For example, 80 percent of the population is under the age of 35. 00. And theyre all trying to sort out the futures from education to careers and maybe even political ambitions. But is that government actually doing enough to when power is massive young generation . My colleague heated kamani went to free town to find out more in a st debate where the youth hello and welcome to the 7 to 7 per cent. Were here at the prince of wales school in 3 town, the capital of cyril yawn. And in this country, 8 out of every 10 people is under the age of 35. I had to look that number up again because its unbelievable. 80 percent of the population are within the 77 percent. But the question we want to ask today is, is the government doing enough to not just empower this youth, but also make them competitive globally . Who better to answer that question for me than in some thoroughly unions. And i want to begin with harder because youve had the opportunity to not to study abroad, but also have an on to price here. So perhaps you can give me based on your experience. Do you think that the youth in this country have been enabled or empowered enough to basically be part of the Global Community . They are only well as of a few months ago. There were only 3 disciplines in sierra leone when you go to high school. So theres the arts, the commercial in the science, and based on my grades, when i saw the becca examination, which is the examination you take before you go to high school, i had a good grade. So i ended up in a science because every smart person is supposed to be a doctor. And most of the things where were taught in school, were not really practical, it was all fury. I learnt about animals in your system so i never got to see it and everything i, lance was basically just theoretical. And i really struggle with this when i got a scholarship to study in norway, in 2015. I to classes like chemistry and biology and in all the experiments which were very practical, i was really struggling and my grades were not reflecting on the Education System that i received in sierra leone was really smart here. And i went there, i realized i was just not exposed to this form of learning. Lets ask the innovator whos actually standing right next to you mohammed. So youre one of the people whos not just creating employment, but also creating solutions for the use case earlier. So tell us briefly what you do and if 100 thing is receptive of your experience, yes. So oh, for me here in civilian for the for want to not as clear. We young people ah, are willing to solve problems and take our initiatives to the next stage. But one thing that is also missing is the fact that we dont have the eco system. We are, we thrive and then succeed. For my own initiative. Ive been able to empowered over through only a young people in my defend initiative, wish to Energy Initiatives on power over 20 communities using wished to energy. Sometimes we wish we are stuck in areas we out. We have our ideas and then well see, does this ideas have potential to really grew . Are we from even the community that weve started . Its but its talk because there are no supports really um skill up to the next stage and he was secure funding. Okay, 44, we get to the challenges. Let me, let me go to he is daniel, because were talking about some of the impediments that come about, particularly after graduating the university. And i know finances was one of the key ones for you. Is it normal or is it a normal occurrence for young people yet to stop there, tertiary education, because they simply know, but there is no school fees. Um i got malcolm in 2016 whether there is no support financially for me to follow medication. So i decided to move and sen wishes 0 telecommunication as a Search Engine for me, just to support medication. And i was walking out 4 by 6 as there is a support. Oh, i think theres no with im. Theres no Parliament Like one it is on intervals. All right. I was move i said with this is very good. I said i need to walk moment to push this initiative. Im. Its very good. Its embalming and i was open to do engineering rains. I city walk there, youre supposed it is all of mr. Enough to support my mother. Okay. All right, so let me speak to doctor, come on here for a 2nd because she is the director of research if im not mistaken, of for delivery and delivery in the ministry of finance. So it sounds to me like, you know, the government has a Great Initiative in place, which is free primary education rather Free Education for all. But then after that, what next . Thats what were hearing there left to their own devices. Do you think thats true from where youre standing . The thing is yes. For years weve been focused on traditional education. Thats the reality. But now were transitioning unseen the awareness and how people approach technical implication are training and the need for it up, you know, sheep and how he doesnt need to be just one sec or you have in want calling to serve. You can serve in multiple ways, do you, you can be a doctor and still be an entrepreneur, you can benefit up, you know, and an advocate. So having that platform or crating, those systems in which of them are these, they thought and ideas, know they lobby and create. That is just that we need to scale up and find ways to accelerate the creation of those spaces. Yes, government has v m. Freak and Quality Education Program for per m primaries, him primary junior. Secondly, our senior secondary school. But then its how we form linkages with other sectors and other players that also driving changing these spaces. We have those and just working towards m and power in girls dose working towards our even driving entrepreneurship. And its is how we can accelerate efforts to bring all of this together and approached this problem in a systematic way. So not working in silos, then we can be able to live for all right. Let me ask her job because you talked about free and also quality education. You spoke earlier about the differences in how education is passed down. Do you think that the quality of education, what is being taught the back here is enough. Oh, is there one thing i am personally not the free kind of person . And thats my personal opinion because i you dont think education should be faithful. Shell be accessible and affordable for everyone, because when its free right now only to poor people can send your kids to like goldman school. I want it to be a, and i want to be, i want to be involved in sierra leone, where the local trader