Over the past several weeks the Develop Africa Sierra Leone (DASL) team hosted the 2nd STEM Session using the Legos Mindstorms sets. The Legos STEM project aims to train DASL school-going beneficiaries to build Legos Robots and cultivate their interests in STEM or robotics.

Thank you for your continued support of girls' education.  Recently one of the Develop Africa Sierra Leone (DASL) team attended a girls' mentoring session on financial literacy and shared the report below. 

Financial literacy is very crucial in the development of young people and was the focus of a recent boys' mentoring session. The session was attended by 22 boys, who each received transportation to the mentoring session and lunch. Mr. Abass K., an experienced audit associate, was the guest speaker.  

He covered several key points during his presentation:

1. General concepts of financial literacy

2. Balancing needs and wants

3. The importance of savings

Elizabeth talks about what she learned at a recent health & wellness mentoring session, "Hello, my name is Elizabeth, a beneficiary of Develop Africa. In today’s mentoring program, I learned about health, nutrition, and exercise. I also learned that exercise helps us to sustain and improve our health. Also, I learned about a balanced diet; when we take in a balanced diet, we will be healthy, thank you."

Meet Haja, one of the stars from the maiden edition of our inter-mentoring debate competition held in December.

She was part of a team of girls who took on their counterpart boys, a healthy rivalry we want to replicate in other schools and communities.

Unlike many girls her age in Sierra Leone, she’s lucky and privileged to acquire essential public speaking and research skills. Skills will significantly contribute immensely to her overall development and academics.

Youth unemployment remains a challenge globally.  According to the International Labor Organization, the youth unemployment rate in Africa remains below the world average estimation in 2022.  Young people in Sierra Leone have faced the consequences of recent setbacks to the global economy.  It is in that regard that the Develop Africa Sierra Leone (DASL) team organized a boys' mentoring session on tailoring, thanks in part to your support. 

Youth unemployment remains a challenge globally.  According to the International Labor Organization, the youth unemployment rate in Africa remains below the world average estimation in 2022.  Young people in Sierra Leone have faced the consequences of recent setbacks to the global economy.  It is in that regard that Develop Africa Sierra Leone (DASL) organized a girls' mentoring session on designing slippers & headbands with beads.

Thanks in part to your support, another boy’s mentoring session was held at the end of January on Drug and Substance Abuse. The goal of the mentoring session was to educate the Develop Africa Sierra Leone (DASL) mentees on drug abuse and its effects and to raise awareness of the high prevalence of drug abuse in the Country.  Fifteen boys attended the mentoring session. All mentees received provisions (corn flasks, milk, and sugar) as take-home packages. In addition, the mentees received transportation and lunch at the end of the mentoring session.

Mentoring sessions empower future leaders with the skills and knowledge they need to counter stereotypes and obstacles and it helps them become motivated and more confident.   Thanks in part to your support, mentoring sessions have made an impact over the past year. We asked mentees what they learned this past year in mentoring sessions.   Ibrahim, Nathaniel, and Frederick tell us in this video one of the things they learned from last year's mentoring sessions.

Thanks in part to donor support, another girl’s mentoring session was held at the end of January on Drug and Substance Abuse.  In 2022, Sierra Leone was identified by OSIWA as one of the major gateways in West Africa for Cocaine trafficking. A report published by OSIWA in 2022 similarly indicated that a series of drugs (tramadol, Pampas, Marijuana, and Tobacco, among others) are taken by youths in vulnerable communities in Sierra Leone.