Children Advocacy Forum Launches 4-Day Social Equity Boot Camp to Empower 250 Young Entrepreneurs in Freetown

The Children Advocacy Forum Sierra Leone (CAF-SL), in collaboration with CASE Salone and Junior Achievement Africa, has kicked off a four-day Boot Camp in Freetown targeting 250 young people with training in entrepreneurship, innovation, leadership, mental wellbeing, and financial literacy.

The event, running from May 14th to 17th, 2025, is taking place at the Latter-Day Saints facility, 2 Bell-Air Park at Pademba Road/Dwarzark Junction. With funding support from the Z Zurich Foundation, the initiative seeks to equip marginalized youth aged 16–25 in the Western Area Urban with the necessary skills to become self-reliant job creators and competitive job seekers.

The program manager at CAF, Mr. Mohamed Samura, emphasized that youth empowerment and entrepreneurship remain at the heart of the organization’s mission.

“This Boot Camp is a critical intervention aimed at marginalized youth,” he said. “We want the government to recognize and prioritize vulnerable young people and children in development programs.”

He also revealed that CAF has established a dedicated youth skills training center and is running immunization campaigns alongside its empowerment work. “Participants will gain valuable mentorship, receive certificates upon completion, and stand a chance to win up to $5,000 in the final pitch competition,” he added.

CAF’s Executive Director, Mr. Abdul K. Swaray, encouraged participants to take the training seriously. “We believe in advocating for and on behalf of young people. This program is not just about the prize money but about the knowledge and skills that will change your lives,” he told attendees.

He further explained that the final day will feature a pitch competition where the top three projects will be selected to compete at regional and national levels. Winners will receive $3,000, $2,000, and $1,000 respectively. In addition, the top ten groups from this initial Boot Camp phase will each win $500.

The Executive Director of CASE-SL expressed her organization’s commitment to supporting CAF, noting that CAF consistently prioritizes the welfare and development of children and youth.

She described the initiative as a transformative journey, aimed at empowering participants to become future CEOs and employers. According to her, the knowledge and skills acquired from the camp will be instrumental in fostering creativity and driving personal and community change.

She encouraged all participants to pay close attention to every detail of the program, emphasizing its long-term value.

The Executive Director concluded by stating that upon completion of the program, participants will be well-equipped in entrepreneurship and positioned to apply what they have learned to meaningfully transform their lives.

Representing the Ministry of Information and Civic Education, Director of Information Mr. Emmanuel Turay said the initiative aligns perfectly with the government’s youth empowerment agenda.

“We know unemployment is a major issue, and that is why we’re supporting programs like this. The Ministry is actively advocating for more innovation-driven opportunities for young people,” he said.

Participants also received training on CV writing and were encouraged to collaborate and share innovative business ideas.

For many participants, the Boot Camp is a life-changing opportunity. Abubakar Kpukumu said it will help him become self-reliant and knowledgeable about setting up a business.

Kadie Sesay noted that the program will enhance her technical entrepreneurship skills, while Saidu Mohamed Sesay, a student from Limkokwing University, said he joined to deepen his understanding of innovation and business development.

Zainab Thoronka, a young woman determined to become a seamstress, shared a powerful story: “I dropped out of school and don’t even have a phone. I borrowed my mother’s phone to apply. I joined this program so I can learn entrepreneurship, become my own CEO, and not be taken advantage of.”

The Social Equity Boot Camp stands as a bold step toward building an inclusive economy for Sierra Leonean youth, offering not only capital and training but also hope and opportunity.