Sewa News Stream

Africa’s women and girls offer untapped potential to drive African development. Reductions in the gender gap in education, health, and economic inclusion will result in an increase in the continent’s economic competitiveness. This week, the United States Department of State announced that its African Women’s Entrepreneurship Program will open the third new Women’s Entrepreneurship Centers of Resources, Education, Access, and Training for Economic Empowerment (WECREATE), in Mali this year, in addition to the centers already open in Zambia and Kenya. The centers are expected to create 7,194 new jobs and 630 certified female mentors by October 2016. In Africa, women are the backbone of communities and the continent’s greatest potential to unlocking economic growth.  Sheriff Mahmud Ismail reports from Sierra Leone, where nearly half the population is under the age of 18.  In a recent UN Population Fund (UNFPA) report focused on motherhood in childhood and adolescent pre...

Bunny Mack (center) at a performance marking the 50th anniversary of Sierra Leone's independence from Britain in April 2011. The award-winning star played a big part in publicizing the year long celebration and Sierra Leone's golden jubilee. Bunny Mack, the Sierra Leonean music legend who memorably sang ' Let Me Love You'  died Saturday, July 11, in London. Mack is survived by his wife Violet, daughters Cecilia and Tracey, and his son - Capital Radio presenter Kris MacCormack. UPDATE ****The late Bunny Mack will be buried in London on Wednesday, August 5. Below is an obituary from his son Kevin G. (Kris) MacCormack. Sierra Leonean born singer and entertainer Bunny Mack passed away in the early hours of Saturday 11th July 2015 in London, aged 69. Forever etched in the memories of many a Sierra Leonean, the late (and pioneering) recording artist was known for songs such as "Silver Spoon" "I Really Love You" "Angel In Disguise" an...

Archive, undated photo of President Koroma President Koroma made a passionate call Friday at the United Nation's International Ebola Recovery Conference in New York, which will seek to raise $3.2 billion over the next two years so that Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone can fully rebound from the crisis. According to Sylvia Blyden, a Sierra Leonean reporter covering the event on social media, Justine Greening, United Kingdom Secretary of State for International Development,  pledged $400 Million to Ebola Recovery efforts. On the eve of the high-level segment of the Conference, taking place at UN Headquarters, Dr. David Nabarro, the Secretary-General's Special Envoy on Ebola, told reporters about “remarkable progress [that] has been made through the outstanding efforts of the people and governments of the affected countries.” “Most of the affected region is now free of Ebola,” Dr. Nabarro said of the epidemic that began last year and has affected some 27,600 people, incl...

President Koroma commissioned 100 diesel-engine buses in Freetown, Tuesday. Fifty of them will serve the densely populated city, where more than a million people rely on public transport to get to work and to school. For every destination in-city, Leones 1,000 will be the fare. Sheriff Mahmud Ismail reports from Freetown . ''This is good news,'' said Mrs. Baindu Brima, a mother of three. “For those of us who do not have enough to pay the extra, our kids suffer a lot -- waiting and running around for the few vehicles that would take them. These buses are going to be a huge relief for both parents and kids,'' she declared. Seventeen of the 20-, 39-, and 46-seaters have been earmarked as school buses. But critics say the problem of public transport is not just the shortage of vehicles. ''There are other attendant factors which the buses will not address. Those are structural problems and the transportation network,” said a staunch opponent of ...