outshine all of those men. It doesn’t matter. My co-panelist said that feel confident in whatever you do, walk up straight, and tell yourself that you are going to pose a question, but you should have thought about that question before. I said there is no stupid question, that there is no stupid way of thinking.
So be upright and be confident. For me, I think that is what has helped me over the years. And I think for women to succeed, try not to listen to the voice of the market. The voice of the market is those that says women cannot lead. Demystify all of those, and ensure that you will be able to change all the people’s lives, all of our women to be thinking straight and be confident in everything that you do. Thank you. (Applause.)
MODERATOR: All right. Thank you very much, Dr. Mahoi. At this point it’s 9:30, and we have another 30 minutes to round up this discussion. I will now open the floor for a few questions. If you have questions on this topic or anything around and on – have questions for our panelists or anything around the topic, it would be great. And our panelists will be here to answer those questions. How do you as women – the importance of including women. (Laughter.)
Now I’m confused. (Laughter.) All right. I’m confused. I’m going to take one from this end. Ma’am. Okay, I’m going to – all right. We’ll now – okay, our first woman leader is there, is (inaudible) question. So yes, lady, what’s your name, and ask your question.
QUESTION: My name is Zola Kristi (ph) of (inaudible).
MODERATOR: Okay. Go ahead.
QUESTION: Why do women in (inaudible) and other countries such as Sudan, Gaza, Ukraine, India, and India suffer and die? And also which stance are you taking to help this situation? (Applause.)
MODERATOR: Thank you very much. (Applause.) I think that question is for you, Ambassador. She wants to know why women in Gaza and the Middle East are suffering and dying. I think we have the best person to answer to that question. Ambassador, do you want to take note (inaudible) – or you want to – oh, okay, I think you need to answer her.
AMBASSADOR THOMAS-GREENFIELD: Yeah, sure.
MODERATOR: Yes, yeah. Of course, I think you –
AMBASSADOR THOMAS-GREENFIELD: And I want to commend you for standing up and being brave and asking your question. (Applause.) And being prepared by having your question in advance. (Laughter.)
The answer to that question for me is very simple. The reason women are suffering in Gaza, women are suffering in the Middle East, women are suffering in Sudan, women are suffering here – it is because men fight wars, and women become victims. (Applause.) And no matter where you see wars being fought, women and children suffer the most. And so it is up to us as women to do everything in our power to support women who are in – who are being victimized in these unstable situations, but also to push men to find a path to peace. Otherwise women are going to continue to suffer.
MODERATOR: All right. Thank you very –
MINISTER MAHOI: This is why (inaudible), and just to answer to your question, my young lady, (inaudible) because we are signing many international treaties. We are (inaudible) these treaties. One of them is the united resolution – UN Resolution 1325, which speaks on the women, peace, and security agenda that tells you that if you bring women to the table, or women bring themselves to the table to be participating in governance issues, also protecting them when it comes to women in conflict situations, and also – and showing that women are also at the forefront when it comes to decision making. You discuss with them, bring them, let them come to the table to talk about things.
It’s not only that – because we need to change the agenda that we should bring more. Fighting does not solve the problem. So – and if you say what is it that we have to do to ensure that we stop the suffering that women go through, we need to stop the war, we need to bring in women, allow women to participate in decision-making processes, and also being at the forefront of every decision that matters when it comes to the country’s decisions. Thank you.
MODERATOR: Thank you very much. So like I said, we don’t have much time, so please be brief in asking questions. I will come – okay, let’s – (laughter). Because the – oh, we have mikes. Okay. Nikki (ph), please stand. (Laughter.) I will come – I will come later, I will come here. But Nikki, please. Please let Nikki briefly (inaudible).
QUESTION: Thank you very much. My name is Nikki Spence-Cooper (ph). I’m embarrassed that my sister and newly appointed communications director (inaudible). (Cheers.) And president as well (inaudible) UN Security Council spokesperson.
