Flying Into Boston For Teglema Convention 2009

On Friday 4th September 2009, I was on board a Sun Country Airlines Boeing 707 bound for the historic New England City of Boston, to attend the Annual Tegloma Convention. I took these pictures from my window seat as we came in for a smooth Landing. Boston is the birthplace of President John F. Kennedy and my Hero Senator Ted Kennedy.

Rebecca Johnson for Vice Chair Tegloma Federation

Know Rebecca Johnson, your candidate for Federation Administration Vice Chair position

• Dedicated to Tegloma and the Sierra Leone community
• Creative in project management
• Committed to responsibility
• Innovative in ideas
• Respectful of people
• Fair and balanced in decision-making

I am dedicated and committed to Tegloma: I have attended all but one convention since joining Tegloma in 1999


Positions Held:
Minnesota Chapter:
• Vice President
• Board Representative
• Secretary General
• Assistant Secretary General
• Social Secretary
• Chair of the Welcome Committee

Tegloma Federation International:
• Secretary General, Board of Directors

Accomplishments:
• Over 15 years of legal experience –
• B.A. Degree in Paralegal Studies and Political Science from Hamline University
• M.A. Degree in Public Administration and Public Policy, Hamline University
• Sr. Administrative Specialist for a State Agency, State of Minnesota, for the past ten years
• Fundraising efforts for our annual Independence Day celebration where substantial amount is raised each year
• Successfully work with the African communities on issues such as immigration, employment, and interpreter services
• Working with a major corporation to ship millions of cases of food to Sierra Leone for kids
• Successful grant writing for the Sierra Leone Community in Minnesota. (Tegloma is a member organization)
• Sends school supplies on a yearly basis to my village, Dodo
• Board Member, African American Census Advisory Board, US Department of Commerce
• Board Member, Sierra Leone Plymouth Partnership, Minneapolis, Minnesota

THIS IS EXPERIENCE YOU CAN COUNT ON!

With all the energy already expended, why would someone like me want to continue serving Tegloma, especially at an executive-level position? The answer is simple: Because I love Tegloma.

What I would like to see in Tegloma:
I want to be the change I wish to see in Tegloma. If elected, these are some of the programs I would like to work with the Chairman to implement:

• Tegloma Women: As a woman, I strongly believe in the power of the woman. We need to recognize our women as an integral part of Tegloma. This does not mean that we will neglect all the contributions of the men. We all need to work together as a team to make Tegloma what we want her to be.

• Children: They are our future. Let us celebrate them by recognizing their efforts through newsletters, certificates, congratulatory notes, thank you notes, and simply appreciating them for who they are and for what they bring to Tegloma.

For the children in Sierra Leone, let us re-evaluate the scholarship program, which by the way was a pilot project, and come up with ways we can expand so as to serve more needy children.

• Use of expertise of our Tegloma family from the Diaspora: Encourage our brothers and sisters who are experts in their fields of study or work to volunteer while in Sierra Leone. Two weeks in a classroom, a hospital, a law court, with children, etc., will leave a great impression, and of course, impact.

• Sponsor students and then hire them once they complete their programs. This does not have to be on a large scale – maybe two students, five students in the various programs and then hire them to work in their field of training will help them to be self sufficient – one student at a time – one family at a time.

• Tegloma farm project(s): We should look at this further.

• Other projects: water wells, girl child, mosquito nets, have been identified and suggested by Dr. Muana and others. During Dr. Idriss’ keynote address, he brought up some great ideas, especially as they relate to his field, which must be discussed and decided upon. With limited resources, we should prioritize these efforts. Priority and results should be the key!! Even if as Vice Chair we only accomplish one goal, that will be okay because at least we were able to accomplish something.

We have a lot to give and a lot of potential to do more if, and only if, we all work together as a unified force. Let no one tell us we are not good. Yes, we have made mistakes, and I do not wish to make excuses for those mistakes, but we need to take a collective responsibility and move forward. For the failure of this organization is our failure. The Executive cannot do it alone. It will take a collective effort to see progress. It will, indeed, take this village to raise this child called Tegloma.

I hope you will give me the opportunity to work for you and with you. This is, indeed, an experience you can count on. A vote for Rebecca Johnson will definitely be a vote that will put her to work for Tegloma!

Long live Tegloma!
Long live Mama Salone!

Your sister,
Rebecca

Memorial service for Sherry's mom

Sherry Rand's mother passed away on June 30th 2009. She is the partner of Mr. Lamin Jabbie, ex financial secretary and president of Tegloma Inc, Minnesota chapter.

Sierra Leone Refugee All Stars in Minneapolis

Reuben M. Koroma - band leader, lead vocals Francis John Langba 'Franco' - rhythm guitar, kongroma, vocals Abdul Rahim Kamara 'Arahim' - vocals, percussion Efuah Grace - vocals Alhaji Jeffrey Kamara 'Black Nature' - rap, vocals Mohamed Bangura 'Medo' - vocals, percussion, kongroma Ashade Pearce - lead guitar, vocals Mustapha Massaquoi 'Nico' - drums, percussion Idrissa 'Malam' Bangura - bass guitar Geassay 'Jah Sun' Dowu Bull - lead guitar, percussion Mohammed 'Makengo' Kamara - vocals, percussion Abdul Beal - guitar

Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars

Books For Africa, Schools For Salone, and The Cedar celebrate the return of Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars to Minneapolis:

Friday, June 19, 8 p.m., at the Cedar Cultural Center

The Band would like to meet with Sierra Leoneans at the venue between 6-7:30pm. Tickets are limited, so buy yours now and be there on time Photo by Jane Richey

The Schools For Salone and Books For Africa partnership is supplying much needed text and library books to children who are hungry to learn.

