The Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation (MoCTI), with support from UNICEF Sierra Leone and the International Trade Centre (ITC) through the KOICA READY Salone Project, has successfully completed the second cohort of the Learn2Earn Programme, with 60 young Sierra Leoneans graduating after an intensive digital freelancing and employability training programme.
Building on the success of the pilot cohort, Learn2Earn continues to equip young people with practical digital skills, mentorship, and real-world experience to access opportunities in the global digital economy. The programme forms part of the Government of Sierra Leone’s commitment to expanding youth employment through technology and innovation under the Big Five Agenda.
Participants completed a structured programme that combined practical training, one-on-one mentorship, professional profile development, proposal writing, client communication, and guided applications for freelance opportunities. At the end of the programme, all 60 participants received certificates recognising their successful completion.
While the training officially concluded with certification, the impact has continued well beyond the classroom. Within days and weeks of graduation, several participants had already secured professional opportunities, demonstrating the programme’s emphasis on moving young people from learning to earning.
Among them is Jusufu Gamanga Abu, who was selected as a remote peer reviewer for the Youth Nexus Innovation Labs Programme implemented by Action for Community Resilience Group (ACRG) under the AU-EU Youth Action Lab. Reflecting on his journey, he described Learn2Earn as the bridge between passion and professional opportunity.
“In just three weeks, Learn2Earn took me from having passion without direction to having practical, marketable skills. For the first time, I was not asking for an opportunity; I was trusted with one.”
Another graduate, Yakuba Saccoh, secured a position as a research assistant with ACRG under an AU-EU-sponsored project shortly after completing the programme. He credited Learn2Earn with strengthening his confidence and preparing him for the world of work.
“The knowledge, skills, and opportunities I gained through this programme prepared me for the workplace. The investment in young people is creating real opportunities and empowering us to contribute meaningfully to development.”
For Israel Smart, the programme translated directly into his first client project. Just one week after completing the training, he secured a branding assignment for a skincare company after a prospective client discovered his work on TikTok.
“This experience reminded me that consistency pays off. The work I shared during the programme became the very thing that attracted my first client.”
The programme has also produced longer-term success stories. James Yambasu, a Year Two student at Fourah Bay College and a participant in Learn2Earn Cohort 2, recently secured employment supporting climate-informed disease surveillance projects across West and Central Africa after a LinkedIn post showcasing his skills opened the door to a career opportunity.
These stories show the growing impact of Learn2Earn as more participants transition from training into paid digital work, research, consulting, freelancing, and other knowledge-based opportunities.
As the Ministry continues to expand digital employment initiatives, the success of Cohort 2 demonstrates that with the right skills, mentorship, and access to opportunities, Sierra Leone’s young people are ready to compete, contribute, and earn on the global stage.
