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The Center for Advocacy and Sustainable Empowerment (CASE Salone) on Saturday, 27th September 2025, concluded the National AFRINOVATE Youth Challenge Pitching Competition in Bo, celebrating the creativity and problem-solving skills of young entrepreneurs from across Sierra Leone.
The event, held under CASE Salone’s Social Equity Programme, brought together ten youth-led teams from Freetown, Makeni, Kenema, and Bo. It opened with a traditional cultural performance and the singing of the national anthem, before transitioning into a day of energetic pitching sessions that showcased the innovation potential of Sierra Leone’s youth.
Team Kenema Water Supply won first place with their solar-powered water pump designed for local farmers, earning a $3,000 seed grant and the honor of representing Sierra Leone at the international finals on October 31.
Team Eco Twist Green Generation, which recycles plastic waste into crafts and fabrics, took second place with $2,000, while Team Eco Circula, which turns plastic into durable bricks, placed third with $1,000.
Other finalists presented solutions such as solar-powered cold storage (Team Crop Care Salone), organic manure from kitchen waste (Team Agro Innovation), and nutritious baby food from plantain and local ingredients (Team Plantain Mix). Their ideas addressed food security, renewable energy, waste management, and education challenges in their communities.
Speaking at the event, CASE Salone Board Member Paschal Fellah urged the young innovators to think beyond academic theory. “Employers today value proven experience over qualifications. The key is to be innovative and creative in everything you do,” he said.
Ibrahim Mansaray, CASE Salone’s Social Equity Programme Lead, described the competition as a “big opportunity” to awaken youth creativity. “This initiative is not just about personal empowerment it’s about building the next generation of leaders who can contribute to national development,” he said.
International partners, including the Z Zurich Foundation and Junior Achievement Africa, reaffirmed their support. Remijus N. Iweobi, Programme Officer for Global Fund for Children in Liberia, praised the initiative as proof of the real impact civil society can make in shaping future leaders.
The Social Equity Programme, supported by the Z Zurich Foundation, aims to empower 3,000 young people aged 16–25 with entrepreneurship, innovation, and job-readiness skills. CASE Salone has already conducted 15 bootcamps across Sierra Leone’s four regions, building capacity and preparing youth to take on challenges such as unemployment, drug abuse, and climate resilience.
As the winners prepare for the international stage, stakeholders hailed the AFRINOVATE Challenge as a step forward in positioning Sierra Leone’s youth as innovators, job creators, and agents of change.
