Sierra Leone’s young people are some of the most brilliant, ambitious, and creative you’ll find anywhere, but brilliance alone doesn’t open doors. And ambition can’t thrive in a system designed to hold it back.
For too long, young people in this country have been told to wait. To settle. To accept what little they’re offered.
Countless conversations (often fueled by more cups of coffee than we’d care to admit) among three friends affirmed the same truth: young people bursting with potential, but trapped in a system that gives them little room to grow. We’ve watched futures stall before they even had the chance to begin. We’ve seen dreams fade, not because these young people didn’t try, or weren’t good enough, but because the right doors were never open. We’re told to dream big, but it’s hard to reach for the stars when the system forgets to hand you the tools.
Young people are doing their part; showing up, working hard, daring to imagine more. But dreams need more than determination. They need doors that actually open.
So, we built one. We call it YouthBridge.
Our Vision – The Heart of YouthBridge
Our vision is as simple as it is ambitious: A future where every young Sierra Leonean has the opportunity, resources, and inspiration to thrive and achieve their full potential and purpose.
With YouthBridge, we’re creating the kind of space we wish had existed when we were growing up. A space that tells young Sierra Leoneans: You matter. You are seen. Your dreams are valid. A space – both physical and virtual – where young Sierra Leoneans can question, build, grow and belong.
Every young person, no matter where they’re from, what school they attend, or what their family can afford, deserves the tools, support, and space to figure out who they are, connect their interests to purpose, and lead lives of meaning. No fine print. No asterisks. No “depending on who your uncle knows.” Just real support for young people; whatever their background, whatever their story. Because fulfilment and livelihood shouldn’t be a trade-off. We want to close the gap between talent and access, curiosity and opportunity, ideas and execution. We want to help young people build lives they don’t have to escape from. We want to bridge the gap (see what we did there?) between young people and the opportunities they need to thrive.
What’s Cooking?
Right now, we’re still laying the groundwork (Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither will YouthBridge). But the dreaming and planning are well underway. We’re designing programs – from education and leadership to sports & wellness, STEM, creative arts, and entrepreneurship – that offer young people real, lasting chances to grow. We’re not offering the usual “show up, sit through the workshop, collect a certificate” kind of experience we’ve all seen too many times in Sierra Leone. We’re offering long-term, transformative experiences, the kinds that shift how young people see themselves and what they believe is possible. Experiences that leave young people saying, “I can do this. I belong here.”
Our work is co-created with and shaped by the voices and lived realities of young Sierra Leoneans. Because they know what they need better than any grown-up in a boardroom.
Our pilot initiative – the Higher Education Access Program, is a 12-month journey for an inaugural cohort of 30 senior secondary school students in Freetown. It’s designed to help them connect their passions to global opportunities, sharpen their academic profiles, and dream beyond the limits they’ve been taught. The world’s top institutions and leadership spaces are missing Sierra Leonean voices and this pilot is our first step in changing that.
And that’s just the start. More programs are in the pipeline, co-created with our young advisors, schools, and partners, so the opportunities we offer don’t just sound good on paper, but make a real, lasting difference in in the lives of the young people they’re designed for.
The Journey Ahead
Our dreams are big. The road is long. But we know real change never happens overnight. It happens when people decide they’re no longer willing to settle for “that’s just the way it is.” We’re here for the long haul, to spark a movement that lasts, and to curate spaces where young people can be bold, dream wide, and lead change. We don’t assume to have all the answers (spoiler: nobody does), but we do know this: young people deserve more. And they will get it.
If this sounds like a future you believe in, we’d love to have you in our corner. Maybe you’re a student, a teacher, a parent, a partner, or someone who simply believes in bold ideas and is ready to invest in the power of young people. Either way, there’s room for you here. So stick around, follow us on social media, and share the word.
With hope, stubborn optimism, and a steady supply of coffee,
Melvina, Bassie and Tarik.
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