The Sawla branch of the Birifor Youth Association in the Savannah Region has launched an educational fund to promote schooling in the area.
According to the secretary of the branch association, Elder Joseph Puorima, the Educational Fund was to assist brilliant but needy students .
He said the area lagged behind in education adding: “Sidelining education of our future leaders will only impede the development of our community”.
Elder Joseph Puorima made this known during the launch of the Sawla branch of the Birifor Youth Association on Saturday, April 23, 2022 at Sawla, the capital of the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District.
The branch association therefore appeals to philanthropists, corporate organisations and individuals to support the Fund, to enable more brilliant but needy students in the area have access to higher education.
The association formed on February, 2019, with 20 membership which can now boast of 360 members has since chalked some successes.
According to the branch secretary, the association has bought a communal land for the Birifos in Sawla to be developed for Birifor events.
He added that they have been able to purchase 100 plastic chairs which are rented out to raise funds to support activities within the association and had also in one or the other way supported a number of its members in times of difficulties.
Despite these achievements, the association is reeling under a myriad of challenges.
The secretary observed that high level of absenteeism by members during meetings is a major setback to the association.
He also mentioned that financial challenge as a result of members inability to pay dues regularly and the inability of the association to support brilliant but needy students in schools as other challenges bedeviling the branch association.
The aims of the Sawla branch of the Birifor Youth Association includes; to bring all Birifors youth in Sawla together to share and showcase the Birifor as a tribe, to fight illiteracy and ignorance through educational campaigns and sponsorship’s, to promote peace,foster unity and solidarity among members to join a fight against HIV/AIDs, malaria, hepatitis B and other diseases, to join hands with any development agency that requires our support to bring development and to fight poverty among members through pragmatic initiatives such as self- help activities and entrepreneur skills training.
Source: yagbonradioonline