By Sallieu S. Kanu
Kabala, June 21, 2025 — Freetown Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr brought a powerful message of inspiration and resilience to 150 young girls during a visit to Kabala as part of the YAS Girls’ Leadership Foundation outreach.
Held on Saturday, the event was filled with excitement and meaningful dialogue as Mayor Aki-Sawyerr shared her personal journey with the students, encouraging them to pursue their dreams with confidence and determination. “Your wings are believing in yourselves, prioritizing your education, and persevering through challenges,” she told the girls.
The session created a space for the girls to open up about the everyday challenges they face, including pressure from early marriage, financial constraints, peer influence, and the burden of teenage pregnancies.
In a particularly emotional moment, Saio Marah—a visually impaired student from Kabala Secondary School for Girls—explained that despite her dedication, she was unable to sit for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) because she did not have access to a typewriter.
Moved by her story, guests Dr. S.S. Marah and Mr. Lawrence Teteh Kargbo offered spontaneous scholarships of NLe3,000 each to both Saio and another blind student, Kumba, to purchase typewriters. “The smiles on their faces were priceless,” Mayor Aki-Sawyerr later reflected.
The YAS Girls’ Leadership Foundation annually awards scholarships to top-performing students based on BECE and internal academic scores from SS1 to SS2. But this year’s event stood out as an example of collective generosity and deep emotional connection.
While data on the long-term impact of such sessions is still being gathered through perception surveys, Mayor Aki-Sawyerr shared a personal highlight—a heartfelt message from Mariama S. Bah, Head Girl of Loma School. “You inspired us not to look down on ourselves but to keep working hard despite challenges,” the message read.
The Mayor’s visit is part of a broader initiative to nurture female leadership and promote education across Sierra Leone.