Sierra Leone’s First Lady Fatima Bio has on 18th November 2023 organized a healing prayer in commemoration of the United Nations World Day for survivors of rape and other sexual violence as well as awarding them scholarships.

The special healing prayer session was organised at the Winner’s Chapel International Church and generously offered scholarships to all survivors through the Maada and Fatima Foundation.

This initiative harks back to November 14, 2022, when the United Nations declared November 18 as a World Day aimed at ending child sexual exploitation and violence bringing hope and healing to survivors which was championed by Nigeria and backed by over 120 countries, was embraced with unanimous approval, marked by a resounding gavel at the assembly.

The First Lady of the Republic of Angola, Her Excellency Ana Dias Lourenco, describes Fatima Bio as a dedicated advocate for children’s rights. Adding that, her unwavering commitment to fostering a safer and more secure environment for the young girls has garnered admiration both locally and internationally. She revealed that Angola has made significant strides in combating child sexual exploitation and violence and therefore noted that, as leaders, they have the obligation to safeguard the innocence of children and provide a safer ground for them. This is a testament to the positive change that can be achieved when nations unite in the fight against child exploitation and abuse.

The First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Her Excellency Senator Oluremi Tinubu, recalls her first visit to the country forty years ago, and her coming to Freetown again seems like a homecoming. She lauded HE Fatima Bio as a woman of grace and purpose, stressing that her dedication to addressing the root causes of child exploitation and violence is evident in her initiatives which aimed at providing support for victims and implementing preventive measures for young girls.

First Lady Fatima Bio also used her platform to advocate for policy changes that strengthen legal frameworks for addressing gender-based violence. Her efforts include pushing for stricter laws, improved law enforcement, and better support systems for survivors combining advocacy, education, and policy initiatives, which aims at creating a comprehensive and sustainable approach to combating gender-based violence in Sierra Leone.

She announced a university scholarship to survivors amounting to 70 for a period of 3 years, 40 to vocational education, and many more to start up a business at the event.

As part of Her continued support, Her Excellency extends Her Helping Hands on behalf of the Julius Maada Bio and Fatima Maada Bio Foundation with the tune of 100,000 million old notes to 7 organisations that protect women and girls in the country.

At the historic event, the invited global Nigerian gospel artist, Madam Sinach, was the star performer, which helped to bring hope to all survivors of rape victims in the country and around the world.