New Haven Independent

The Freetown-New Haven Sister Cities committee received the Distinguished Humanitarian Service Award given by the National Organization of Sierra Leoneans in North America (NOSLINA) in an awards ceremony April 25. The award is for superior and distinguished service, efforts at community building, and close ties between the sister cities of Freetown and New Haven. Given at the 2009 Annual Awards & Sierra Leone Independence Day Gala in College Park, Maryland, the award was the only one given to a non-Sierra Leonean group.

Ten New Haven Sister Cities members traveled to Maryland, and Althea Norcott, the president, proudly received the award on behalf of the group, crediting all the good people of New Haven for their many successful projects. Most recently, the group held a fundraiser to construct a library in Freetown for orphaned girls, and they have raised over $10,000.

Sierra Leoneans from every corner of the continental United States were represented at the awards ceremony, which also celebrated Sierra Leone’s 48th year of independence. The Freetown committee is New Haven’s sixth and youngest Sister City Committee.