My question is for you, Ambassador, and I also have one for Madam Minister. And I’ll start with Madam Minister. As we go into the implementation phase of the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Act, how are we – and I include myself in that – going to get us all to understand – women and men in Sierra Leone – that the 30 percent is really the threshold and not the goal? Because I see the conversation now on everything, “Oh, well, as long as it’s 30 percent, we’ll get the 30 percent.” And that’s really the entry point. That’s for you.
To Madam Ambassador, I’m fascinated by your story, and I hope I have the opportunity to have a more in-depth conversation with you. I’m sure we’ll work more in New York. But specifically, as women who come to these spaces now of visibility and leadership, how do you – what’s your advice for fighting impostor syndrome?
MODERATOR: Thank you very much. Guys, can you please take a few more because of time?
QUESTION: Thank you very much. Good morning, everybody. Isabela Campbell (ph), the president of the (inaudible) in the United States administration, and (inaudible) 2016. So my question is for the Ambassador and then the minister. We have a problem with people going into volunteerism, especially women. But then on the other side, with companies as well, we need companies to encourage such activities. How would you encourage especially individuals, students, to go into volunterism so that they will build up their CVs and be able to have experiences for job seeking, but at the same time there will be an opportunity for them to expose to – or to even discover that their innate abilities? Thank you very much.
MODERATOR: All right, thank you. And Dr. Carroll.
QUESTION: Hi, good morning, Ambassador. My name is Dr. Carroll Labor and I was appointed by his excellency as the first presidential advisor on mental health. So my question to you is: How do you prioritize your mental health in the work that you do? And what advice can you give to us?
MODERATOR: All right. (Inaudible) and then –
QUESTION: Thank you very much. My name is Anuela Bikari (ph). This question is going to be for all of you here. You talk about women empowerment and gender equality, but most of the time women with disabilities have been left out, and we are not – we are not much represented in certain categories in the decision making. How are you guys trying to implement that? And how can organizations partner up with you to enhance that? Thank you very much.
MODERATOR: All right. Thank you very much for your questions. (Applause.) And we got lots of questions, but we have a very tight schedule. The Ambassador here has a very, very tight schedule, so it’s a privilege for her to be here and to answer to those questions. So I’ll start with you, Madam Minister, and just can summarize the answers.
MINISTER MAHOI: Yes. Okay. Maybe I should bring the – Nikki’s question and (inaudible) question together. Looking at the implementation of the GEWE, the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Act, for – first I want to thank all those who in diverse ways participated in ensuring that we had that particular act. Today, it has positioned many more women in parliament and more women at cabinet positions and also in other leadership positions.
So for the implementation – thank you for asking – what we have done as a ministry which is charged with the responsibility of ensuring that we implement the act is that we have set up a secretariat in our ministry which, by the end of the month, will begin to scale up our activities. What we’ve done – we have brought together UN Women to create what we call an accountability framework, a tool that is designed to ensure all ministries, departments, and agencies adhere to what the act says. Of course, we’re aware about the at least 30 percent quota, which is there, and I’m sure as a government, we’ll reach the threshold. And what I am advocating for is parity at the particular moment, parity in every sector.
So this is what we are charged with now. Once we get the ministries, departments, and agencies to be able to collate data, every year we’ll bring out a report, a national report that will tell us where we were, where we’re going to, and what are the gaps that we need to address to lead us to a brighter future, to enable us to achieve parity.
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And then looking at how we get volunteers, this is one way we can say using the tool, we’ll get people to enroll more women in their agencies. We’re now working with the private sector. We have started talking with them so that we get more women being involved. We have got to see what is it that – the role of women. We want to understand the percentage of the women they have in their companies. So this is the what we have been doing as a ministry. And I’m sure we’ll get there. We are on the right track. Just with everybody’s support, we will see our (inaudible) to position more women.
MODERATOR: All right.
MINISTER MAHOI: And for the young girls – I’m sorry, (inaudible). (Laughter.)
MODERATOR: The ones that I have, but fine.
