President of SLSUC, Salamatu Bellah Conteh (PhD) student hands over a cash donation to the Acting Head of Mission Mrs Kumba Alice Momoh

Sierra Leone Students Union in China (SLSUC), has handed over a cash donation to the Embassy of the Republic of Sierra Leone in the People’s Republic of China for affected persons of the August 14 mudslide and flood disaster. The 10, 800 RMB (about $1, 650) cash donation was presented by SLSUC’s president, Salamatu Bella Conteh to the Acting Head of Mission Mrs. Kumba Alice Momoh at the Republic of Sierra Leone Embassy in Beijing.

Despite their current challenges, the Sierra Leonean students and their multitude friends and sympathisers raised the above amount of cash, which goes as a worthy gesture of good deeds in aid to the victims.

“Our hearts naturally go to the flood and mudslide victims. We realize that they need help and it feels good helping the needy,” says SLSUC’s President, Salamatu Bellah Conteh

While making the presentation, concerns were raised by Conteh including the rising standard of living in China, thus requesting for an increase in allowances for students.

She spoke about the delay in payment of their annual allowances and thereby called on the Sierra Leone Government through the Embassy in Beijing to expedite payment in order to help them address some of their daily challenges.

On the shipment of the personal belongings of students that have graduated, Conteh said this has not been done since a good number of graduated students departed China in June this year. “There has been no statement from authorities in Freetown regarding shipping their personal belongings,” she noted.

It could be recalled that prior to 2007, government was providing a 20ft container to graduating students. The trend changed to 40ft by 2008-2009, immediately after the current Government and President were elected into office. The same period saw an increase in students’ allowance from a paltry 500-600 dollars annually to 1,800 dollars per student. Though students always expect more, but they over the years have spoken highly of their appreciation of such a decision under the leadership of President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma.

The Acting Head of Mission, Mrs. Kumba Alice Momoh said the Embassy is greatly impressed by the show of love and patriotism emanating from and unique to the SLSUC.

She assured that the message of their donation has been communicated to the Authorities in Freetown and that the donation itself would be personally presented to His Excellency Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone.

“Your concerns would be shared, and I am sure the Freetown Authorities would give due consideration to each of those concerns as shared by the Union’s President,” Mrs. Momoh said and further assured the Embassy would always support lawful ventures relative to student’s academic work and stay in the People’s Republic of China.

“We will always work towards addressing the welfare of students as they are the hope of Sierra Leone. This is a Government that cares for its citizens and we know students have a crucial role in nation building. That is why we will continue to support them because without education, a nation cannot progress”. She implored students to work hard and prove their work as they start a new academic year.

Since the opening of diplomatic ties between Sierra Leone and China in 1971, the later has been supporting the former in building her human resource capacity by offering scholarship to deserving students annually.

This year the Chinese government offered 113 scholarships to Sierra Leonean students to pursue different academic programs in various institutions in the People’s Republic of China.

Abu Bakarr Kargbo is a Senior Staff Writer of Standard Times Newspaper in Sierra Leone and an Intern at People’s Daily Online.