Strategic Entrepreneurship Program Sierra Leone

22/05/2025

𝗣𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗼 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 | 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗯𝘂𝗯𝗮𝗸𝗮𝗿𝗿

What does it mean to start over in a new land? To turn loss into hope, and hardship into strength?

In the moving performance The Story of Abubakarr, we followed the incredible life journey of Abubakarr Bangura, from the chaos of civil war in Sierra Leone to rebuilding a future in the Netherlands. Actor Ousmane Bangoura and musician Mola Sylla brought his story to life in the Blauwe Zaal, blending powerful storytelling with soul-stirring music.

𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲:
"The performance was great and I loved the live music. The performers were passionate and the story was inspirational."

"It was interesting to watch the play and get to know the background, coupled with the opportunity to interact with Abubakarr himself."

"A beautiful performance, with a story that needs to be heard and raises awareness. It was especially meaningful that Abubakarr was present himself and spoke with everyone. Truly wonderful to see how full the hall was with young people broadening their own perspectives through this experience."

This event was part of the Future Citizens theater series by New Dutch Connections, in collaboration with Tint Eindhoven.

Photos by Maud Staassen

06/02/2025

Fashion with Impact: How SEP Talenthub Trains Girls in Sierra Leone

The sewing workshop at the SEP Talenthub in Macdonald, Sierra Leone, is steadily growing. We focus specifically on young women who want to learn a trade in fashion and clothing production, enabling them to build a sustainable future. Under the guidance of two experienced mentors, participants develop their craftsmanship and skills.
Projects This Month

This month, participants and their mentors are working on four key projects:

Production of 30 bags and pouches for 12 students from Huygens Lyceum in Eindhoven and their trip leaders, who will travel to Sierra Leone for a study visit at the end of the month.
Clothing production for sale in Sierra Leone, featuring a special collection for Ramadan.
Production of 30 bags for the Dutch market, which will be brought to the Netherlands for sale.
Knowledge exchange with students from Yonder/Mode in Tilburg, exploring whether participants in Sierra Leone can produce goods for young consumers in Tilburg.

Our Impact

Currently, ten young women participate in the program, including three young mothers. We strongly believe in the principle of "Leave no one behind" and provide them with the opportunity to develop their skills and become economically independent.

In January, four new sewing machines arrived at the SEP Talenthub—a major step forward. The participants are thrilled with this progress. Our ultimate goal is for each participant to have her own sewing machine, allowing her to fully engage in the training program.
Internship Opportunity

We are looking for a student intern with skills in fashion and design to join our program in Sierra Leone for a couple of months. SEP will provide a safe guest room at our location and an opportunity for mentorship and guidance. Interns will be responsible for their own transportation and food during their stay.
Collaboration and Support

This initiative is a collaboration between the Sierra Leone Youth Initiative Foundation and SEP in Sierra Leone. The project is made possible with support from:

Municipality of Tilburg
Tools to Work
Retailers in Tilburg
Pimp My Village
Donors from Tilburg and surrounding areas

Thanks to these joint efforts, we are creating opportunities for young women in Sierra Leone and working together towards a better future.

27/12/2024

Harvesting Hope: A Step Toward Food Security at Macdonald 🌾
Food sufficiency isn’t just a theory—it’s about taking deliberate steps to do the right thing. At Macdonald, just a few kilometers from Freetown, we’re proud to announce that the rice harvest is fast approaching!

Despite a few hurdles—like fish eating the roots of the rice after planting and birds disrupting the farm—the hard work and dedication of our team have paid off. The general outlook is promising, and we’re excited about harvesting a considerable volume of rice this year.

This harvest will help feed our team working on various projects at our headquarters in Macdonald, and it’s a testament to the power of persistence and blessings.

Stay tuned for updates—we can’t wait to share the joy of the harvest with you! 🌾✨



Place and date: Sierra Leone -27Dec2024|

25/12/2024

Happy holidays from all of us at SEP!!

27/09/2024

Film over mijn werkzaamheden in Sierra Leone.

