By Edward Dictionary Caulker
When Sierra Leone marked the 25th International Youth Day (IYD) on August 12, 2025, the Freetown International Conference Center rang with speeches, applause, and the rhythmic energy of young voices. The theme “Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond” promised a celebration of creativity, resilience, and the boundless potential of a generation set to shape the nation’s future.
Yet, beyond the formalities and photo opportunities lies an uncomfortable truth: after a quarter-century of symbolic observance, the lived reality for most young Sierra Leoneans tells a story of stalled dreams, systemic neglect, and unfulfilled promises.
The Demographic Advantage – and the Burden of Wasted Potential
Sierra Leone’s youth are its majority. Estimates show nearly 60% of the population is under 35, with 30% between 18 and 35 comprising almost half of the labour force. This “youth bulge” could be a powerful engine for economic growth, innovation, and cultural dynamism.
Instead, youth unemployment hovers around 40%, with only 22% of young people in paid work and men twice as likely to secure jobs as women. The agriculture sector employs 33% of youth, yet the absence of value-addition industries means rural young people remain trapped in low-income survival farming.
The 2025 Status of Youth Report painted a stark picture: food poverty affects 52% of youth; 63% depend on charity to meet basic needs. The report was hailed as “historic” by the government, but many young Sierra Leoneans question whether these numbers will spark change or simply gather dust in political archives.
Policies on Paper, Little in Practice
Former Youth Minister Mohamed Orman Bangura’s National Youth Policy 2020–2025 recognized challenges from structural unemployment to gender-based violence. Yet, by its end, there were no transformative success stories to show. The policy’s ambitions were undercut by chronic underfunding, politicization of youth programs, and a lack of measurable outcomes.
The much-publicized Feed Salone and Youth Farm Project were billed as job creators, with the President promising 500,000 jobs for youth. However, without transparent monitoring and clear pathways for scaling impact, these announcements risk becoming another chapter in Sierra Leone’s long history of policy fatigue.
The Social Crisis Nobody Wants to Confront
Youth marginalization has bred parallel communities in “Ataya Bases” informal meeting spots doubling as spaces for political debate, social refuge, and at times, breeding grounds for frustration and radicalization.
A surge in substance abuse, particularly of marijuana (“kush”), cocaine, heroin, and painkillers, is devastating communities. Addiction is not only destroying individual lives but eroding social cohesion, with young addicts influencing even younger children into dangerous habits. Government responses have been reactive at best, with no comprehensive national mental health or rehabilitation strategy in place.
Education: Degrees Without Direction
While access to education has improved in the past two decades, quality and relevance remain glaring weaknesses. University graduates face labour markets that do not match their skills. Vocational training programs exist supported by partners like the World Bank, UNDP, and UNFPA but coverage is limited, and job placement remains low.
For young women, the barriers are even higher. Cultural expectations, early marriage, and limited access to safe reproductive health services shrink their opportunities for self-determination.
Youth in Governance: Seen but Not Heard
Youth councils, electoral forums, and “consultations” provide the appearance of inclusion, but decision-making remains dominated by political elites. Many young people describe these engagements as tokenistic photo-friendly moments rather than genuine opportunities to shape policy.
President Bio’s recent statement at the swearing-in of new Youth Minister Ibrahim Sannoh “We are in this together” resonates well rhetorically, but young Sierra Leoneans increasingly ask: together in words, or together in action?
A Quarter-Century Crossroads
Twenty-five years after the first International Youth Day, Sierra Leonean youth are more connected, informed, and ambitious than ever. Social media and local NGOs have amplified their voices, fueling grassroots activism and community initiatives.
However, without systemic reform, the country risks wasting its most valuable resource; Meaningful progress requires:
Decentralized job creation strategies that empower rural youth.
Reform of education curricula to meet market demands
Investment in mental health, rehabilitation, and youth-friendly health services
Accountability mechanisms to track the impact of youth-focused projects
The energy and potential of Sierra Leone’s youth are real. But so too are the risks of neglect. If the next 25 years are to tell a different story, policymakers must stop celebrating youth in August and start investing in them every day.
Youth empowerment is not charity it is a strategic necessity for the nation’s survival and prosperity.
