December 26, 2020
Freetown Pitch Night in Pictures

Dear Partners,
Season Greetings! We have been working on an Impact Report from 2017-2019. This report will be ready in Feb 2021. In the meantime, we have complied “Freetown Pitch Night in Pictures”. Please find two versions here(standard size and mini for bandwidth consideration).

As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, Freetown Pitch Night only held 3 events in 2020.
We will be back in 2021 with a full program! And again we hope to see you!

Freetown Pitch Night in Pictures- Normal size fileDownload
Freetown Pitch Night in Pictures- Mini Size fileDownload
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News, Reports
April 23, 2020
FREETOWN PITCH NIGHT REPORT: SDG2: ZERO HUNGER: MARCH 11TH 2020

The first edition of Freetown Pitch Night 2020 was held at the British Council, on the 11th March 2020; Time 18:30-20:30 (6:30-8:30).

The theme for this edition was SDG 2- End Hunger.

Background

How can we achieve Zero Hunger in Sierra Leone:  The SDG2 aim to end all forms of hunger and malnutrition by 2030, making sure all people–especially children–have sufficient and nutritious food all year. This involves promoting sustainable agricultural, supporting small-scale farmers and equal access to land, technology and markets.

Entrepreneurs have a role to play in meeting this goal. Freetown Pitch Night put out a call to entrepreneurs to send in their ideas on achieving Zero Hunger in Sierra Leone. Out of 10 entries, 5 were chosen to pitch.

The Event

Madam Emily Fanday, the cheerful and energetic host of the Freetown Pitch Night opened the event with individual prayers. She then proceeded to highlight some shocking statistics relating to food and hunger around the globe. From her statistics, one out of night people still go to bed on an empty stomach. Even more – one in three – suffer from some form of malnutrition.

A brief statement on the background of the Freetown Pitch Night was given by Mr. Francis Stevens George, the Managing Director of Innovation SL.

The Freetown pitch night was graced by dignitaries from various sectors; in her opening, the keynote speaker Madam Nyabenyi Tito Tipo[1], the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) representative to Sierra Leone cited that “Albert Einstein did not have a computer to work with and yet, he made impactful contributions to mankind; therefore young entrepreneurs in Sierra Leone can do more with all the modern communications technology available to them.”

The four personalities with a wealth of experience constituted the panel of judges were Mr. Emeka Okafor; Directoraite of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), Alimamy Sesay; World Food Program, Mr. Kishin Sham Mahtani; Project Manager at Shakandas Group, Ms. Hannah Max McCarthy from Wonder Stove.

David Meek Jah, Melvin H. Foray, Seinya Amie Bakarr, Abdul Aziz Mansaray and Alie M. Koroma were the five that pitch their ideas on to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) – 2/ Zero hunger.

David Meek Jah

David meek Jah value preposition is Digital economy Infrastructure for agriculture to increase production by Data analytics and Real-time Monitoring of farms. The proposed solution leverages satellite technology to enable crops to be monitored efficiently, which involves Geo- tag a few control farm, Soil moisture monitoring. David meek Jah asks for Technical partnership with local and central government. Technical partnership with national and regional regulators in the produce sector, technical partnership with Telcos and Technical partnerships with Central Banks, commercial Banks, and MDAs.

David meek Jah                                                                                                                                           email:davidmeekjah@yahoo.com
Tel/whatsapp: +23234436465

Melvin H. Foray

Melvin H. Foray`s from Mello Foods transforms agricultural produce into healthy, conveniently accessible, and affordable food products (package green-leaves) directly from farm-to-market that are efficiently manufactured. Mello Foods produce vegetable products through automated production: improving availability and affordability; impacting nutritional levels of the diets of poor households. Mello food needs Machinery & Equipment, Financial Investment. Partnership and human resources.

Melvin Foray
email:mhforay@gmail.com
Tel/whatsapp: +23278284374

Seinya Amie Bakarr

Seinya Amie Bakarr from Jalimi farms pitch on snail farming.  Jalimi Farms provides a one-stop-solution that helps to increase yield, increase income and provide training for coastal farmers. Jalimi farms promote sustainable agriculture and mitigate lack of access to basic farming advances and unsustainable practices by utilizing innovative technology in snail farming.

