In an increasingly digital global economy, there is a critical need to equip the continent’s youth with the skills required to thrive. Diversification into the digital sector is essential to build resilience, foster innovation, and create sustainable growth opportunities.

The International Trade Centre (ITC) has launched the "Sierra Leone: Empowering Youth through Digital Technologies" (READY Salone) project, it announced on January 24. Funded by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the four-year initiative will harness the potential of Sierra Leone’s youth, particularly women and persons with disabilities, to thrive in the digital economy.

During the project’s launch, ITC Executive Director Pamela Coke-Hamilton emphasized the transformative role of digital skills: “Trade is digital. It’s how business happens now, and young people are leading the way. Through READY Salone, we’re partnering with government and business to create a digital-friendly environment and build the online skills of youth, women, and persons with disabilities.”

READY Salone focuses on four key pillars: enhancing digital literacy, improving entrepreneurial competitiveness through upskilling, strengthening tech-focused business support services, and developing inclusive national digital strategies. Through this initiative, 3,000 youth and 250 micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) will access digital skills training and business opportunities, while an awareness campaign will reach 10,000 young people, encouraging digital careers and entrepreneurship.

The event also featured a slogan competition with 100 youth participants and discussions with financial institutions on advancing inclusive finance for women and launching a Skills for Youth Employment Fund (SkYE Fund) for Sierra Leonean youth.

The READY Salone project aligns with Sierra Leone’s National Digital Development Strategy (NDDS) which focuses on improving digital infrastructure, enhancing digital literacy, and fostering innovation and entrepreneurship. The strategy reinforces efforts to bridge digital and economic divides by fostering inclusion, with a particular focus on women, rural communities, and marginalized groups, such as persons with disabilities (PWD).

Haja Salimatu Bah, Minister of Communication, Technology, and Innovation, highlighted the alignment, stating, “The READY Salone project’s focus on creating digital jobs and successful digital freelancers aligns perfectly with our national goals. We look forward to collaborating with ITC to amplify the impact of our work.”

Hikmatu Bilali