OVERVIEW OF THE ORIENTATION February 3rd, 2024 at  GADNETt Office a 3 hours long orientation for twenty (20) girls participants was held. Self introduction, presentations on the insight, goals, importance, attribute, need, expectation and duration of the 2nd cohort was done the Executive Director-GADNET. Emphasising the pivotal role mentors played in nurturing effective leadership skills of mentees.

Ivory Coast were beaten 4-0 by Equatorial Guinea, yet they bounced back to the final while Equatorial Guinea got eliminated. Don't write anyone off. You won today doesn't mean you are the best. Don't look down on the person you defeated yesterday!

The purpose of the courtesy call amongst other things is to strengthen the bilateral working relationship between APHRC, a non-profit pan-African research institution headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, which focuses on conducting high-quality, policy-relevant research on population, health, education, and urbanisation in sub-Saharan Africa and Stats SL, Sierra Leone’s National Statistics Office, through the renewal of an existing Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

Is Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) an entitlement or impunity for some?

Network AID is in tune with the call of the United Nations Secretary General to the Security Council in December 2023 and now the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Mr. Martin Griffiths' briefing to the UN Security Council on the humanitarian situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory in January 2024. We urgently call on the ten (10) non-permanent security council member states to do the needful as enshrine on the UN Charter (maintenance of world peace and security). Sierra Leone the pride of education promotion MUST take the lead at the security council in the restoration of Palestinian literacy history.

Network AID 2024 message to her advisors, ambassadors and partners for being with us through 2023 which was the 1st and 2nd quarter of the organisation fiscal year. The challenges faced with and the gains made collectively. We look for to a more fruitful moment in 2024 and the remaining two quarters.

For this report, 2018 data were used for the review of vehicle standards; 2017 data were used for the review of legislation, road standards and post-crash care; fatality estimates were based on data from 2016 Key Figures - 1.35 million deaths each year - 8th leading cause of death for people of all ages - 3 times higher death rates in low-income countries than in high-income countries - #1 cause of death for children and young The rates of road traffic are high in Africa (26.6/100,000 people) and South-East Asia (20.7/100,000 people).  Globally, pedestrians and cyclists represent 26%, comprising another 28%. Car occupants make up 29% of all deaths Africa has the highest proportion of pedestrian and cyclist mortalities with 44% of deaths

The Global Health Estimates data accessed, analysed and used through a variety of different channels and mediums. These include an interactive visual summary of global and regional data; data visualization in the Global Health Observatory filtered by country, year, age and sex; key trends by country income group; and downloadable files of the complete data sets. In 2019, the top 10 causes of death accounted for 55% of the 55.4 million deaths worldwide. The top global causes of death, in order of total number of lives lost, are associated with three broad topics: cardiovascular (ischemic heart disease, stroke), respiratory (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lower respiratory infections) and neonatal conditions – which include birth asphyxia and birth trauma, neonatal sepsis and infections, and preterm birth complications. Causes of death can be grouped into three categories: communicable (infectious and parasitic diseases and maternal, perinatal and nutritional conditions), noncommunicable (chronic) and injuries. 

My takeaway from the training were: 1. SRGBV is critical and require maximum attention by all 2. SRGBV affect the community, family life and the advancement of a country 3. Social and gender norms are the biggest issues 4. Conflicting policies, legal framework, resources, week structural implementation provides avenue for SRGBV 5. Less family and community knowledge on SRGBV limit to act accordingly. 6. Information and knowledge from gender, social or development workers to the community related to gender, fiminism, culture, religion fuel non acceptance. i am pleased with the learning exchange and recommend for broader intervention in all the 16 districts in Sierra Leone.  How Do We Address SRGBV The following contributions were made: 1. Rasining more awareness in schools, families and community 2. Providing cash transfer to parent and familiies 3. Monitoring the implementation of existing policies and legal framework 4. strenthening the referal pathway 5. Advocate for compensiation of victims or survivors of SRGBV 6. Putting gender at the center of education and all works of life 7. leveraging hands-on tools for gender responsive teaching 8. Tracking gender bias amongst teachers, families, community and  school leaders As an organisation working with and placing illiterate persons especially women and girls at the center will integrate school related gender base violence into it health and safety programme. Thanks to Plan International and Education for All with support from UNG