Seinya Amie Bakarr                                                                                                                
Tel/whatsapp: +23278221295 or +23299974050
Website: jalimifarms.com

Abdul Aziz Mansaray

Abdul Aziz Mansaray pitched on addressing the challenge of malnutrition and severe hunger among primary school pupils. His solution is production of nutritious rich fresh fruits and vegetables. He emphasized the essence of his solution is to ensure growth, development and to create awareness of fruits and vegetables eating habits. He seek to offer on-time delivery of nutritional fresh fruits and vegetables and he is looking for investment opportunity to enhance seeds and inputs, farming equipment, Greenhouse and packaging equipment, Irrigation system and Warehouse and transportation.

Abdul Aziz Mansaray                                                                                                                        email:abdulmans030@gmail.com
Tel/whatsapp: +23276764534

Alie M. Koroma

 Alie M. Koroma focused his presentation on empowering subsistence farmers to produce large food products by creating linkages between farmer organisations to Agro processor, and the market. He offers organic product marketing, value addition in food, nutritional security and embrace new technology for knowledge transfer. Alie M. Koroma is looking for mentorship and human resource, financial investment and farming equipment.

Alie M. Koroma                                                                                                                                             
Tel/whatsapp: +23288870295/+23276886678

Mohamed Samu

Mohamed Samu, a graduate from Njala University; developed a Utility Mobile App which he named “Help the Farmer” that determine soil moisture content. According to him, it is also a pest and disease detector which determine the soil fertility, pH and nutrient levels. It has the ability to ascertain high quality and sustainable processing of crops. He was given five minutes to make a presentation about his App to the audience while the judges went to decide their verdict.

Utility mobile app link http://www.appcreator24.com/app886936

Madam Nyabenyi Tito Tipo announced that Seinya Amie Bakarr emerged as the third best pitcher, David Meek Jah second, and Melvin Foray the winner.  Madam Nyabemi Tippo motivated all the pitchers by saying “there are no losers at the Freetown pitch night”.

On behalf of the judges, Mr. Kishin said the five pitches were excellent and it was a tight call to choose amongst the five pitchers.

Madam Tuzlyn Bayoh from UNDP Accelerator Lab gave the vote of thanks; in her statement, she encouraged the pitchers to continue their brilliant work and also thank all partners and individuals for contributing to the achievement of the United Nations` Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

The event ended with cross section of attendees posing for pictures and networking.

The event is managed by GEN SL and innovation SL; officially sponsored by Mutzig, other sponsors were Ecobank Microfinance, Brussels airlines and capital foods. Implementation partners: GEN SL, British council, Cordaid, Insight Magazine, Innovation SL and Innovations Axis.

Juliet Josiah, Intern Innosl,  FPN Producer

Foday Kamara, Intern Innosl

25.03.2020

www.freetownpitchnight.com

mail@freetownpitchnight.com

[1] Ms Nyabenyi Tito Tipo on 23rd June, 2016 presented her credential to the Government of Sierra Leone through the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

Ms Tipo becomes the first female FAO Representative to Sierra Leone since the country became a member of the organisation in 1978. She joined FAO in 2012 as Livestock Officer in Juba, and from 2014 to May 2016, she has served as Assistant FAO Representative, Programme in the FAO Representation in South Sudan.

Nyabenyi Tipo has a rich experience in humanitarian, gender and animal health programme management.

At the FAO Representation in South Sudan, she developed a comprehensive decentralised plan of the cold chain system in South Sudan to support the livestock vaccination calendar; developed the livestock component of Emergency Livelihood Program (ELRP) after the December 2013 political crises; lead the development of FAO South Sudan Country Program Framework; and lead the resilience outcome of the UN Interim Cooperation Framework (ICF 2016 – 2017).

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2020, Reports, SDGs
October 17, 2019
First Orange Social Venture Prize

Freetown Pitch Night organised the first Orange Social Prize event in Sierra Leone.