and a minister can send your kids to the same school because they can afford it. So you have to put the systems in place, but people taken as children to school, i was part of the for Education System. When i was in secondary school, my school fees were 60000 leons, i got it every, i was reimbursed to me for 45000 pounds. But my textbooks were up to a 1000000 and that my parents found had to, you know, a foot. And i feel like with education is not just tuition is so much more involved and these are the things i didnt have access to, especially as somebody who was in secondary school. And i was privileged enough because i had access to all these textbooks and stuff which made me really smart student, but then there were other kids who couldnt afford it. That mohammed said like, sorry, dan, like daniel said he, he couldnt get to college. And honestly it, its sad because he was smart and he is still smart. But how many of daniels are out there . How many of daniels dont have his privilege to be on tv . I know daniels, i have lived with daniels. I have gone to school with daniels, i come from a community of daniels. Okay. Now, earlier we also talked about access. Lets also focus on the danielles, the girls via her and the women in this community. Do you think this equal opportunities for them within the context of thoroughly on if im dreaming him and using my feminist demand imagination and been optimistic, i will say we can compete. We have access, but the reality is we cant, we dont have access. Ive been in a situation where at the age of 16 i got pregnant and i mean i school and the next thoughts in my head was, if im not going to go through school with this pregnancy, im going to kill myself. As because for years, pregnant girls were not given the permission to go to school and became was julie buller outbreak when over 14000 girls became pregnant and all of them were kicked out of school. So for me, access is very important and access is not just, im from the font face, say we have free quality education. Access is making sure that the system work for girls. And ill say it progresses me. Lake is been done because the people of desolation led the, the most radical campaign ive seen in my life. And thats the campaign for brit pregnant girls to be in school. Weve seen all of the progress weve like women girls, young people, we saw that girls over tics out of school during the bola outbreak. They stood up for their rights to education. So weve had a situation or a scenario described by joseph in there which sounds almost utopian and was actually successful. But eric, working with people on the ground as a journalist and with a youth program, im sure that the stories you hear a wildly different from what were hearing from joseph. And can you tell me what young people express to you as their Biggest Challenges in this country . We talk about the issues of educational issues of employment. It is quite perceived in a different way as it is been perceived in the lenses of the powers that made. So when you go to the place now to tell you about employment, what you see a lot of young people out there who are not employed in a situation. Sometimes you see people would not have access to all certain opportunities, even if they have the qualifications or less they have to affiliate themselves to the powers that be. Or i was listening to the points of daniel who couldnt contribute or in school. That is the same situation when you talk to you maybe or people that are into the okada, commercial or writing which is a motorbike. Yeah. Some of them you find out that or theyre there because they dont feel like been there, but because you dont have the opportunities or platforms to move forward. Let me come back to you doctor because we are hearing that there is a disconnect. I mean, surely the policy that youre creating behind closed doors sound wonderful, but the implementation 0. Where, where, where does, where does it get lost . So if you look back at how soon has developed over the years, you knew that growth has been in stop, stop, stop it, stop by then, what has kept us going is how we as the people are resilient and continue to adapt and involved in how we implement design and rollout policies, as joseph instead think the development of the radical equation policy was quite m inclusive. And we didnt have the validation to the of the Implementation Plan and much an evaluation plan. So it shows that, asked the country we will not stalk in the doing things in the same always we are moving towards doing things in better and more fissions waste. So thats why we have a whole of government approach to Human Capital development. Not just looking at Education Health and are we coach about all the factors that interlinked this vector . So if we say were talking about and hand thing and getting farmers to get more seed and fertilize that is also linking those farmers to markets, linking them to the school, fit in program link in the school for the program to the nutrition program. So its having a whole system approach to development. What is the thing is when you implement new policies, impact fix a while to shoot. So thats why we look at intermediate outcomes for now, that number of families benefiting number of children in school. We know that investments need to continue to need to be consistent. The need to be owned by every put everybody. Were now looking towards how we can not be left behind in the 14th or Industrial Revolution because youve talked about the 4th Industrial Revolution. I must come to this because it surprised me dramatically that electricity penetration in this country is just above 20 percent. How can we be talking about robotics and big data when people dont even have access to power . So thats the thing. And when we, if we try to perceive it in the lines of this comes before the other, thats where we miss it. There are things that we can do together and we can do that in more efficient with lets as the person whos already doing it, mohammad, were hearing here that its possible to both be waiting for power supply and still innovate is as true or is the dr. Dreaming youre wanting to disclose, we already have sinned model that walks in different contexts or people of develop solutions that can actually be replicated or can be scaled up. We have, as you said, i literally just above 20 percent access to energy. We have wind mills that we locally fabricated. All we need is want to scale of the solutions and replicate for more communities. We develop