Meet the 2013 Minnesota Tegloma Convention Hosts

Hassan H Kamara
Tegloma Minnesota President

All roads lead to the beautiful city of Minneapolis at the end of August for the Tegloma international Convention. Tegloma Minnesota Chapter, under the able leadership of Hassan Henrickson Kamara is a relatively new comer to the Tegloma Federation, but has grown to become one if the more formidable chapters of the organization.

Started approximately 13 years ago by Mr. Abdul Songa and a group of pioneers during the tenure of popular ex-federation Chairman Dr. Lansana Nyallay, Tegloma Minnesota has made immense contributions to the federation and its influence can be seen from the fact that the current Vice Chairman of the Federation Mrs. Rebecca Johnson, the current Federation Board Secretary General Sheku Sheriff, the current President of the Tegloma Midwest Coalition Joshua Joshua Murray and the incoming federation assistant financial Secretary Theresa French Kebbie are all members of the Tegloma Minnesota Chapter.

Alice Karpeh
Tegloma Minnesota President

Tegloma is a formidable member of the Sierra Leone Community in Minnesota (SLCM) a group comprised of different Sierra Leone organizations working together to promote unity among Sierra Leomeans in the diaspora. SLCM under the leadership of Dr. Jonathan Rose is a collaborative effort by Sierra Leoneans to address national issues as one and promote cross cultural understanding.

Tegloma Minnesota Chapter provides many services to its members. In times of bereavement members of Tegloma Minnesota members provide emotional and financial support to each other and help organize social activities such as weddings, graduations, showers, etc. Tegloma members also look for job opportunities and help each other to develop job networks. When a member of Tegloma is moving, other members usually join them to assist with the tough process of moving and thus prevents them from hiring movers.

Safia Kamara
Tegloma Minnesota First Lady

Members also rally round each other during times of illness or when individual members are facing legal problems and help in mediating disputes amongst members. All members of Tegloma Minnesota Chapter have automatic life insurance through the organization, six months after attaining membership. 

In 2010 Tegloma Minnesota Chapter received an award from the US Census Bureau for the active participation of its members in promoting and conducting the census. In 2011 Tegloma Minnesota Chapter developed a subsidiary called the Tegloma Minnesota Aid Project (TEMAP) devoted entirely to the conduct of small scale humanitarian projects in Sierra Leone. That same year a raffle was drawn on the home town of its members and a member Isha Amara Wonnie won for Bandajuma Sowa. TEMAP collected and shipped $8000.00 worth of school supplies including books, school bags ans stationary and delivered them to a promary school in Bandajuma Sowa.Tegloma Minnesota Chapter is open to all Sierra Leoneans and non Sierra Leoneans interested in the country. 

Paul Mbemeh
Tegloma Minnesota Sec. Gen

In 2012, Tegloma Minnesota Chapter put together a bid committee made up of Rebecca Johnson, Hindolo Pokawa and Rebecca Johnson to bid as a host for the 2013 Annual Convention. After a spirited bid process the Tegloma Federation awarded Minnesota Chapter the honor of hosting the convention, much to the joy of its members.

The president of Tegloma Minnesota Chapter Hassan Kamara is currently working with the membership to host the best convention in the history of Tegloma and has already set up committees that are hard at work.The convention will be a three day affair starting on Friday August 30, 2013 and ending with federation elections on Sunday September 1st. The convention will be held at the East Side Neighborhood Services Center in Minneapolis and Guests will be accommodated in a group of hotels all just within three minutes of each other.

Marion Bao
Tegloma Minnesota Asst Sec Gen

Tegloma Minnesota is finalizing plans to televise the event and make it into a Sierra Leone cultural extravaganza. Mr. Raymond Kamara a cultural ambassador from Sierra Leone that has in the past represented the country in international cultural competitions will be in charge of the cultural events.

The Vice President of Tegloma Minnesota Chapter Mrs. Alice Karpeh is also the founder of Rural Health Care Initiative (RHCI) a Minnesota Based nonprofit that that intends to build a modern health care clinic and provide mobile medical clinic in the Tikonko area of Northern Sierra Leone. The second RHCI team led by Alice Karpeh just returned from Sierra Leone. On the first RHCI trip to Sierra Leone, they were able to meet with the country's First Lady Madam Sia Koroma, herself an individual who is a champion of healthcare improvement in Sierra Leone. RHCI will focus on maternal and pediatric care and the training of health care personnel. RHCI will also undertake agricultural and food processing projects to support the healthcare services.

Ann Marie Lamin
Social Secretary

The Tegloma Minnesota executive comprises:

Hassan Kamara-President

Alice Karpeh-Vice President

Paul Mbemeh-Secretary General

Marion Bao-Asst Secretary General

Ann Marie Lamin-Social Secretary

Ibrahim Sesay-Whip

Theresa French Kebbie-Financial Secretary

The Tegloma Minnesota Board of Directors include

Sheku Sheriff

Elizabeth Amie Saidu Momoh

Theresa French Kebbie
Financial Secretary

Delegates to the convention are encouraged to start buying Airline tickets and booking hotels at this time. The hotel information will be furnished before the end of the week.

Elizabeth Amie Saidu Momoh
Board Member

Sheku Sheriff
Board Member

Tegloma Minnesota Meeting