The contest aims to reward the best innovative and socially responsible business projects in Africa and the Middle East. Three entrants will compete to pitch to an international jury in Cape Town.

The three finalist where as follows:

Agro Fish farm company Ltd is company that focuses on fish farming business we are growing tilapia, and it is one the specie that is culturable in Sierra Leone. As founder I decided to venture in this sector because I studied Aquaculture and fisheries management in School and also I have realized that malnutrition is well spread in among children (0-5years) pregnant women and lactating mothers in rural communities.   In addition that we have verse wetlands in these settlement that are not effectively utilized,  so we converting some these wetlands to construction fish pond and that is the  facility  we are using to grow our fish  from fingerlings (baby fish) to table size (Mature fish). We start a pliot phrase in 2017 and the result was awesome and now we are on our second cycle.

As company we are have able to employ 30 part time workers and three full time staff,  also we have provide sustainable livelihood for some fish sellers  because before our intervention  they have to  long distance  to get the local fish they sell and sometime  it will not be available be the sources is not sustainable. However, we have engaged in indentifying local fish within Bo town presently we have 10 that we wish to work with and provide input and training for them as well. Local farmer are involved in this sector but they have not be able to scale-up because of some problem in the industry which are no fish feed, lack technical skills and lack of equipment.

  

Production of Biogas using Cow – dung as a preferred energy fuel in rural Areas for Cooking

Sierra Leone`s energy consumption is dominated by biomass of which 80% of the energy generated for cooking is derived from tradition fuel (firewood and Charcoal), with 64% of the total population living in rural provinces. The harvesting of this fuel will lead to serious environmental degradation and effects of high rate of unemployment (74%). These practices threaten the health and quality of lives of women and children in particular; rapid urbanization and this will affect the ecological balance and biodiversity of the country. This project focuses on how to use cow – dung as a preferred energy source for cooking in rural communities, with its benefits for example; providing sustainable clean green biogas, production of fertilizers, mitigate high unemployment rate etc.

 Edutainment Network (E Net)

This project started as a response to meet the educational and capacity building needs of the growing population of secondary school pupils and youths in the form of an online student resource center, that is an E learning web portal and Mobile App. The main aim is to provide Quality Educational contents/modules/courses for young minds still in the schooling system through new IT technologies like an e learning web portal and mobile App providing FREE Quality learning resources, training, counselling, exam preparation, private testing (online), ICT and basic courses and more to make them more productive and workforce ready to meet the changes and challenges of this digital age. We Provide students the access to quality learning materials in several multimedia and SCORM format. We intend to transform our traditional learning methods, to promote more student collaboration and innovation through a digital learning environment and a student centered workplace/study place. A strategic partnership with a mobile network operator through either a subscription bundle like the one currently used for Facebook and WhatsApp for the Mobile App or an agreement to make our website freely accessible by students who wish to benefit from our offerings through their network will unleash a new wave of excitement and interests to pupils. The blueprint of this proposal is to nurture minds, talents and skills of students for socio-economic development and to empower them to be self-reliant and self-sufficient and above average working professionals.

Aminata Kandeh of Agro Fish Farm emerged as the winner. She got a SLL 10.million prize. Ednet finished in second place and Bio gass in third.

The winners was presented with the various prizes by the top management of Orange Sierra Leone.

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2019, Reports
August 4, 2019
Report on FPN “Social Entrepreneurship” event, 26 June 2019 at 1830

Freetown Pitch Night (FPN) held their monthly program on the of theme “Social Entrepreneurship”.  The focus was on ideas that provide opportunities for youth in their communites. The program was hosted at British Council, Tower Hill, Freetown and was well attended, with 89+ guests  in number, including the  Global Entrepreneurship Network SL (GEN SL)  team, FPN sponsors, company executives of, donor organizations, entrepreneurs and young professionals.