Hydro Generator just from scrubs. All the solutions can solve our energy crisis, but the causes them does not provide a asta approaching institute of our commer took was caleb and then compete for the rest of the world. I know got my, my city artistic said with funding unless for the areas and you want to. Parrots, i said so suppose energy is did it. And speaking of i know that you already solving those problems. I want to ask cellar to give me this one of your innovations. Can you explain what this is . Because youre trying to solve the problem of energy in this country yet are implemented by the way, hundreds, very excited. Shes clapping for years. So i decided to use waste mathias to build the 1st t v and not just some scrap. Oh and its from scrubs. And then ive been able to use this to install in over 2000 community to 1000 households. All of this can be scaled up and it can be replicated across different domains. And we are so be our own problem with our own solutions within mid ins value. So all we need is the platinum to for also really succeed in these ventures. And then be the next alarm max of africa 1000000000. Next bill gets from africa, which we already of cindys potentials. All right, i want to hear from eric because weve heard that the Rural Communities and the youth in the rural areas are experiencing vastly different challenges from the was being faced here in the city. Can you tell me what some of those are . Okay, so we say free on is not similar, and this is quite common taken from what he was saying earlier. Everything is actually centralized in freetown. So when you have access to certain opportunities for young people, maybe you look at internet penetration. Even those here in the or city do not have access to very much or Better Internet access. Now when you go to the rural area, maybe the kind of university or whatever we have, everybody wants to come to freight on coming to probably College Going to the college of medicine. Of course we have shall on or the ones that are now doing, you know, to that point, but we need more things that are to be published or decentralized. We dont need every team to be around freetown, also another keeping that you need to take into consideration when we talk about many things like female or gender impairment issues. You find out that many of the people you see there are a champion in this causes probably they are within the city. So almost more can we try to, which are people in orders or areas are right. Speaking of women, i have to come back to josephine because youve been accused of making all the noise only here in the center. C ah, 1st of all, do you agree with that assessment . And if it through what can be done to penetrate the knowledge, the information, the wealth of civil owens are correct. That points because of the work i do is across the country. So the per courts positive noise is a very im is, is, is really fully across the country. The walk i do at papa school is making sure that while 17000. 00 out of school girls were living in Rural Communities, who somehow a pregnant will be left out of it because of the system that perpetually discriminates, the access to education that we run safe spaces for them, this is a place as i tell you when i walk in Rural Communities. I see that the only thing of some of these girls have at the safe spaces, growing up a girl in this country is a challenge, is a struggle. All right, let me ask how j people are being responsive because as the woman whos in a position of leadership, i imagine you going to stand in front of a council of men to tell them about something. Do you think they would listen to you . You know, were being told that we need to do things differently. You could want that you might be doing it, but is the country ready . Im going to talk a lot about this patriarchy because i work with ministration. I work with reusable sanitary pads. I remember the 1st time i pitched all a bunch of men in new jersey guesses in the west. They said to me, oh, you sound like ellen mosque, maybe this will come true. Its not because they believed in me, but because they were telling me i was been delusional. But however, a year later, when i developed my product and again, pitched in front of a judge, a panel of men, many of them didnt understand my product. And many of them were just shying away from the topic. And again, i just said, we live in a world where majority are women. And if we as men or we as a society and not addressing issues affecting half of your population, how are we going to like make progress, danny . Oh no, daniel. Once more to mohammed, i have a question for you. Which, you know, im just wondering if youre also suffering from the same predicament where youre going to a banker and telling them about your great innovation. But theyre simply from another generation, are you facing the sort of challenge . Exactly. So its, its, i know didnt know the problem to know what to do, but because the mindsets are different and the up approach to problems are different. Less every start, some people will even prefer by in 2000 antennas, are brought done by the localised sauce, the ones that are cheaper on that if they did mention, isaac actually gets us as an itself. So it says sometimes difficulty with sicilian support in cl union businesses. Even though we have the opportunity, thanks to look our content that gives us the opportunity to have that at present to representation of local mid product in all business places. But even our doubts, how many loaners actually been selling on business, there was an additional guarantee it is not it not so by monday to wants inputted things, but it fixed them for them to really, really see down what we doing. We bring in value to saloon. So what can be done then . I mean, if mohammed is already doing his bit, he is creating innovation. And cyril unions are turning back on it. If harder is bringing sanitary towels and people are saying, hey, youre a woman, you dont know what to do. So how, how does this country move forward with the flu . So i think everything us do with collective responsibility. We all need to Work Together as a team and also sometimes we do have the last what the implementation is lacking. So how about if we promote each others young people . Now we know that mama discrete in this one, its a good thing that i realize our members on the panel, were asking about the price cuz we want it to support him. This is a good venture. We need to do this and also us the media. I think