Author: Ger

SLIP AGM Fri 29th October 7.30

The SLIP AGM will be held on the 29th October in the Teachers’ Club, 36 Parnell Square at 7.30.

Thank you for your support during the past year.

Because of the covid-19 pandemic some of our activities have been curtailed. It is heartening to be emerging now with the safety provided by vaccination. Of course SLIP is also cognisant of the need for greater vaccination availability in Sierra Leone.

If you are not in a position to attend in person you can join by zoom, the link to be forwarded nearer the time.

If you wish to join via zoom, please request the  link by Wed 27th October. For those meeting  in person there will be an opportunity to purchase refreshments. 
Last year there were a number of scholarships awarded to SL students to study in Ireland funded by Irish Aid. Because of the lectures being provided online some of the students did not travel to Ireland but they followed their course from home. One of the students who travelled to study in UCD Aminata Conteh was interviewed by Sorcha Pollak in the Irish Times. You can read the interview on the website.
This is also the time of the year when we seek a membership subscription, which can be paid by either of 3 ways
1.direct transfer to the SLIP Account IBAN: IE11BOFI 903437 64322068
2. via Stripe; details  on the website 
3.  by cheque to Mr. Frank Roden, Hon Treasurer,  39 Ramleh Park, Milltown, Dublin 6D06H6C2


SLIP was founded in 1992 and next year will be the 30th anniversary of our foundation. We plan to publish a book on the theme of ‘looking back and looking forward’, maintaining and strengthening the Sierra Leone Ireland connection.  Publication of the book will cost approx €2,000. We plan to cover some of  the costs of production via sales. We would appreciate any donation or suggestion for a source of sponsorship you may make.
I hope you can continue your support for SLIP. and if you would like to be more active on the committee we would be very pleased to hear from you.

Ken Saro-Wiwa Poetry Competition

Readings from the Maynooth University Ken Saro-Wiwa Poetry Competition via Zoom on Tuesday

On Tuesday 10th November from 19.00 to 20.30 Maynooth University Library is having a  poetry evening in zoom to mark the 25th anniversary of the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa.
The event is facilitated by poet Jessica Traynor and we have a good diversity of readers – people who were winners or shortlisted in the Ken Saro-Wiwa Poetry competition.
The event is free and booking is via
Booking closes Monday lunchtime

Reflection by Joseph Bockarie for SLIP AGM

Reflection for October Meeting
SLIP-A Place of Belonging

This year’s Annual General Meeting is held against a backdrop of the death of two important people who contributed immensely to the making of the nation Sierra Leone in their own way. These people are Sister Hilary and Patricia, Sean’s wife. When Eddie wrote about Patricia and Sean in Kenema and Bo Teacher’s College in the 60s, I remembered my own life when I was just starting my secondary school in the late 60s. It really made me come to terms with the sacrifices you people made in education in Sierra Leone. At that time all the teachers in my school were missionaries.

When the missionaries returned home, they did not forget their past work and life in Sierra Leone, so SLIP was formed to bring life from their good work and to celebrate hope.   SLIP to all of us is a place of belonging, a place to celebrate life and a place where we all cling to the promise of the future. As we conduct the business of today, we must bear in mind that  SLIP is a place of belonging, a place to celebrate lives of those we stand for and a place where we all cling to the promise of the future. The promise of the future is good governance and good education in Sierra Leone.

I want to end my reflection by observing a minute silence in honour of Sister Hilary and Patricia.

SLIP Annual General Meeting

SLIP Annual General Meeting

On Saturday morning the 31st October 2020 the SLIP Annual General Meeting was held via Zoom. This on line facility accommodated over 25 people in joining the meeting from London and others from Belfast to Cork and many counties in between.

The Chairperson warmly welcomed the attendees, with a very special ‘cead mile fáilte’ to two students from Sierra Leone who have recently arrived in Ireland to pursue studies. The students Amy Conteh pursuing MA in International Studies in UCD and Simche Lebbie studying MSc. in Social Policy in UCC, are funded under Irish Aid Scholarships.

The following Officers were elected:

Chairperson : Elizabeth Smith

Recording secretary : Liam McGlynn

Communications secretary : Geraldine Horgan

Treasurer: Frank Roden

Webmaster: Tony Robinson

Public Relations Officer: Jim Owens

The outgoing officers Martin Rowan and Ibrahim Bah were thanked for their work and contributions to on-going advocacy work of SLIP.

The Annual Report was presented and accepted at the meeting and a link to it can be found below.

The Chairperson, Elizabeth Smith drew attention to the enormous voluntary contribution by members of  the organisation without which the many activities of the year could not be accomplished. She sincerely thanked all the members of the SLIP Committee for their work. She also  gratefully acknowledged the ever important financial support of the members.

SLIP Annual Report 2019-2020

SLIP urges government to reach 0.7% GNI on ODA

SLIP writes to Ministers Coveney and Brophy re 0.7% GNI Overseas Development Assistance:

Minister Simon Coveney, T.D.

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Iveagh House

80, St. Stephen’s Green

Dublin 2, D02 VY53.

 

Re: Towards 0.7% GNI Overseas Development Assistance

10th  September 2020

 Dear Minister Coveney,

The Sierra Leone Ireland Partnership have advocated for Sierra Leone in Ireland for the past thirty years. We have done so since the devastating civil war during the 1990s, during the terrible Ebola epidemic 2013 to 2015 and during devastating climate catastrophes such as the Mudslide in Freetown in 2017 and we continue to be active in the midst of COVID19 pandemic. SLIP have brought together Sierra Leoneans and Irish people who have worked in Sierra Leone (missionaries and development workers/volunteers) over the past three decades on an annual basis. We have run seminars, awareness raising events and the annual Sierra Leone Independence day event. We continue to advocate for Sierra Leoneans integrating into Ireland including reaching out to those in direct provision (refer to website at www.slip.ie for more information on our work).

We welcome the commitment of the Irish Government in relation to overseas development assistance (ODA) ‘to make annual, sustainable progress, ultimately achieving the UN target of 0.7% of Gross National Income by 2030.’ (Programme for Government, Our Shared Future p.129). We are writing to you at this time to call for a specific commitment to continue and increase Ireland’s aid commitment to Sierra Leone which has an overall ‘focus on the empowerment of women and girls’ (Irish Aid, Ireland in Sierra Leone: Mission Strategy 2019-2023).

We note and welcome that Ireland secured the required number of votes (128 of 193 countries) to secure a seat at the UN Security Council for the two year term 2021-2022. Whilst the vote was secret ballot, it is likely Sierra Leone (part of the Africa caucus) supported Ireland’s bid for the seat, as a partner country for Irish Aid.

We also welcome the recent appointment of Dr. Sinead Walsh as Deputy Director General for Irish Aid and for Africa. Dr. Walsh was the first Ambassador of Ireland to Sierra Leone (2011-2016) and served in Sierra Leone during one of its most difficult periods, the Ebola epidemic. Sinead established excellent relations between the embassy in Freetown and SLIP and these valuable connections continue today. We wish her all the best in her new post.

 

Yours sincerely,

Elizabeth Smith

 

________________________________

Chairperson

Sierra Leone Ireland Partnership

 

CC: Minister Colm Brophy T.D., Minister of State for Overseas Development and the Diaspora.