By Ibrahim S. Bangura
Team Lorem, a group of students of Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone, on Thursday, November 10, 2022 received US$15,000 after being selected among the top twelve winners in the Global Imagen Ventures Youth Innovation Challenge recently.
Dr. David Sengeh, Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education and Chief Innovation Officer; Suleiman Braimoh, United Nations Children’s Fund Country Representative to Sierra Leone and Mohamed Orman Bangura, Minister of Youth Affairs present the money to the team at Atlantic Lumley Hotel in the west of Freetown.
Team Lorem are young innovators in Sierra Leone who consisted of Abdul Rahim Jalloh, Lovetta Bangura and Emmanuel Kamanga. At the global challenge, they presented an easySTEM server device that they developed.
According to Jalloh, the team leader, they developed the server to solve many problems university students, mostly those in science, technology, engineering and mathematics departments, usually encounter in accessing learning materials. “As a result of poor electricity and poor internet facilities, we young innovators decided to develop this server to ensure that students access learning materials easily and affordably. Using the server, one needs no internet facilities to access the materials.”
Jalloh explained that in October 2021, there was a call for participants with innovative ideas to develop solutions to improve education, training, and employment opportunities, adding that in March 2022, 15 teams participated and five teams were selected for six months training program. “After some months of training, my team qualified to represent Sierra Leone, and fortunately, out of 10,000 participants across 37 countries in the world, we were selected among the top 12 winners,” he explained.
He stated that if they have more sponsors, they would produce more servers and also increase their creativities which will help students and the nation as well.
Dr. Sengeh applauded Team Lorem for their performance. “These achievements would not have been possible if the country does not have young people who believe in themselves and what they can do,” he said. He encouraged the innovators to share their ideas with other young people.
Orman Bangura promised that his ministry would continue to create more space for every young Sierra Leonean to realize their potential.
According to Braimoh, UNICEF is always ready to encourage the young innovators for more innovative ideas that would help solve so many problems in the world. “Team Lorem and others young innovators, you are role models, so I encourage you all to continue to change the narrative of this nation. UNICEF is determined, dedicated and available to support young people in their endeavours,” he concluded.