one of my key responsible is over the years has been creating stories or covering stories about young people involved into innovation, making them on an international platform. Ive covered all stories in the past or by young people doing all some or mean technological developments. Innovations under rest, so we need to Work Together as a team. Another key thing about the issues of gender, this is quite very important. Women are been facing so many challenges have been talking to them in the past. When you want to get a particular project, you know, been approved or whatever it is. You know, theres this whole issue of, i mean having probably affairs with women us as institution is, which is quite but, and, or does or something, doesnt need another discussion anyway. Okay. So doctor, come, i want to come back to you because weve had a lot of things that might make one depress. You know, i, electricity not available. Internet penetration, very low education, quality, questionable. But its not all gloom and doom. Is it nice . Lot. Yeah. So 1st of all, our, to the, asked the young person in government, i wear that hat because i think its my responsibility as a citizen, to me, to be in space. This way i can drive pacific positive change. So in my role as director of research and delivery, thats what i do. Im undertake research and advice and all. And i have to say that i put forward the best advice and when you making decisions, of course, you have to look at different factors that those, that need to be politically correct. That does i have to do with the resources that are available. What my belief is that in continued in service is making sure that we have a Critical Mass of change makers. So thats what we have here is why im participating in this. But what we need to do is we need to revisit the way we formed our development, cuz were always talking about m, Financial Inclusion and getting entrepreneurship. Now we of course we in and putting money into incubators and accelerators, but then we work with Development Partners also. And it always seems to be, its more about a numbers game around number of beneficiaries than impact. So i was just saying, what if we consider instead of giving each person a 1000. 00, that would not our m adequately impart them to skill to that level as they can employ as many people and then gets to that church that they can actually make contributions to the taxes, them a vast source, invest in that 100000 say to to business is back and get them to scale. Employee 500. 00 people and make absolutely adequate contributions to the tax system. Ok, lets get to joseph. And because weve heard about solutions that are already working examples that are already creating critical change. Of course, one of the things that yoga positions does is, has done exactly that. What more can be done . I think the most important thing to loads east as we continue these fights, we should continue to speaker. We should not get lengths. And as we speak up, which is so more massey, because at some point when i walk in on, on the streets of frito while across this country. And i hear the way men refer to women and i had were the leaders of our country talk about women. Sometimes you just have to treat them with grace because you know, the level of in ignorance, that needs to be walked on an hour speaking not only in the spaces. And he thinks that is making sure that awareness has been raised here, making sure that we continue to work for the things that are force. Okay. And danny are we said earlier that there are many daniels who we know in this community . What is your message to them . Because i mean, you might not have achieved your dream of going into engineering school, but youve made something of yourself, or just want to give one of those visual givea this guy and said to that they were supposed to do. In fact, when i was not able to for the medication, i find with to register. But well, im looking for the goodness of both finacialow to follow my clothes and a lot of experience. Okay. How do we started with you . Id like to conclude with you. What do you think lies ahead for the use of this country early i asked if theyre able to compete globally. I wonder if your answer has changed. I think after hearing all this, i strongly stand on my answer because i see daniel here saying i reach out to people youre supposed to help me. Like, in an ideal world, youre not supposed to help you to resources are supposed to be there to help you. We dont even have systems where you can take loans and go to college. And after you get a job, you pay that back. When they were talking about people in the Rural Communities is, is how sierra leone is like, literally, globally, this is how we stand. Dont, dont tell me i need to compete in the Global Market when i cant even compete with countries like kenya and gonna look at what ronda is doing. Senegal in 2035, youre going to have so much energy from solar. And here we are looking at countries like the u. S. In england. We have to stop that. Lets compete locally, instead of like, globally. And i think one step by the time what local solution. Yeah, we can get there one step at a time. I like that and i think thats also a great place for us to end. At the beginning of this debate, i asked if the serial union use a set up to compete globally. And i think the answer weve had repeated over and over again is in good time. Thank you for watching. Most of our powerful and interactive debate wasnt it. I mean, you can understand the passion with which the youth were talking because look, the future of africa is in the hands of the youth. And so the need to push for what they need to be at the top. This is where we draw the cantons, on this edition of the 77 percent. We hope you enjoy the program. It may be even gave you a few issues to ponder over. We love it when you keep the conversation going. So drop us a line on facebook, instagram or youtube, or even send us an email at 77 at dw dot com. As always, lets play the show out with a truck fresh from nigeria. Ricardo banks. Widow zoom back in by the way. I am eddie micah junior. Thanks for your time. Oh, ah. Ah. Ah. I know demo with noahs name for home. But you guys got a note come with. Aah with ah with a super rich are destroying the climate and they produce exponentially more Greenhouse Gases than the rest of humanity. And the number of super rich is growing. And what can be done about these ecological vandals . 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