Sierra Leone’s Minister of Youth Affairs, Ibrahim Sannoh, has launched a plan to tackle the growing issue of dependency among young people, often referred to as the “Bra U Borbor Dae” syndrome.

The Minister says the mindset, where many young people rely on handouts or connections instead of skills and hard work, must change. He has introduced four key projects to help solve this problem, focusing on agriculture, climate change policy, skill development, and digital literacy.

Mr. Sannoh believes these programs will help reduce unemployment, support more youth in earning their own income, and improve work in the informal sector.

He explained that when the projects are complete, young people will be in a better position to create products and services that can also bring in foreign money to the country.

The Minister says the goal is to give youth the right training so they can help move the country forward and also stay away from crime. He believes when young people are given the tools to succeed, they will stop depending on others and start building their own futures.