Sport For Empowerment (SFE) is a community-based organisation in Sierra Leone which leverages the power of sport and education to enable young people to empower themselves to improve their own lives and those of their peers.

August 2017
The story of Amidu 

My name is Amidu Sesay, I am from Makeni, the northern part of Sierra Leone. I have been an active member of the Sport For Empowerment Foundation since 2010.

In the year 2016, I received a sewing machine through the foundation and since then I have been finding ideas of how to get my life back on track as a youth.

After my school exams, which were not a success, I moved into a friends house where I stayed until he asked me out of his place. This situation left me worried about what my life will be like and where I should stay. Luckily, I could then move into my father’s house where I got a small room. In this room however, there was no bed or anything else.

After weeks of thinking what to do, I came to the conclusion of starting to work for myself as I have the knowledge of making clothes. I took the sewing machine to a carpenter and had him prepare a stand which gave me the opportunity to start working for myself at home.

During the Ramadan month in the country, I got so much work from the communities as this is the period in which people dress themselves nicely to visit loved ones around. I made some good amount of money which I then used to prepare my bed, wardrobe and a few other things needed for my room.

As I explain this great story of mine, I want to thank the people who made this possible for me. You have given me the opportunity to change my life and I appreciate what you have done. I want to promise you all that I will continue working to improve my life and that of people around me.

My goal for the coming year is to put money aside. This money, combined with a loan from Sport For Empowerment, will allow me to buy an industrial sewing machine. This machine will give me more customers and work to do.

 

 

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