Background:

According to an article published on the UNDP (SL) website, approximately 70% of youth are under-employed or unemployed, with an estimated 800,000 youth actively searching for employment. Furthermore, illiteracy remains a persistent challenge, with youth that lack skills and education finding it extremely difficult to compete for the limited jobs available. The relevance of the topic cannot be over emphasized, as the challenges for youth are immense.  To a large extent the solution can only come from the people that suffer the burden. The audience for the event were from all backgrounds. 

Opening Statement & Panelists:

An Opening Statement was made by Mr. Tony Reilly, Country Director of the British Council, the who gave a brief rundown of the last FPN and a background to the current theme. He measured three pioneers with regard to the topic “Social Entrepreneurship”. The Panelists were Estelle Van Der Ekout, General Manager of Brussels Airline,  Dr. Umaru Bah, CEO at Data Wise, and Mr. Abdul Salam Kamara, Lecturer at the University of Sierra Leone.

The Pitchers:

Four entrepreneurs were given the opportunity to pitch their ideas. The topics were linked with the breaking of stigmas, matching youth to livelihoods, motivating good deeds, addressing health, energy and other basic needs, recycling, enterprise, assistive technology and the prevention of violence.

  • Samuel A.S Kamara. Founder,  Enet Salone: 

Samuel pitched his idea on the area of technology. He talked about the poor and weak educational system of Sierra Leone, which he said lacked the resources that would aid the essence of quality education in the country. He explained that his company provides educational materials, which will serve as link in breaching the gap of our traditional way of learning, to a well supporting material which will be in line with modern day learning.

T: +23278105453

  • Basiru Mansaray. Founder, OS Preneur:

Basiru pitched his ideas on Assistive Technology. He said Sierra Leone is currently grappling with unemployment.  Because of the lack of jobs many youths have decided to own their own enterprise, yet there remains a lack of infrastructure to support these young businesses. OS Preneur is solving the problem by providing a way to easily register young start-ups, access tools, resources and networks and, in the long term, provide access to funding.

T: +23279502404

  • Yaniv Anthony. CEO of Webber Energy SL Ltd: 

Yaniv pitched his ideas on recycling, pointing at Bomeh dumping site as a decade-long problem of waste dumping. He also said little has been done to tackle the problem of waste from the government side. He emphasized how his company is transforming this waste to bio-energy, which can be used as fuel for cooking and also for agricultural purposes. He also said the technology responsible for the transformation of the wastes to fuel is been created by his company. The company carry out education on how to use the technology and encouragement is given to children in the area to understand the important of renewable energy, as this will help in the reduction of pollution and diseases.

Email:

T: +23276475726

  • Rebecca Jawara, Founder at Mental Health Program:

Rebecca pitched her idea on how important it is to tackle the issues of mental illnesses, as she said, according to a report from World Health Organization (WHO), one in every four individuals suffers from mental health issues. She said her organization will be focusing on raising awareness about the illness, on with she said little is been done to educate the population on the state of the illness. With regards to disseminating the information, she suggested we  would start by approaching people on a one-to-one basis, organizing seminars or events.

Email: jawarabecca62@gmail.com

T: +23279502404

Guest Speaker

Mr. Walid Bahson, CEO of  Premier Environ Solution (SL) Ltd:

Mr Bahsoon gave a compelling presentation on waste management. He further encouraged the pitchers to keep focussed, as there lie huge challenges ahead to survive and realize their ideas, in terms of creating a sustainable revenue model.

Panel Review & Closing Remarks:

The panelists gave important and critical feedback to each of the pitchers and expressed their delight at seeing young Sierra Leoneans with such aspirations. Saying that challenges bring opportunities, they were pleased that young entrepreneurs were welcoming challenges and exploring new opportunities.

We were privileged to have two closing remarks. Firstly from Mr. Sami of the EcoBank Micro Finance, one of the sponsors, who advised the pitchers to start saving and, most importantly, have focus on their undertakings in the midst of challenges.

The second remark was by World Bank Country Director Gayle Martin. She said “Growth is not going to come from young people wanting to get a job, growth is going to come from entrepreneurs. My first time at this event, I am very encouraged.’ 

