The Office of the First Lady, in collaboration with Milton Margai Technical University (MMTU), commemorated the second anniversary of the United Nations World Day for the Prevention of and Healing from Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Violence on Monday, 18th November 2024. The event took place at the Peace and Love Amphitheatre, Goodrich Campus, MMTU, and was championed by Her Excellency, the First Lady of the Republic of Sierra Leone.

The following poem was officially written and performed by the MMTU Theatre Group, The Opera Literary Club, under the guidance of its CEO, who is also the author of the poem.

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Here, we were suppressed, oppressed, yet undressed 
by the society we lean on.
Here, silence reigned
whispers sank in unseen chains.
Here, we were an unknown story 
A cry unheard
A pain suffered alone.
That was what we were, here!

Here, society rendered us powerless
Everything we did was senseless.
Not bold enough to show the scars beneath our skin.
We endured in quietness and rages within
Our soft voices and slight whispers.
That was what we were made here!

Here they say, “Be strong,” they say, “Be still,”
And that strength bends us to quiet will.
Here, society turned away from us
While our teachers in schools and colleges 
Cast their foolish eyes on our mortal figures
Removing our trust in them as our mentors.
And our homes closed their eyes on us, 
Ignored our wounds and suppressed our cries.
Here, they denied us recognition and validation.
That was what they did to us, here!

Here, my sister was wounded
My mother, scared
And my daughter’s laughter was torn and marred.
Yet they stood here unseen and unheard
Because here, we were afraid to speak.
That was what we were here!

Oh yes, that was what we were here!
Until the angel of a strong voice came down 
And commenced the journey from oppression to empowerment
And the legislation claps and compliments in parliament. 
Filthy hands taken off our precious girls 
A correctional place set aside for predatory husbands.
And now we begin to speak.
We begin to ignite a spark in these dark ways
Begin to say hey, _we sef na mortal man lek una_.
We begin to breathe, rise and find a ground to stand on.
That is what we now do here!

Here, we are worthy backbones and leaders 
Not victims of bully and harassment.
We will no longer hide 
No longer pushed aside.
We will hold our truth and show our strength
We will speak and have our voices heard at every length.
That is what we will do here!

So if you are here, hear our story as it is told
That here, we are a story of courage, fierce and bold
That, together we break every chain
And together we rise and withstand every pain.
And that, we are women, beautiful, intelligent and powerful
Society, homes and peers now acknowledge it, cool. 
That is why we’re a part of the human story here!
By
Mohamed Fuad Kamara
(Prince Hamlet)