“Books are really important in the country. Thousands of books and many schools were destroyed during the war, and the country is still making efforts to rebuild.”

~ Alhaji Jeffrey Kamara 'Black Nature', Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars

Tickets: www.thecedar.org, Cedar Ticketline (612-338-2674 ext 2), Cedar outlets, and online at Ticketweb.
$22 advance, $25 day of show

Sierra Leone Refugee All stars

Near the turn of the 21st century, rebel forces attacked Freetown, the capital city of Sierra Leone, forcing a panicked mass exodus to neighboring countries. Among the thousands who fled were musicians and future band mates Reuben Koroma and Francis Lamgba (Franco) who connected in a refugee camp in Guinea, West Africa. Along with Reuben’s wife Grace they began making music for their fellow refugees, providing a welcome distraction to life in the camps. Safety in the Kalia camp quickly disintegrated, however, when it came under attack from the Guinean army and citizenry. The refugees in this camp were evacuated and relocated to a camp set deep in the remote Guinean countryside. It was here that, thanks to a Canadian refugee aid organization, the developing band was able to acquire the rusted-out sound system and beat up electric guitars that helped officially launch the group.

It was also in this camp that American documentary filmmakers Banker White and Zach Niles along with Canadian singer-songwriter Chris Velan encountered the group, which by that point also included Black Nature, a teenaged orphan with a gift for rap, as well as Abdulrahim Kamara (Arahim) and Mohamed Bangura (Medo), both of whom had had limbs amputated by the rebels. The first-time filmmakers followed the band for three years as they moved from camp to camp. While filming, the United Nations sponsored a trip for the group to return to Freetown so they could see for themselves that the war was indeed over and safe for thousands of refugees to return home. As part of the trip, the UNHCR offered the band the opportunity to make their first studio recordings, which led to leader Reuben Koroma uniting the core group from the refugee camp with his former band mates, The Emperors, many of whom had remained in Freetown during the war. Together they recorded their debut album as Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars. The current touring lineup features members of both entities.

Now Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars tour the world spreading their message of peace and love in a "can't help but dance" show that fans from all musical backgrounds can enjoy. With a spirited fusion of traditional West African music, roots reggae and rhythmic traditional folk, Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars craft music that transforms and uplifts.

Segbwema Development Association SeDA

The newly formed Segbwema Development Association-SeDA, is attracting descendants and friends of Segbwema from all over the World. Presently the United Kingdom, United States of America, and Canadian chapters have been formed and a constitution committee has been established to develop a constitution for the Association and and byelaws for the individual chapters.
Over the last three months the membership has grown from an initial seven or so members to a committed membership of well over 25 by now. There has been three monthly teleconferences from November, with participants from UK, USA, and Canada. Each meeting has seen an increase the number of participants as the word is going out about the association, its aims and objectives, and the sectors it will be focused on in the desire to engage in meaningful developmental programs in the township of Segbwema and its environs.
Members have identified three major sectors to render developmental assistance to, the educational, health and agricultural sectors. Priority assistance will be earmarked for the four major schools; Wesley Secondary School, Holy Ghost Secondary School, R.C Primary School and Methodist Primary school, and the Nixon Memorial Hospital.
Presently the goal of the association is to engage in small scale but meaningful projects in the three areas identified, with the hope of embarking on larger scale projects as time goes on. An appeal is still being made to all descendants and friends of Segbwema to get on board, regardless of where they are. We the current members will welcome an influx of new people and new ideas, and would particularly welcome input from Sierra Leone, as most of the active members are either UK, USA, or Canada based.
We are presently in contact with potential members in Sierra Leone, Gambia, and Nigeria. We would also like to get in contact with similar groups from the area so that we all can work together to bring meaningful and positive change to our beloved Segbwema. We are glad to hear about the establishment of the club by David Benjamin as it would go a long way in reawakening the social life in the town.

Tegloma Cultural Invasion-Ohio Mini Convention 2009

Tegloma Ohio Chapter who hosted this year's mini convention and the Tegloma International Federation delegates, introduced the Ohio community and other Americans to the rich cultural diversity of Sierra Leone, by putting on a traditional show worthy of a major cultural award. Men and women elegantly decked in elaborately embroidered African costumes, traditional music, traditional food and such popular Sierra Leone masquerades as the "Goboi", "Sowei", and "Nafali", with Cultural dancers led by the musical star Big Joe provided delighted Americans an amazing view of the wealth and depth of Sierra Leone's cultural heritage.

In all fairness to the Tegloma Ohio Chapter, they have raised the bar for mini conventions and their executive and members deserve to be thoroughly commended for hosting and making this year's mini convention such a memorable event. The New England chapter who hosts the main convention later this year has to work really hard to surpass the high level of organizational proficiency exhibited by the Ohio Chapter.