By Ibrahim S. Bangura
Freetown, Sierra Leone – August 28, 2025: The eUpshift Climate Challenge Final Pitch Event, held at the Sierra Palms Hotel in Aberdeen, brought together Sierra Leone’s brightest young minds to showcase innovative solutions to environmental challenges. Spearheaded by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in collaboration with the Directorate of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) and other partners, the event marked the culmination of a transformative months-long program that empowered over 5,200 youth across 12 districts.
Youth Innovation Takes Center Stage Five finalist teams presented groundbreaking ideas rooted in their communities’ lived experiences: Tanko Environmental (Kono) – Tackling deforestation; Climate Ambassador (Bombali) – Climate advocacy; Jetway Innovation Sierra Leone (Tonkolili) – Biogas and fertilizer production; Food Insecurity Fighters (Moyamba) – Sustainable agriculture; and Forest Conservation (Moyamba) – Clean air and water access
These teams addressed critical issues such as waste management, environmental degradation, and food security, demonstrating the power of youth-led innovation.
Voices of Leadership and Support Jasper Sembie, DSTI Director, praised the participants:
“This room is filled with brilliant young people, progressive thinkers, and problem-solvers tackling one of the greatest global challenges: climate change.”
He credited UNICEF’s support for initiatives like the NAMIC Passport, which has reached over 61,000 users, and emphasized DSTI’s commitment to sustainable digital transformation.
Liv Elin Indreiten, UNICEF Deputy Representative, expressed deep appreciation for the youth’s resilience:
“Climate change touches every part of life—health, education, food security, and livelihoods. What gives us hope is seeing young people being innovators and problem-solvers.”
Referencing UNICEF’s Climate Landscape Analysis for Children, Indreiten highlighted that 80% of Sierra Leone’s children face high environmental risks, with flooding linked to over 90% of disasters in the past 30 years. She called for continued collaboration to scale youth-led solutions, urging stakeholders to leverage digital platforms like Learning Passport, WhatsApp, and U-Report.
Hon. Mima Sobba-Stephens, Deputy Minister of Environment and Climate Change, emphasized the need to pair innovation with leadership:
“Innovation alone is not enough. We must nurture leadership among young people and encourage them to turn ideas into action.”
Salima Bah, Minister of Communication, Technology and Innovation, commended UNICEF’s long-standing partnership: “UNICEF has been a true partner from the very beginning, supporting innovation and walking the walk with us.”
A Model for Youth Empowerment The event underscored UNICEF’s commitment to fostering youth-led innovation and highlighted the success of the eUpshift Climate Challenge as a model for empowering young people to address global challenges. With continued support, these young innovators are poised to transform their communities—and Sierra Leone’s future.