12/31/05

WHAT IS INASLA?

INASLA  - the International Association of Sierra Leoneans Abroad - has been formed by, and for Sierra Leoneans residing outside their country, to pursue and protect their interest and welfare in the modern, competitive and combative societies, in which they reside at anytime.

Developments in our country's recent history have placed extra pressures on us, Sierra Leoneans worldwide, to become responsible, better organised and responsive to the calls from our motherland for an input into its post civil war revival and recovery. But even more pressing than this call, is the need for cohesion among ourselves, living as we do away from our country in foreign lands, to enable us to achieve the very best for ourselves individually as well as collectively.

It was with this in mind that, early in 2001, an energetic and committed group began the process of developing a strategic plan first to explore the options for, and second to create a strong sense of, community organisation among Sierra Leonean residents abroad. With perseverance, we were able to identify a critical need for a community association. The issues and concerns of Sierra Leoneans particularly in the UK were looked into, and the roadblocks that we inevitably came across were met headlong by researching solutions for them. One of those solutions was the forming of a community association that would be responsible for community events and projects, and instigating and promoting community involvement in many ways.  At the same time there was early recognition of the need for the protection and advocacy for the wider community interests of Sierra Leoneans in the UK, and abroad.

 Today we are excited to announce that the newly formed INASLA is already up and running. On 27 April 2002, we had the singular pleasure of formally launching the association to everyone's relief and obvious delight.

Now, this hard-working group has completed most of the initial tasks it set itself to accomplish. Next on the agenda is a plan to develop a community and resource centre, where social events and functions, meetings and workshops, and, it is fervently hoped, a drop-in advice and information centre can be housed.

As we all know, within a community that is as diverse and set in its own ways as ours, there are many hurdles in the development of new structures. But we are optimistic that a spirit of sorts is growing, and that this pioneering group, working together with the already significant numbers who have taken up full INASLA membership, will reach the set goals in the shortest time possible.

Remember!

INASLA is a non-political, non-government,

and community-interest Group

´Representing you

´Run by you