By Chernor Alimamy Kamara
After going through a six-week training session conducted by Focus 1000, some 60 parents from the Kroo Bay Community in Central Freetown have graduated on good parenting and are to serve as role models in their community.
The training’s title was: “Strengthening Community Engagement Approaches and Social Cohesion for Peaceful Elections and Reduction of Violence amongst Adolescents and Youths in Kono, PortLoko and Western Area Urban Districts’’.
Monitoring and Evaluation Consultant at Focus 1000, Dr. Abdul Alimamy Kamara noted that the programme caters for three communities that comprise six groups.
He stated that adolescent issues could not be solved if parents do not come on board, hence the need for parenting education.
Dr. Kamara further said that after the six weeks of training, the facilitators will do follow-ups with the participants to observe whether their actions at home relate to what they learned from the session. He urged the beneficiaries to put into practice what they have learnt from the training.
One of the trainees, Mohamed R. Bangura expressed joy after receiving the certificate on good parenting and spoke of how he used to ignore the housework, shifting it to his wife alone, but after learning that a good parent should apply to both the husband and wife, he thought it fit to give the wife a helping hand while performing the house chores.
He also realized that it is nice to be part of the parenting section to help their children become good people in society. He advised those who are yet to benefit from the programme to embrace it when contacted by Focus 1000 facilitators. He also said the programme serves as an eye-opener to advise those who will not be fortunate to take part in the programme to be good parents to their children.
Another trainee, Aminata M. Sesay said the education she had gained from the training made her realize that the attitude she was putting towards her husband and children was negative. She added that the programme also encouraged her not to be hot-tempered towards children.
She encouraged those who are yet to benefit to teach their children good conduct.
Emmah Kamara also a trainee in sharing her thoughts with Politico, expressed appreciation for the work of Focus 1000 in teaching parents how to be good parents to their children as she and her husband used to be at each other’s throats over how to deal with their children. She said after the six-week sessions, she has advised her husband how to become a good parent and that she has seen the positive impact it has created on him.
She said her husband is now helping her with household chores, unlike before. She urged other parents to come on board when contacted to take part in this programme, saying it is good for healthy family living.
Group performance on good parenting from selected parents was a key highlight of the event.
The graduation ceremony was held at Regent Square School, Freetown on the 25th of August, 2023
Copyright © 2023 Politico (28/08/23)
