The Movement for Community Led Development (MCLD) has on the 29 January 29, 2024, met to discuss and realign a five years global strategic plan that identifies with them. The plan is to determine the operationalization of their activities moving forward.
According to Sheku Mohamed Gassimu Junior, Partnership and Program Director, One Village Partners in Kenema, the global body of the MCLD wanted their national associations to do a restructuring to align with and envision their values with the global aspiration they have therefore funded and supported the activity.
He said that the first of the engagement was to rearrange their leadership structure, set up their executive even if they had one, and to formalize with their roles to make them functional.
Sheku Mohamed Gassimu Junior stated that the meeting was about giving feedbacks to a global document presented with them by their global partner.
“Today’s meeting was to provide feedbacks on the global strategic plan which had already been prepared by our global body. And because their values include inclusion and solidarity, they want to integrate our feedbacks into whatever they are doing at the global stage to showcase a mixed framework.”
He disclosed that the meeting would also capture the formation of a board and a functional executive.
“The strategic plan is a direction of the entire group. We will also sign an MoU with the global assembly to affirm the recognition of ours in Sierra Leone.”
Isata Bridget Kallon, Executive Director for the Pioneering Initiative in the Rehabilitation of Substance Use Disorder – Sierra Leone in Bo, said that the emergence of MCLD is important because the move is to involve grassroots and communities in the development of their respective areas.
“The engagement is wonderful because we are now chanced to work with the global strategic plan in a bid to contextualize it.”
Joseph B.M Sowa, Executive Director of the Centre for Humanitarian Advocacy Network and Community Empowerment in Kambia, noted that the focus of MCLD is giving right to the people in the area of development in the local communities. Stating his commitment to MCLD, Jospeh B.M Sowa added that the MCLD’s agenda is now felt across the country. He averred that their meeting was to capture Sierra Leone’s interest in global agenda of the MCLD.
Executive Director of Women’s Advocacy and Agricultural and Development Association (WAADO) who also doubles as the Vice Chairperson of the global platform of the MCLD, Madam Doris Fatima Webber, said that the MCLD- Sierra Leone’s chapter is a consortium of likeminded Civil Society Originations that look at community led developments in Sierra Leone.
She said the body stands to ensure communities are involved in their development projects from baseline survey to implementation.
“Globally, the MCLD was looking at the Hunger Project but that changed due to emerging issues. Now from the Hunger Project, we’ve moved to a Network of Networks that involves different countries in the world. In Sierra Leone, we have been able to coordinate different CSOs across the country to embark on the initiative.”
Doris Fatima Webber pointed out that they were at the meeting to establish their board and also to work on their global strategic plan. She revealed their expectation in the coming years is to work on their thematic areas to positively impact communities and more lives through education, advocacy, collaboration and partnership. She said they are equally key to raising more funds.
