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The European Union’s (EU) Youth Leadership to Enhance Accountability and Development (YOUTHLEAD) project is believed to be building mentorship skills among youth in Pujehun District in Southern Sierra Leone.
This became apparent after the project team conducted an important follow-up visit on March 6, 2026, to the Gbondapi and Malen Youth Mentorship Network groups in Pujehun District.
According to Alpha P.K. Mansaray, one of the project staff based in Pujehun District, the visit aimed to share key findings and outcomes from a recent joint monitoring exercise carried out by WESOFOD-SL and SEND Sierra Leone.
He explained that the meeting also focused on discussing the challenges observed during the monitoring process and restructuring the mentorship groups to address and mitigate those issues, thereby strengthening their performance going forward.
Mansaray further noted that the team provided updates on the progress made regarding the disbursement of the loan facility intended for the mentorship groups. Members were reassured that the project team is actively working to ensure the funds are released as soon as possible.
A large number of youths from the communities attended the meeting. During the open discussion session, participants candidly shared the challenges they face in leading and sustaining the mentorship groups.
Another project staff member, Lahai Fullah, said several members raised concerns and allegations that some individuals may have colluded with members of the project team to misappropriate or privately share the loan funds. He noted that these perceptions of unfairness had created significant grievances, which partly explained why some members chose not to participate in earlier monitoring meetings.
Fullah said the project team took time to carefully listen to these concerns and presented a clear and transparent explanation of the genuine reasons behind the delay in the loan disbursement. The team also outlined the steps being taken to resolve the issues and reaffirmed their commitment to fairness, accountability, and timely support for all groups.
Following the explanations and open dialogue, the atmosphere of the meeting improved significantly. Participants expressed satisfaction with the clarifications provided and renewed their commitment to actively participate in upcoming project activities.
As part of the next steps, the project team plans to maintain close follow-up on loan disbursement timelines, provide capacity-building support to the restructured groups where necessary, and sustain regular and transparent communication to strengthen trust and engagement.
The follow-up visit has helped rebuild confidence and strengthen collaboration with youth mentorship networks in Gbondapi and Malen, with the team reaffirming its dedication to promoting accountable youth leadership and sustainable community development in the district.
