A piece of Sierra Leone’s iconic Cotton Tree will soon travel beyond Earth’s atmosphere, carried by astronaut and Rise founder Amanda Nguyen on her upcoming Blue Origin space flight.

The mission, set to launch on April 14, will mark a historic moment not only for space exploration—featuring the first all-female crew—but also for Sierra Leone and global justice advocacy.

Nguyen’s symbolic gesture honors Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio for his leadership in championing justice for survivors of sexual violence. In September 2021, President Bio played a pivotal role in securing a landmark victory at the United Nations General Assembly.

Under his leadership, Sierra Leone introduced and successfully passed the first-ever standalone UN resolution on access to justice for survivors of sexual violence—unanimously adopted by all 193 Member States.

Related News

“In 2021, when I fought for my rights as a survivor at the United Nations, they said it was impossible to get a world leader to champion our cause,” Nguyen said. “But President Bio believed in justice. He directed Sierra Leone to be the lead sponsor of the world’s first standalone General Assembly resolution for rape survivors.”

When Nguyen asked President Bio what she could take to space in his honor, he chose a symbol deeply rooted in Sierra Leone’s history and spirit of resilience—the Cotton Tree. For centuries, the tree stood as a place of refuge and hope for returning freed slaves in Freetown. Tragically, the historic tree was destroyed in a storm in 2023.

Now, Nguyen will carry its seeds into space, symbolizing the enduring power of justice and rebirth. “Justice always finds ground to grow in,” she said. “The impossible is just an opinion.”