By Stephen V. Lansana
November 27, 2025: BRAC Sierra Leone, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, has hosted the Accelerating Impact for Young Women (AIM) TVET Graduation and Transfer of Startup Kits in Freetown under the theme “Enhancing Sustainable Livelihood for Women and Girls through Skills Training.”
The ceremony, held at the Atlantic Lumley Hotel, brought together key stakeholders including the Minister of Youth Affairs, representatives from the Budget Advocacy Network (BAN), Rainbow Center, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (SMEDA), the Deputy Minister of Planning and Economic Development (MoPED), Members of Parliament, TVET institutions, parents, and other partners from both public and private sectors.
80 Graduates Receive Certificates and Startup Kits
During the event, 80 participants received graduation certificates and startup kits. They are part of 544 young women who completed six-month training programs in tailoring, hairdressing, and catering across seven locations including Freetown, Waterloo, Makeni, Bo, Kono, and Magboroka. The kits symbolize BRAC’s commitment to transforming skills into tangible livelihood opportunities.
AIM Project Across Africa
The AIM project, implemented in Sierra Leone and seven other African nations including Ghana, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Kenya, equips adolescent girls with life skills through structured AIM Clubs. Participants progress from social empowerment to economic pathways such as entrepreneurship and livelihood training.
Adolphus B.W. Doe, Country Director of BRAC Sierra Leone, explained that the initiative is part of BRAC’s ambitious youth empowerment program targeting 156,000 adolescent girls and young women in Sierra Leone over seven years. He noted that the current cohort is reaching 34,000 participants, who undergo six months of life skills and livelihood training before receiving tools and startup kits.
Doe thanked government and TVET institutions for their partnership, reaffirming BRAC’s commitment to improving the lives of women and girls in need of livelihood support.
Government Endorsement
Deputy Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Rev. Dr. Jonathan Titus-Williams, praised BRAC’s contribution to national development, stressing that women’s empowerment is central to Sierra Leone’s progress and aligned with the Government’s Five Big Changes and the Medium-Term National Development Plan (MTNDP).
Minister of Youth Affairs, Hon. Ibrahim Sannoh, in his keynote address, emphasized the importance of middle-level manpower in society. He noted that BRAC’s intervention benefits not only the graduates but also their communities, as they will create jobs and change lives. He disclosed that his ministry has signed an MoU with Milton Margai Technical University (MMTU) to organize short courses for commercial bike riders, with similar opportunities to be extended to AIM graduates.
Encouragement from Parliament and Stakeholders
Hon. Hamidu Mansaray, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Youth, urged graduates to use the startup kits wisely, adding that they are now role models and mentors. He encouraged them to build relationships, respect customers, and grow their businesses.
Joseph Kanu, a Youth Department Committee member, pledged continued monitoring of graduates’ progress, particularly in Freetown, and called on BRAC to expand the program to reach more young people.
Representing TVET institutions, Josephine Koroma, Proprietor of God’s Will Vocational Training Center, commended BRAC for fully supporting students by covering tuition and practical fees.
Graduate Testimonies
Several graduates shared personal testimonies of how BRAC’s support transformed their lives. One participant explained that with BRAC’s assistance, she enrolled at God’s Will Vocational Institute to study catering, decoration, and housekeeping, opening new opportunities for her future.
PHOTO: The Minister of Youths Affairs and the Country Director of BRAC making a symbolic distribution of Startup kits to TVET Participants in Freetown