Kids Advocacy Network Launches Scholarship to Empower Young Women

By Saidu Jalloh, Daily Scope Reporter

The Sierra Leone Kids Advocacy Network has officially unveiled the Light-Her Path Scholarship Project, an innovative educational initiative aimed at empowering girls and young women through financial assistance, mentorship, and access to essential learning resources.

The launch event took place at the Africell American Corner on Bathurst Street, drawing key stakeholders from civil society, academia, and government.

Targeting girls aged 16 to 25 who encounter financial and social obstacles to education, the scholarship program supports both in-school and out-of-school participants. It offers tuition assistance and vocational training in areas such as tailoring, soap-making, and cake-making, with the goal of breaking cycles of poverty and exclusion by equipping beneficiaries with leadership and innovation skills.

Executive Director Edmond Alim B. Fornah emphasized the project’s transformative approach, stating, “We’re not just paying fees; we’re building futures.”

Beneficiaries will receive structured mentorship from accomplished women leaders, including members of the 50 Most Influential Women platform, aimed at fostering confidence and leadership skills.

A 13-member multi-stakeholder selection committee, chaired by gender activist and university lecturer Madam Fatu Taqi, will oversee the application review process. The committee comprises representatives from Parliament, women’s forums, financial institutions, higher education, and the sports sector.

Initial funding of $20,000 was generously donated by Hon. Sidi Mohamed Tunis, former Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament. First Lady Dr. Fatima Maada Bio has also expressed her support, with additional contributions anticipated from various partners.

Special guest Delicia Boyle-Kikulwe, a contestant from Housemates Salone Season 4, shared her personal experiences as a university student and mother of three. She encouraged applicants to view education as a lifelong skill that leads to independence. “Education is not just about grades; it’s about confidence, critical thinking, and self-worth,” she remarked.

Madam Taqi called on communities to raise awareness and support eligible girls in applying for the scholarship. “This scholarship lights the path for girls who’ve been left in the shadows,” she noted. “It’s about visibility, opportunity, and lasting impact.”