Thanks and appreciation to our sponsors, guests and everyone for making the program a success.

By Abdul Karim Mansaray

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2019, Reports
March 31, 2019
Tourism Pitch Night Report

Sierra Leone has so many tourist attractions worth adding to your bucket list. I have a couple on mine already. Visit our beaches/ islands, take a dip in sea, go hiking, climb Mount Bintumani. Our must see attractions are not going showcase themselves without us as citizens showing the world what Sierra Leone has to offer.  This month’s Pitch Night aims to support the Mayor of Freetown’s target to boost the Tourism sector and create jobs.

Four (4) entrepreneurs had the opportunity to pitch ideas that solve problems that stagnates the growth of our tourism sector in Sierra Leone with a job creation arm to it. 

This month’s Pitch Night was hosted at the British Council. At 6:45 PM there were one hundred and fifty plus (150+) attendees, this included the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) SL team, sponsors of Freetown Pitch Night, executives of companies and donor organisations, entrepreneurs, students and young professionals. They were a lively audience.

The event began with Emily Fanday being the MC for the night. Silent prayers were said and gave a run down on the stats of the previous pitch nights.  She called on Tony Reilly, Country Director of British Council Sierra Leone who welcomed the audience.

This month’s pitch night was special. We had Her Worship, Yvonne Aki-Sawyer, the Mayor of Freetown as one of the panellists. Estelle Van Eeckhout, Brussels Airlines graced us with her presence again as a panellist alongside Bimbola Carol, Visit Sierra Leone.

The Pitchers were:

Nabie Musa Bangura, Fagira Freedom Tours

Alusine Fambulleh, Sabi Salone Tours

Martin B. Massaquoi, Experiencing Tiwai Island

Nasratu Sesay, Snap Me

Fagira Freedom Tours

Due to the high rate of youth unemployment and short supply of personnel, Sabi Freetong is an initiative that provides standby tour guiding facilities. They aim to train school dropouts and unemployed graduates on basic tour guiding operations and employ them as tour guides.  Their focus is on promoting domestic tourism.

Sabi Salone Tours

Sabi Salone Tours  seeks to showcase Freetown by providing friendly and educational tours to students and young people. They aim to raise awareness of locals by focusing on domestic tourism.

Experiencing Tiwai Island

Martin and team sees an opportunity from the pains of accessing Tiwai Island for holidays. They aim to promote Tiwai Island and make it easily accessible.

Snap Me

Using digital photography to show the beauty and rich history and heritage of Freetown is definitely key to boosting tourism and this us what snap me does.

The panellists asked the pitchers questions about their business ideas’ financial model, job creation, target market, etc.

A short movie was shown by Xtreme Africa featuring the Lunsar Cycling Team.

After the pitching and questions, the panellists commended and gave feedback on the different pitches.

Finally the Chairman of GENSL, Sheka Forna gave the closing statement and thanked the pitchers, the judges, the sponsors and the audience for making the Pitch Night a successful one.

And of course there was time for food and networking. British Council’s Cassava Bistro is definitely the place to go for food.     

Written by Davephine Tholley

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2019, Reports
August 22, 2018
Freetown Pitch Night Report Theme: Mayor’s Pitch Night Special

Mayors special_Report_15082018_finalv1– PDF Version

Date: 1st August 2018
No of participants/audience: 150+
No and names and company names of pitchers:
Six Pitches :
Aminata Dumbuya – The Masada Waste Transformers
Willem Tijssen – B. E. S. T Salone
Frankyln Johnson – Lorlyn Consulting
Davephine Tholley – Waste Cyclers
Abu Bakaar – Sirra Recycling Industry
Walid Bashoon – Premier Enviro

Names of sponsors and partners:

Main Sponsors
SL Brewery/Heineken (Mützig)
Innovation SL Ltd

Partners
Cordaid
Insight
232

With a focus on managing waste in Freetown, the “Mayor’s Pitch Night Special” held on 1st August, 2018 was an outstanding example of how Freetown’s business community can generate solutions to some of our most pressing problems.

