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.

As we celebrate International Women's Day, we reflect on some of the girls and women who have been empowered by your generous support with computer training, vocational training, and microfinance loans for small businesses in Sierra Leone.

We invite you to watch this video that shares stories of how your support has empowered these beneficiaries 

Investing in young women’s economic empowerment and skills development is one of the most urgent and effective means to drive progress on gender equality, poverty eradication, and inclusive economic growth- UN Women.

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, more youths and young adults are getting the computer training they need for success in today's technology-driven environment.  On January 19, 2023, the Develop Africa Sierra Leone (DASL) team held a graduation ceremony at the DASL Computer lab for fifty-nine students who completed the Microsoft office computer training and the hardware & networking course. 

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. 

This past month, forty-five (25 girls and 20 boys) beneficiaries participated in an inter-mentoring debating competition about whether or not formal education is the key to personal success.  The goal of the debating competition was to improve beneficiaries' research and public speaking skills and to shed light on formal education and personal success.