KISDO REACHES BO AND KENEMA
By: Mr. Emmanuel Fallah Fockoh (Acting Board Chairman) November 22, 2019
It all started as a dream for KISDO to be more committed in establishing more branches or to affiliate with other organizations throughout Sierra Leone. In fulfilling this dream, a high level five man delegation was dispatched on October 25, 2019 to visit Bo and Kenema cities in the south-east of the country. This delegation was led by Madam Sia Tengbeh, the KISDO National women’s leader and the Kissi tribal women’s leader (Mammy Queen) for west of Freetown. Other team members included the Chairman of KISDO, Mr. Moses Sahr Fayiah; the Acting Board Chairman, Mr. Emmanuel Fallah Fockoh; the National Coordinator, Pastor Thomas Fallah Lendeh and the Deputy Financial Secretary, Mr. Samuel Bockarie.
On arrival in Bo, the team was received by Madam Fatmata Sia Tengbeh (The Kissi Mammy Queen for Bo), elders and other members of the kissi community. We should recall that these people have been impatiently waiting for KISDO since they heard of its ground breaking visit to kono in June this year.
The all-important meeting was held on Saturday, 26th October, 2019, at Native Administration Court Barry, along Ngallu Road in Bo that was well prepared and jammed packed with crowd. During the meeting, the chairman elaborated on the purpose of their mission which is to reach out to every kissi community in Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia and beyond. Please note that the kissi tribe is one of the minority tribes in the Mano River Basine but currently at the verge of extinction. Prominent among the kissi elders in Bo was the former member of Parliament for constituency 003 (2002-2007), Hon. Francis Sahr Dunnor Tengbeh. In his key note address, he declared his support and commitments in working with KISDO. In addition, he promised to help in his own little way including project writing and even donating his land to KISDO for agricultural purposes.
At the end, many questions were answered and ten people fully registered with us. As a fund raising activity, KISDO items including T-shirts, caps, car stickers and hand bands were sold out at reasonable cost not only to registered members but those present.
In addition, the delegation also took part in the funeral of late George Nyuma, a member of the kissi community and former SLRA Director in Bo.
No sooner this Bo meeting was concluded in the evening hours, when the sun set on the Kamboi hills that overlook Bo city than the Freetown delegation set off to continue their mission for Kenema. They were joined by the new members of Bo KISDO. On the other end, in Kenema was Pastor Francis Moseray and the Kenema kissi community that have been enthusiastically waiting by the roadside for the arrival of the team. As kissi tradition demands, the delegation was then taken to the Kissi Tribal Headman in Kenema, Chief Fayia James (Fayia Gbossodu) who warmly received and accommodated them.
While in Kenema, the delegation joined worshippers at the New Jerusalem Assembly of God church for Sunday service. During this service, the KISDO delegation was given the opportunity to briefly tell the congregation about KISDO and to extend invitation for the meeting in the evening of the same day.
The Kenema meeting was held at the Kenema Secondary School Hall. It was opened with the usual introduction and purpose of the meeting which was done by the chairman, King Ngolie Sahr Fayia. Other speakers like Mammy Queen Sia Tengbeh, Samuel Bockarie, Emmanuel Fallah Focko and Pastor Thomas Fallah Lendeh were also given tasks to talk on various issues. Pastor Morseray, who was the keynote speaker expressed his sincere appreciation to KISDO leadership for finally reaching them. He however admonished the Kenema community to take advantage of the opportunity as KISDO is the only kissi organization that is ready to embrace all communities both locally and internationally. In attendance were religious leaders, kissi elders, journalists, students, police officers, etc. Many concerns were addressed during the questions and answers session. The participants also gave suggestions and opinions on how to improve KISDO as an organization. At the end, many participants who were mainly youth expressed their interest to become members and five registered fully.
Finally, Pastor Francis Moseray was chosen as the chairman for Kenema KISDO.
To sum it all, the team returned to Freetown on Monday, 28th October, 2019.
PICTURES SPEAK A THOUSAND WORDS