Dagenham, United Kingdom
7 August 2026
*The Eastern Region Women’s Network (ERWEN)* marked a significant milestone on Friday night with the formal inauguration of its United Kingdom and Ireland Chapter at Boothroyd Hall, Castle Green Community Centre in Dagenham, bringing together dignitaries, community leaders and supporters for an evening of elegance, empowerment and celebration.
Sierra Leone’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, H.E. Dr. Morie Komba Manyeh, attended with his wife, Mrs. Marie Manyeh. Also representing the Sierra Leone High Commission included Deputy High Commissioner Mrs. Yvonne King Odigboh and Head of Chancery Mrs. Christiana Fallah, herself a prominent member of ERWEN.
Beautifully adorned in the organisation’s distinctive magenta and royal blue, ERWEN members celebrated the growth of a movement founded in April 2019 and officially launched in Kenema in 2020. Led nationally by Mrs. Isatu Jabbie Kabba, the network has expanded its presence to places like Bo, Canada and now the UK&I.
ERWEN Vice President Mrs. Hannah Tengbe said the organisation envisions a region where women and girls are fully empowered through capacity building, mentorship, education and economic opportunities.
“We do not just talk, we act,” she declared, highlighting ERWEN’s interventions during COVID-19, flood disasters and through personal hardships, as well as sensitisation campaigns against gender-based violence. She pointed out that the organisation has also supported high-achieving, less privileged girls with tuition fees and learning materials, while assisting members during sickness, bereavement and hardship.
A major focus is ERWEN’s flagship project, the construction of a day-care and skills training centre in Kono District, expected to commence in September.
Proceeds from a raffle draw during the evening event will go towards ERWEN projects, including the centre, which aims to provide a safe environment for children while helping women acquire skills and pursue greater economic independence.
At exactly 22:22 hrs, Dr. Manyeh formally launched the UK&I Chapter, describing himself humorously as a quintessential “*Three Ks*” constituent. Born and raised in Kono to a Kono father and a mother from Kailahun, he noted that his wife comes from Kenema, completing the family’s enduring connection to Kono, Kailahun and Kenema. He praised ERWEN for its initiative and commended the women for transforming solidarity into practical community action.
Deputy High Commissioner Mrs. Yvonne King Odigboh, proposing a toast to the newly inaugurated chapter, applauded ERWEN’s work and said its efforts neatly reflected President Julius Maada Bio’s vision of strengthening women and expanding their participation in both the public and private sectors.
Renowned Sierra Leonean journalist Umaru Fofana, delivering a goodwill message, roundly condemned men who continue to prey on girls and young women despite sustained efforts to combat sexual and gender-based violence. He pledged his personal support and stressed that men must stand alongside women in advancing their cause.
Also present to support the occasion were Mr. K. O. Bah of the Sierra Leone Public Service Commission and Ambassador Duwai Sellu Lungay, Sierra Leone’s Deputy Ambassador and Deputy Head of Mission in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, alongside members and friends of the Sierra Leonean community.
More than a night of dinner, music and dancing, the inauguration demonstrated ERWEN’s determination to transform sisterhood into service and empowerment into lasting change; living firmly by its inspiring motto: “Unite to Empower.”
Abdulai Braima
Information Attaché