The past few months have been a time of both fond farewells, as the second cohort of workplace apprenticeship students exit the programme, and happy hellos as we welcome new young mothers onto our programme and launch exciting complementary activities. In this first newsletter of the year, we capture the key highlights from 2022 so far.

Preparing for the world of work - graduation success

In March, we celebrated the achievements of 16 young mothers who successfully completed our 18-month full-time workplace apprenticeship programme, training in locally popular vocations including hairdressing and tailoring. A graduation event was held in March where the young mothers received certificates and start-up kits, in the presence of friends, family and local stakeholders. The young mothers are now preparing for the world of work post-training, with the majority having already secured employment or further training opportunities. It has been a privilege to have had these inspiring young women on the programme and to witness their journey over the past few years as they work to build brighter futures for themselves and their children. 

Case Study - Fatama

Shortly after giving birth to twins, Fatmata suffered the loss of both of her parents. Simultaneously becoming an orphan and a new mother, she had no way of supporting her new family, and was living on the kindness of neighbours, until a friend told her about the AdAmi Project. 

Fatmata describes how the day she was selected for AdAmi’s vocational training programme, to study automechanics, was the first time she felt some relief from the stress of her situation. “Life is totally different from what it was before”, she says. She has shown commitment and determination throughout the programme, and her hard work has paid off - she has now secured a further training and work placement at a nearby automechanic shop.

She has also valued the mentorship she has received throughout her training. Spending time with a mentor gives her a space to express herself and a much-needed role model and advocate which, since the loss of her parents, she would otherwise lack. She leaves the programme a much happier and more confident young woman, who is excited and hopeful for the future.

Launching the Community Girls Network

In March, our local partner MEANS organised special events to formally launch their Community Girls Network (CGN) in two communities of Bo district, where we have been working alongside them to support young mothers since 2018. The CGN is an initiative that was dreamt up by our team, in close collaboration with the young mothers on the programme, with the goal of raising awareness and support for the rights and opportunities of young mothers and other vulnerable girls in their communities. Over the next few months MEANS and the youth leaders of the network will receive training and support from the AdAmi Project, as they plan to launch a series of local awareness-raising and campaign activities. We look forward to sharing further updates from this work in our next newsletter.

Case Study - Tiangay

Tiangay is the nominated President of the new CGN in her village. At the launch she bravely shared her story and struggles as a young mother, from being thrown out of school and her family home when pregnancy was discovered, to being called a ‘dropout’ and alienated by her peers.

Fast-forward four years and Tiangay’s life is very different, thanks to the AdAmi Project. A scholarship from the project enabled her to return to school and complete her education, while with our family mediation support, she was able to move back in with her family and her relationship with them has gone from strength to strength. Now, she is an admired and respected young woman in her community and an amazing mum!

Together with other CGN members, Tiangay has become a driven grassroots activist, fighting for the rights of other young mothers and vulnerable girls in her community. She is passionate about giving back and helping to lift others up. We’re excited that after four years of the AdAmi project, we’re now able to work with young mothers who have been on the programme to better achieve our mission.

Marking International Women’s Day

The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day was ‘Break the Bias’. The local AdAmi team, together with young mothers from our programme, joined other civil society organisations and stakeholders at a special event organised in Bo town to celebrate the achievements of women both in Sierra Leone and globally. Our Country Director, Beth Davies, spoke passionately at the event about the work of the AdAmi Project and the need for us to support vulnerable young mothers to build healthier, happier futures. The day gave the team the opportunity to reflect on the progress made and what still needs to be done to create a more gender-equal society. 

Kirsty visits Sierra Leone

In January, Kirsty Wood, founder of the AdAmi Project and Chair of Trustees, visited Sierra Leone to spend time with the team. This was the first time that Kirsty had been able to visit the country in almost two years, due to Covid-19, and she loved every minute: ‘it was so wonderful to be reunited with the team and to meet the many young mothers benefitting from the programme. Whilst I have maintained almost daily contact with the team during the pandemic, nothing beats being there in person to see the work in action. The trip was hugely productive and I returned to the UK more determined than ever to work alongside our amazing team of volunteers and staff to champion the rights and opportunities of young mothers in Sierra Leone.’

Support our work

DId you know it costs just £100 a year, less than £10 a month, to support a young mother to return to school? Our work is made possible thanks to the generosity of our supporters and we would love for you to consider making a gift towards our work today. To do so please visit our donation page.

Thanks for reading :-)