The event was opened by the Chairman of GEN Sierra Leone, Mr. Sheka Forna. He reiterated why Freetown Pitch Night decided to hold the “Mayor Special Pitch Night”.

Under the right conditions, entrepreneurs can have incredible power. They can help regions prosper economically and, as they help engineer innovative solutions to problems and challenges, they can also serve society. Yvonne Aki-Sawyer OBE, Freetown’s new Mayor, won a comprehensive mandate from the  voters of Freetown. This mandate includes job creation for the city’s young people and better waste management. As new and growing businesses represent the principal sources of job creation and innovative activity in an economy,  two factors that generally help raise standards of living for all, municipal authorities across the world are turning to entrepreneurs for ideas to help them address the challenges they face.

Recognizing the role that entrepreneurship can play in helping address Freetown’s  challenges Mayor Aki-Sawyer, with Freetown Pitch Night, is inviting entrepreneurs to pitch their ideas for waste recycling businesses to include a significant  youth employment component.

Freetown requires a comprehensive waste management solution which must be delivered city-wide, and will require consolidation and significant resources.

Read MoreFreetown Pitch Night Report Theme: Mayor’s Pitch Night Special

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Reports
July 25, 2018
Open Night Report

Freetown Pitch Night is the platform “Where Ideas Come to Life”. This month’s pitch night was Open Night. In Sierra Leone, Freetown especially, we do not need to imagine the environmental impacts of poor waste management. We experience it. Open Night showcased three (3) social entrepreneurs solving the problem of poor waste management through different models and one (1) solving the hygienic problems of poorly handled groundnut paste.

The venue was packed full with an audience of 90+ attendees including the GEN SL team, sponsors of Freetown Pitch Night, executives of companies and organisations, entrepreneurs, young professionals and students. As always, it was a cozy and interactive audience.

At the end of each pitch, there was a brief Q & A session. A panel of three (3): Ram Shankerdaas (G. Shankerdaas Ltd), Salton Massally (IDT Labs) and James Houghton (Crown Agency), gave feedback of the four (4) business pitches at the end of all the pitches.

The Freetown Pitch Night gives it’s audience an opportunity to network, so most of the attendees are reluctant to leave early when the event ends.

The four (4) pitches were as follows:

Sulryka One Health Services

In 2018, government allocated Le11.7 billion for purchase of inorganic fertilizer. This is a result of the lack of skills and facilities to transform waste to useful products such as organic fertilizers. Sulryka is a private sector investment that engages in poultry, vegetables and fruits farming as well as transforming the waste to organic fertilizers and other useful products. The company provides sustainable supply of soil fertility enhancers to farmers.

The pillars of the business are:

  • economic growth
  • job creation
  • environmental protection
  • research
  • partnership
  • prevention and control of diseases

 

Dr. Sulaiman Lakoh

Skype: lakohs2009

Email: lakoh2009@gmail.com

Call:+23278287492

 

Shae Recycling

Sierra Leone has a waste management crisis and there needs to be an attitudinal or behavioral change. At least 745 tons or more of garbage is produced per day ( averaging 0.45kg per person per day) in Freetown Municipality. There is poor and outdated waste management infrastructure, an increase in waterborne diseases, few waste management companies / institutions. Shae Recycling proposed a two stage solution in meeting the waste management crisis we now face in Sierra Leone:

  • To implement and coordinate an effective and robust garbage collection campaign
  • Use recycling applications to transform the waste collected into valuable resources.

Garbage Collection (Nov 2017 to June 2018)

  • 8 tonnes of garbage have been collected with an average of 1 tonne per month from various clients.

The recycling application includes:

  • Converting used and unwanted plastic into pavement bricks for public side street walk and private residences
  • Converting used tires into fine indoor and outdoor furniture and decoration. This was first displayed at the Dec 2017, Tangains Festival
  • Our household garbage bin. Shae recycling promotes the idea of each household having garbage bin bag / containers

Emmanuel M. Boima

Email: info@shaerecycling.sl

Website: www.shaerecycling.sl

Call: +23278554427 / +23276601446 / +23230200163 / +23278883113

Kangama Trading

Kangama Trading’s solution to the waste problem in Freetown is in phases.