MINISTER MAHOI: (Inaudible.) And for the – getting the women with disability, of course, we have two ministries working alongside, the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs and the Ministry of Social Welfare. And I’m sure we’ve also – as a government, we have institutions that are being created for persons with disability where issues of women are being catered for. We – the SSN, so the social safety net, supported by the World Bank, is also supporting persons with special interests or special needs. So there are initiatives going on. I think we just need to scale up. We need to make it known to people that in this you can participate in every – each aspect, or also you won’t need to reach (inaudible).
MODERATOR: All right. (Inaudible.)
MINISTER MAHOI: So I wanted to thank you very much for these questions. (Applause.)
MODERATOR: Now would like the Ambassador to respond to the questions.
AMBASSADOR THOMAS-GREENFIELD: Okay. Let me see if I got them all. On impostor syndrome, I guess my answer to that is I treat it like I treat racism. And I can treat that at this stage in my life in a different way than maybe you at earlier stages in life. It’s not my issue. I don’t make it my problem. It’s the impostor’s problem. And so if you make it your problem, it becomes your problem. And it interferes with your ability to be who you are and do what you need to do. (Applause.)
How to encourage young people? I just met the model UN students in the back of the room, and to encourage people to start at an early age to engage on issues, to engage in clubs that will prepare them to do jobs in the future. I didn’t do any of that when I was young because I wasn’t exposed. But seeing the activities that young people have at their disposal now, we should take advantage of those opportunities every single time an opportunity is presented to you to come in a room like this and hear speakers like those who are here at the table with me.
I was asked how I deal with my mental health. I used to say to people, “I don’t do stress. It gets in my way.” But if you don’t do stress, it will figure out how to get into you. And I lost my voice once, and just couldn’t speak – I mean, it was just gone. And then I was told that it was acid reflux and that acid reflux is a result of stress. And so then I realized that I do have to deal with stress. The way I do it – and I’ve always done it and it’s helped me – I do a lot of walking. I do a lot of just thinking and meditating. And sometimes I just shut down and I watch stupid movies like – (laughter) – these Nollywood movies with the Nigerian mother-in-law – (laughter) – that you don’t have to think about. They’re entertaining, and it takes your brain off of all the worries of the world. So you find your own ways of dealing with those things.
And then lastly, I’ll answer the question on women with disabilities. This is something that is absolutely important to us in the United States. We are on the disability committee in the UN. I’ve worked very, very closely with the ambassador from – I’m trying to think now where – I think from Barbados who has that committee to ensure that the UN incorporate people with different abilities into the UN system. The United States Government also has a special envoy who works on issues of people with disabilities so that as we address issues in our resolutions that might talk about providing humanitarian assistance to women and children, we are also looking at how we provide humanitarian assistance to people with special needs. So this is something that is truly important, and I really appreciate your raising that question. I think I may have gotten to all of them, but if I did not, I apologize.
MODERATOR: All right. Michelle, do you want to – yeah.
SESAY: I just have one quick thing to say. In terms of encouraging more women into leadership, I think it’s an everybody problem. I think the U.S. embassy has done a great job in terms of getting more women on board with, like, programs like TechWomen, the Mandela Washington or – but I think as individuals, we all should create, like, community-based programs within our communities where we encourage all women as well. So I don’t think it’s a (inaudible) problem or it’s an embassy problem, but I think it’s a me problem, it’s a you problem. And I think we all should put our hands together and to solve these issues. Yeah, thank you. (Applause.)
MODERATOR: Thank you very much. And (inaudible), I think I’m on point. At this point, we know there are lots of questions, but too bad. The Ambassador is really, really – (laughter) – her schedule is really, really tight. And we want to say on behalf of the Embassy of the United States in Sierra Leone, thank you very much to our panelists and to Ambassador Greenfield. And we hope you have a very, very successful meeting here and you always remember that you came to Sierra Leone in 2024, January, and you had a wonderful discussion on women’s leadership. Maybe you’ll meet one of – any one of (inaudible). I don’t know, maybe you can (inaudible).
So thank you very much. Thank you to our panelists again, Dr. Mahoi and Michelle Sesay. And thank you to our hosts, the chancellor of the University of Sierra Leone – vice chancellor, the principal, and the University of Sierra Leone and the deputy vice chancellor of (inaudible) College. Thank you very much for hosting us.
