Miss Sierra Leone USA Team Visits Embassy of Sierra Leone

Hello world!!!

Hope your week has been going well so far. This past Monday, I was formally introduced to Sierra Leone's Ambassador to the USA at the Embassy of Sierra Leone in Washington, D.C. The MSLUSA delegation was led by the Founder/CEO of MSLDC Inc. and Owner of the Miss Sierra Leone USA Pageant, Dr. Fuambai Sia Ahmadu. This was my first time visiting the Embassy, and I am very grateful for the warm support I received from all the dignitaries present at the event.

The opening speaker at the event was Dr. John Sampson, Lead Director of Johns Hopkins University's Safe Anesthesia and Surgery in Sierra Leone Initiative (SASSL). He spoke about the Initiative's growth and various projects in Sierra Leone, how it is improving the safety and capacity of medical services in the country, and partnerships with other organizations and developing nations. I was very happy to hear him speak of the country's great progress in healthcare, as well as the Initiative's job creation for Sierra Leone's people in health fields. SASSL is one of the partnering organizations that the MSLDC organization works with. I was delighted to see his presentation also because he stressed on the importance of health, education, and opportunities; these are 3 building blocks in my platform, SHERO, as Miss Sierra Leone USA.

Dr. John Sampson
Lead Director, Safe Anesthesia and Surgery in Sierra Leone Initiative

SASSL is an Initiative that "consists of three main parts: First, the testing of a state-of the art anesthesia machine manufactured in the UK that was specifically designed to meet the needs of resource poor countries like Sierra Leone that experience problems with power outages, lack of oxygen supply and climatic conditions that challenge equipment longevity; second, contributing to the training of nurse anesthetists and other operating room staff through collaborations with a system that is already in place and funded under the UNFPA [United Nations Population Fund]; and finally, donating thousands of dollars worth of medical equipment such as multi-function cardiac monitors for the operating rooms and recovery rooms which are vitally needed by hospitals in Sierra Leone" (Sierra Express Media).

Dr. Fuambai Sia Ahmadu
Founder/CEO of MSLDC, Inc.
Owner of Miss Sierra Leone USA Women's Leadership and Scholarship Pageant

Other attendees were: Mrs. Patricia O. Thorpe-Finney, Founder/CEO of Save Sierra Leone Foundation; Mrs. Sarian Bouma, Founder of Capitol Hill Building Maintenance, Inc. and author of Welfare to Millionaire: Heart of a Winner; Saspo I. Sankoh, First Secretary of Sierra Leone's Embassy in the U.S.; Ms. Elizabeth Foray, Information Attaché of Sierra Leone's Embassy in the U.S.; Dr. Caulker of Johns Hopkins' SASSL; and many more.

Miss Sierra Leone USA Ruby B. Johnson with mom

Like I said previously, I was received with so much love and warm support from the delegates at the Embassy. I talked about myself, shared my personal platform as Miss Sierra Leone USA (SHERO), my purpose of getting involved with MSLDC Inc, plans for my reign, and wish for my fellow Sierra Leoneans and our great nation. My overall message was well received by everyone. H.E. Ambassador Stevens commented on the importance of women's empowerment, and also how H.E. President Ernest Bai Koroma stresses on it for all Sierra Leonean girls and women. He was also pleased with the 5 pillars of my platform (advocating for Service, Health, Education, Rights, Opportunities), especially Service and the importance of giving back to our communities in the U.S. and Sierra Leone.

Miss Sierra Leone USA Ruby B. Johnson with H.E. Ambassador Stevens, and Dr. Fuambai Ahmadu

Left - Right:
H.E. Ambassador Bockari Stevens, Miss Sierra Leone USA Ruby B. Johnson, 
Ambassador Conteh (Deputy Chief of Missions), and
Sheku Mesali (Head of Chancery)

Miss Sierra Leone USA Ruby B. Johnson with Dr. Fuambai Sia Ahmadu,
The brains and beauty that created this empowering organization (MSLDC)

During the visit, I was fortunate to meet Sierra Leone's current Minister of Transport and Aviation, Honourable Vandi Chidi Minah. He was on an official visit to the US to sign the Open Skies Agreement between the Governments of the Republic of Sierra Leone and the United States of America at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. The Open Skies Agreement is "a new step forward that will benefit the two countries in terms of free flow of passenger and cargo traffic, the promotion of trade and tourism, while at the same time discouraging government interference in the management of the airlines, and ticket-pricing." Read more about the Agreement here.

Miss Sierra Leone USA Ruby B. Johnson with Honourable Vandi Chidi Minah,
Sierra Leone's Minister of Transport and Aviation

Left - Right:
Fatmata Barrie (MSLUSA 2012 Ist Runner-Up),
Miss Sierra Leone USA Ruby B. Johnson,
Dr. Fuambai Ahmadu (Owner/CEO of MSLUSA),
Natasha Beckley (Miss Sierra Leone 2011)

Fun Fact: All four ladies pictured above are VIRGOS!!! We realized that most of the MSLUSA Queens and contestants in the past years have been Virgos. Moral of the story is: Virgos rule (pun intended)!!!

Miss Sierra Leone USA Ruby B. Johnson with His Excellency Bockari Kortu Stevens,
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Sierra Leone to the USA

Miss Sierra Leone USA Ruby B. Johnson with Mom

Miss Sierra Leone USA with Dr. Fuambai Ahmadu and Dr. John Sampson

My awesome and delicious Miss Sierra Leone USA birthday cake

Fun Fact: I was surprised with this cake by Dr. Fuambai. The previous day, Sept. 9th, was my 22nd birthday, and I was super excited to receive this cake. I am so thankful for the MSLUSA team, and the opportunities the MSLUSA title has and will give me and the MSLDC organization. Also, I find it cool that I got to have a cake in my country's flag colors. I have yet to meet/hear of someone that's a reigning titleholder, who celebrated their birthday in their country's Embassy. Woohoo!!!

Miss Sierra Leone USA Ruby B. Johnson cutting her birthday cake

Miss Sierra Leone USA Ruby B. Johnson

Miss Sierra Leone USA with Dr. Sampson's son

Fun Fact: Everyone that knows me personally is aware of my love for kids. I just love people's kids and for some awesome reason, I've gotten to meet at least one wherever I go even if it's an event catered to adults. Pictured above is Dr. John Sampson's handsome son, midway in the event we became best friends. That's probably because I'm still a 9-year-old girl at heart. He was such a sweet and friendly boy. He's also got a great fashion sense, might I add.

Add caption

Miss Sierra Leone USA Ruby B. Johnson
What's cool about this photo?
The flag of the Republic of Sierra Leone in the background!!!

Have a great weekend, everyone!!!

Ruby B. Johnson,

Your Miss Sierra Leone USA

PHOTO CREDIT:

Life Depicted Photography

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