This section presents real stories of young people from cities in Sierra Leone.
For the data protection reasons all names are replaced by pseudonyms.
Kumba (from Freetown)
Kumba, a talented young tailor from Freetown, has had a passion for fashion since childhood. However, tailoring wasn't always her first career choice. After finishing school, she graduated successfully from college with aspirations of securing an "office job" in HR or Administration. Unfortunately, those plans didn't materialize, mainly due to a lack of connections.
Rather than being discouraged, Kumba saw this as an opportunity to “explore other pathways”. After completing a tailoring course at a vocational institution, she launched her own business. Now, as a self-employed tailor working from home, Kumba works around eight hours a day designing and tailoring all kinds of clothes. While her earnings are relatively low, they still help her to sustain her livelihood. Though she’s content with her current work, Kumba dreams of opening her own fashion house. However, this vision faces significant challenges—financial hurdles and a lack of advanced training opportunities in Sierra Leone. Despite these obstacles, Kumba remains optimistic about the future. She continues to work hard and hopes that one day her dream will come true.
James (from Makeni)
James successfully completed secondary school but lacked the financial means to continue his education. With limited job opportunities in his hometown Makeni, he decided to join a group of friends traveling to Gambia in search of work. He spent several years there, working in the construction sector, where he gained valuable skills and experience.
Four years ago, James returned to Sierra Leone. Initially, he worked as an occasional worker on various construction sites, earning 20-30 Le per day. However, his determination paid off when he secured a formal job with a construction company. Now, James has regular working hours and a stable monthly income. This job is not his dream job – he wishes, he could be a lawyer. However, he is still satisfied with his current employment and is grateful for the stability it provides.
Hawa (from Bo)
Hawa is currently attending an IT course at a vocational institution while juggling two jobs: selling clothes as a street vendor and providing IT services to a local print shop. She started her trading business about two years ago after the death of her mother.
Hawa works around 6-7 hours a day, balancing her time between her jobs and the vocational course. Although her earnings are modest, she manages to support her vocational education with them. Hawa’s goal is to work as a manager in a bank. She plans to start in an entry-level position, such as a secretary, and gradually climb the career ladder. To achieve this dream, Hawa is taking deliberate steps: she believes that both vocational certificates and practical experience are crucial for a secretary role. With her education and IT work, she wants to lay a solid foundation for her future career.