Aberdeen, Freetown, Thursday, November 21, 2024 – His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio has launched a groundbreaking Youth Empowerment Promotion and Livelihood Programme aimed at over 2,700 young individuals throughout Sierra Leone. This initiative prioritizes the empowerment of youth in the transportation, fishing, farming, and business sectors, alongside grants for 40 female youth-led organizations across the country.
The programme includes the distribution of 200 tricycles to enhance mobility and small-scale transportation, as well as 50 local fishing boats equipped with state-of-the-art fishing accessories to support sustainable livelihoods within coastal communities. Additionally, it offers grants to 40 female-led organizations to advance gender equality in economic participation, business start-up grants for 864 rural youth to foster entrepreneurship, and farm placements and hands-on training for 200 youths in aquaculture, poultry, and animal husbandry.
In his address, President Julius Maada Bio underscored that this programme embodies his commitment to fulfilling campaign promises and addressing the aspirations of Sierra Leone’s youthful population. He stated that empowering this demographic is vital for sustainable development and national advancement.
The President highlighted that the youth of Sierra Leone are a vital asset, emphasizing the necessity of investing in their education and skills to transform the nation. He referred to the government’s Free Quality Education Programme as a critical foundation for enabling young people to tackle global challenges.
“The present set of young people in Sierra Leone have demonstrated that investing in their education will lead to the transformation of our country into a paradise. Therefore, I am challenging all of you to make very good use of the opportunities my government is providing,” he urged.
President Bio assured attendees that the youth empowerment programme is a key component of the government’s Medium-Term National Development Plan, rather than a mere political tool. “My government’s actions are not intended to win votes from young people but rather to ensure you have access to opportunities and resources that are your rights,” he affirmed.
He encouraged young people to seize the opportunities provided and prove critics wrong by delivering positive outcomes for themselves and their communities. “The youth are the future but they can better be the future if we empower them as a government with the little we have amidst global challenges,” he stated.
Fredrick Ampiah, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Country Representative, praised President Bio for his visionary leadership in youth empowerment. He described the programme as a tangible demonstration of the government’s commitment to uplifting young people and their families. “This initiative aligns with the Timbuktu Declaration and represents a significant build-up portfolio for Sierra Leonean youth,” Ampiah remarked.
Nadia Rasheed, the Country Representative for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), also expressed unwavering support for the programme, reiterating the commitment of international partners to youth development in Sierra Leone.
The Minister of Youth Affairs, Mohamed Orman Bangura, expressed his gratitude to President Bio for the opportunity to serve the nation’s youth. He announced that through strategic collaborations, the ministry had mobilized $1 million for youth empowerment efforts in a short period.
Minister Bangura further indicated that under the Food Systems Resilience Programme (FSRP), 4,200 youth have been engaged in agriculture, with many others benefiting from nationwide skills transfer initiatives. He assured young people that the Youth Empowerment Promotion and Livelihood Programme is intended to enhance their living conditions and pave the way for a brighter future.
The First Lady, Fatima Bio, introduced the President and lauded his long-standing commitment to the youth through significant interventions.
The event concluded with a strong reaffirmation of the government’s commitment to empowering young people, women, and girls, reinforcing Sierra Leone’s trajectory toward sustainable development.