Promoting Holistic Well-being: Mental health is not limited to the absence of mental illnesses but encompasses overall well-being. We discussed the significance of promoting positive mental health practices, such as self-care, stress management, and emotional resilience. Recognizing mental health as a universal right involves prioritizing prevention and early intervention strategies. Network AID encourages not only the government but also families, communities, and workplaces to accelerate and complement the stride, by developing a mental health policy plan that will aid the process. Mental Health is everyone's concern and we must act collectively to actualize that goal. Conclusion: Participating in the discussion on World Mental Health Day at Rise Radio 98.6 FM was a valuable opportunity to shed light on the significance of mental health as a universal human right. By advocating for accessible mental health services, challenging stigma, and promoting holistic well-being, we can create a brighter future where every individual has the support they need to thrive mentally and emotionally. Let us continue to prioritize mental health and work towards a world that recognizes and fulfils this fundamental human right for all.

Network AID therefore joined AMHHR calls on the Government of Sierra Leone to protect the rights of women and girls with mental health problems help improve access to and quality of mental health service delivery in Sierra Leone. The rights set out in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the rights recognized in the Declaration on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, means every person with a mental issues or  illness has the same basic rights as every other person. Many times, legal sanctions may not provide adequate protection for women with mental health problems; therefore, AMHHR calls on all mental health professionals, NGOs, women’s rights activists, and community stakeholders to join efforts in educating and changing community attitudes towards mental illness and advocating for human rights of all, especially women with mental illness. 

Mustapha is a 15 years old boy who was caught writing answers to possible test questions on his desk in school. The teacher who caught him forced him to strip to his underpants and run around the school ground three times as a punishment. All his classmates laughed at him and one of them, Isata, even made a video of Mustapha, which was uploaded to Facebook. An angry Mustapha met Isata at the riverside later and ripped off her shirt. Humiliated, Isata told her mother in the evening, who asked her to be quiet because she brought this upon herself. "After all Isata, what do you expect when you humiliates a boy?" her mother said.

Dear colleagues in the Mental Health struggle across the globe,  Today, as we mark Mental Health Day, DADA-SL invites you to join us in a collective endeavour to embrace the concept of inclusivity and unity in Diversity. In a world brimming  with the cacophony of modern life, it's easy to forget the quiet strengths within each of us. Inclusivity is never far fetched reaching dream; it's a vital part of our well-being that deserves our attention and care. Mental Health matters, should be regarded as the corner stones of our ability to thrive, interact, connect, and find happiness in the existence of our lives. Yet, Mental Health is a delicate tapestry, susceptible to the strains of stress, anxiety and the numerous challenges we faced daily.

It is with heavy hearts that we share the devastating news of the loss of a precious nine-year-old survivor, who passed away on Friday, October 13, 2023. In our arms, she fought bravely, her tiny body clinging to life, but the weight of her pain was too much to bear. We held her hand, whispered words of comfort, and provided the medical and psychosocial support she needed. But despite our tireless efforts and adherence to our protocols, her injuries were too severe, and she slipped away from us, leaving behind a void that can never be filled. This beautiful girl, with a radiant smile and dreams as vast as the sky, had her future stolen from her. She was just in primary four, embarking on a journey of education and limitless possibilities. But the darkness of sexual violence cast its shadow upon her innocence, robbing her of the joy and promise that should have accompanied her every step. Today, as we grieve her untimely departure, we cannot help but feel the weight of the injustice and heartache that surrounds this senseless act of violence. We are reminded of the urgent need to end Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in our society. We refuse to accept a world where innocence is stolen, where dreams are shattered, and where the most vulnerable among us suffer in silence.

In obsrvation of this year's Mental Health Day 2023 on the theme "Mental Health is a Universal Human Rights" Network AID embarked on series of actions- Media Engagement via radio stations; Production of video clip, Flyers for social media posting and Roundtable Discussion with interns and volunteers at conference room of its office secretariat. The roundtable discussion anchored on its local theme "Hey, Let's About Our Mental Well-Being.".  Powerpoint presentation on the local theme was done that form part of the discussion. The outlines of the presentation are:- 1. Mental Health Concept 2. Key Facts 3. Mental Health Determinants 4. Promotion and Prevention 5. Summary, and 6. Discussion.