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During International Youth Day celebrations on August 12, 2025, at Bintumani Conference Hall, ActionAid Sierra Leone and the Centre for Coordination of Youth Activities (CCYA) launched the EU-funded Youth Action for Good Governance and Self-Reliance Project, valued at approximately €900,000.
The two-year initiative aims to strengthen youth participation in governance, improve livelihoods, and empower marginalized groups including women and persons with disabilities in Tonkolili, Moyamba, and the Western Area.
The project will directly engage 90 youth graduates and 390 additional youth beneficiaries, with an estimated 56,250 people expected to benefit directly and indirectly. Planned activities include leadership training, mentorship, advocacy programs, and economic empowerment initiatives designed to promote self-reliance.
ActionAid Sierra Leone’s Executive Director, Foday Bassie Swaray, said the project will create opportunities for young people to participate meaningfully in governance while supporting their economic stability. He emphasized the inclusion of marginalized youths, particularly women and persons with disabilities, noting that the program will combine skills-building with mentorship and advocacy.
CCYA Director, Madam Abigail Stevens, stated that the project would work closely with youth-led and youth focused civil society organizations to enhance their capacity to influence decision-making processes at the grassroots level.
N’fa Kargbo representing the European Union, said the EU’s funding demonstrates a commitment to governance reform through youth engagement. He noted that the initiative is intended to prepare a generation of informed and active citizens rather than simply funding temporary activities.
Minister of Youth Affairs Ibrahim Sannoh described the project as timely and relevant to national priorities, urging civil society organizations to address pressing issues such as climate change, gender inequality, digital education, and disability inclusion through responsible advocacy.
The project launch highlighted concerns voiced by young people about their limited role in decision-making processes. Eighteen-year-old Christiana A. Williams, who recently completed her WASSCE examinations, remarked that youth are often called “the future” but remain excluded from current policy discussions.
