On Friday, 20th December 2022, Youth in Action for Development (YAD) and its educational offshoot, Youth Resource Academy (YRA), celebrated a significant milestone by certifying 60 youths across various professions with diploma certificates officially countersigned by the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education. Among the graduates, those who specialized in food and nutrition, dressmaking, and beauty therapy received startup packages designed to empower them to start their own entrepreneurial ventures.
The event, which was presided over by Mrs. Dolphy Sheriff, the esteemed Dean of the Faculty of Business Administration at Eastern Technical University, attracted a multitude of stakeholders. These included representatives from the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education, Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Youth Affairs, National Youth Commission, and the local governmental bodies such as the Kenema District Council and Kenema City Council, as well as various youth organizations.
In her welcoming address, Mrs. Agnes Sam, the Principal of Youth Resource Academy, expressed her heartfelt gratitude to all attendees for their presence at the event. She elaborated on the remarkable growth of her institution, attributing its rise to the support from YAD and Fambul Tik e.V. Mrs. Sam proudly noted that YRA has emerged as a premier institution in the eastern region, providing quality technical and vocational training to underprivileged youth at no cost. The academy currently accommodates 80 continuing students and is set to welcome 120 new admissions, supported by a dedicated team of 18 trained and qualified instructors, along with 3 academic staff. She earnestly appealed for the continued support of stakeholders to realize her vision of making Kenema a central hub for technical and vocational training nationwide.
During the presentation of certificates and startup packages, Programme Coordinator Othman Sheriff articulated his excitement about witnessing the realization of his vision. He shared the journey of the institute since its establishment in 2019, highlighting his relentless efforts to secure funding from international donors. Despite the official recognition by the Sierra Leone government, which countersigned all awarded certificates, he lamented that the project has yet to receive any financial subsidies from governmental sources. He invited stakeholders to join him on stage to confer the 60 certificates and startup packages to the underprivileged youths who have diligently completed their training over the past 24 months. Notably, this represents a substantial increase in beneficiaries of the startup packages, reaching a total of 120, which includes the 60 candidates who graduated in 2023.
To inspire the audience, several alumni were invited to share their personal success stories. Dressed in their distinctive outfits, these alumni recounted their achievements, which spanned various career paths, including employment at local hotels, self-employment as caterers, and the establishment of a successful dressmaking shop in the city. Frances Sesay, a proud member of the 2023 cohort, shared her journey, revealing that she is now employed as a special cook at the Bank of Sierra Leone’s Kenema branch. “I was often labeled as jobless due to my lack of skills, but thanks to the support from YRA and YAD, I am now a proud employee capable of contributing to my family’s livelihoods,” she affirmed with pride.
Various speakers took the stage to encourage all youths, particularly women, to engage in skills and vocational education, reinforcing the collective goal of improving Sierra Leone through empowerment and opportunity.
It is noteworthy that the Youth Resource Academy (YRA) was established in 2019 and received official authorization from the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education in 2020 to function as a TVET institute, in line with the provisions of the 2004 Education Act and the strategic pillars of the TVET policy adopted in 2019. These pillars focus on enhancing access to TVET programs and developing skills tailored for market demands.
Since its inception, YRA has offered high-quality, tuition-free training to underprivileged youths in specialized fields such as catering, dressmaking, cosmetology/hairdressing, screen designing and printing, secretarial training, and ICT. Plans are currently underway to expand the academy’s facilities to include additional programs in electrical installation with an emphasis on renewable energy, woodworking and furniture production, plumbing, electronics, and car mechanics.
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