Currently, the company is into phase one, which is to collect and buy waste plastics from community youths and convert them into pavement blocks. The success of this phase will provide funds, to move into phase two and subsequently phase three. Phase two is to extract gas from the waste and phase three will convert waste into electricity.

Kangama Trading aims to:

  • solve the community plastic waste problem
  • bring in a durable product that is guarantee and can last longer than the normal cement blocks
  • support local content push to have a Sierra Leone gas company that produces it own cooking gas from waste
  • utilize the waste to give back the community electricity

Call: +23277768276 / +23278374170

Email: kangama36@gmail.com

Utility Groundnut Paste

Based on observations, it is inferred that at least 6 out of every 10 households directly or

indirectly consumes groundnut paste either as bread spread or most often used as an ingredient in variety of our sauces. Because of the poor hygienic problems and the unstable and high prices of groundnut, Utility Groundnut Paste company buys and stores groundnut to combat its fluctuating prices and make it available to customers at an efficient rate. The processing of groundnut is done with utmost consideration for hygiene and machines are used for sealing.

Alfred Halim Navo

Email: alfrednavo@gmail.com

Call: +23230590559 / +23278072249

 

Written by Davephine Thorley

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Reports
June 12, 2018
Home Leone-Social Entrepreneurship

Dream to Destiny

I have a dream! Definitely not Martin Luther king Jnr! but Nigel Hyde. Since 2003, together with his team has impacted Sierra Leone in various ways starting with the construction of the city of rest to the Saint George’s old people’s home.

Still toiling on to fulfill his calling from God and with the need to help just one more, he realized the appalling conditions Sierra Leoneans were subjected to, especially those that resides in the slums. Engulfed with fear that the next epidemic will hit them first, government laws won’t be in their favor or the heavy down pour of rain will drown their hopes again to rock bottom but more fearful that any relocation plan may strip away their livelihood, became resistant to any such initiative.

Amidst this fear, Hyde’s Home Leone initiative created a relocation plan. This time not only relocating homes and families but destinies. This safe haven located at Newton is indeed a hub for a better life, with low cost houses and the necessary social amenities. He had a dream and now he is restoring lives.

Report written by M. Salle-Kamara

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Pitchers, Reports, social entrepreneurship
June 12, 2018
Trees4prosperity- Social Entrepreneurship

MOHAMED TAYYIB BAH

Mr. Bah is known as a man that has great passion for trees.

This vibrant and an energetic Sierra Leonean left this country 20 years ago and decided to return in 2017 and establish his own tree planting business. He has had a passion for tree planting since he was a boy.

At the of age of five, he would go in the bush and make a garden their just to plant trees.  Later on, when his family built a house he planted all the economic tress in their backyard. One of his most favorite quote is ask “not what your country can do for you but what can you do for your country?”

On his return to Sierra Leone, his ambition is to start planting tree which he thinks is a good thing for the country, and with trees planting he will be able to beautify the country. Further, tree planting with greenery will also help in reforesting the country ecosystem and he will be engaging youth and communities. For instance, schools and universities in various field to adapt the culture of planting trees and by so doing, he will protect the country from deforestation which has led to disaster lately like the landscape and flooding.

It is worth noting that some of tree species fight against insect like the neem-tree which is also a medicine for human beings. There are other species that can protect the country ecosystem as well said Mr. Bah.

As for now, Mr Bah has over over 100,000 seeds which 80,000 are at his nursery at Kent village which waiting to be transplanted to various locations.

He has served this country since 1984 by then he was a police officer before he went to Germany in 1997-2000 and he has been in other country as well. He wants to give back to his country, he believes in the saying that “ask not what your country can do for you but what can you do for your country?” so in that, he want to give back to his country.

Mohamed El Tayyib-Bah

www.trees4prosperitysl.org

+232 79 515 007

Report written by Bilkissu Jalloh

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Pitchers, Reports, social entrepreneurship