Zaterdag 5 oktober a.s. wordt mijn film getoond aan bezoekers van het Sense of Change Festival aan de Ringbaan Noord 8-10 in Tilburg.
‘Tussen Tilburg en Freetown’ is een documentaire over mijn werkzaamheden in Sierra Leone, die betrekking hebben op de ondersteuning van onderwijsprojecten en het bevorderen van werkgelegenheid in de modesector. Centraal staat ook hoe ik de verbinding probeer te leggen tussen Tilburg en mijn land van herkomst.

Ontvangst: 15.30 uur
Kun je erbij zijn? Meld je dan aan via: [email protected]
Er is nog een beperkt aantal plaatsen beschikbaar.

Deze documentaire is gemaakt door Omroep Tilburg en is mede mogelijk gemaakt door de Gemeente Tilburg in het kader van een “Wereld te Winnen”.

Meer informatie: https://www.facebook.com/pieter.bon/videos/1340082230122286
https://www.sensesofchange.org/programma-zaterdag

# Tilburg4globalgoals # Migration and development # Sierra Leone # SDG.

20/06/2024

Exciting News!

Training of youths on skills at the new Makers Hub at Macdonalds in the outskirts of Waterloo, Western Rural District, is currently in progress! 🌟

SEP has officially kicked off enrollment and training for mostly youths and girls in tailoring and fashion. 👗🧵✂️

Last weekend, the HUB held an enriching session for students on tailoring, marketing skills basics, and customer relations. 📚

The training and construction of the center are made possible through the collaboration of SEP Investment Services (SL) and the Sierra Leone Youths Initiative in Tilburg. 🤝🏢

Keep an eye on this page as we will be sharing stories of participants from the training programme.👥



Stay tuned! 📢🔜

13/06/2024

Yesterday, Ibrahim Bangura presented the SEP business plan, focusing on the purchase and installation of a mini palm oil production plant in Makonkarie, Yoni Bana Chiefdom, in the North of Sierra Leone.

This initiative will add significant value and boost palm oil production throughout the entire chiefdom, driving economic growth and development in the region.

Stay tuned for more updates on this project!

27/05/2024

Pump it up! Better water pumps in Sierra Leone!

On a mission for more access to clean drinking water for the people of Sierra Leone.

Our Founder and CEO, Abubakarr Bangura was in Sierra Leone for a three-day training on the construction of manual boreholes to provide clean drinking water and irrigation for people living in rural and urban Sierra Leone. Mr. Benson Konden (the waterman) and his team are training our SEP team of 10 youths to master the skills for drilling boreholes and installing SEP Rope Pumps and other pump systems on top of those boreholes.

The SEP Rope Pump was introduced and adapted for us by student interns from Delft University of Technology and Twente University of Technology, both in The Netherlands. Since then, different sets of students from these universities and our team in Sierra Leone have been working together to adapt the product to the situation on the ground in Sierra Leone.

With special thanks to the SEP team, Delft and Twente students, and Henk Holtslag, our water technology advisor. Also, thanks to our funding partners Wilde Ganzen, Suikertantefonds in Tilburg, and others. Together we’re better! 🌍💧💪

29/10/2023

Sierra Leone Youth Initiative in Tilburg, The Netherlands, collaborates with SEP Investment Services (SL) LTD to establish a Makers Hub in Sierra Leone.

The creation of this Makers Hub is a crucial shared goal of SLYI and SEP, aiming to promote education, entrepreneurship among young people, and contribute to SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth). The Makers Hub allows SEP to expand its vocational education (fashion, water pumps, agriculture), business training, coaching, and microcredit programs.

The progress in implementing this construction plan, scaling up activities, and improving communication has already made a significant impact on global awareness, thanks to our collaboration with schools, retailers, and our messaging to consumers in Tilburg. Over the years, we've developed a system of interconnected elements and a network of dedicated teachers actively involved in its ex*****on.

Heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has supported this construction journey. 💙🏗️🌍

14/08/2023

Exciting News Update!!

The Strategic Entrepreneurship Programme (SEP) has concluded a training workshop on financial literacy and entrepreneurship for the United Tailors Union in the East End of Freetown, Sierra Leone. 🧵

Here are the remarkable outcomes achieved through this training:

✅ Participants are now equipped with essential knowledge to expertly manage loans and finances.
✅ A strong culture of responsibility has been fostered among beneficiaries, leading to improved loan repayment rates.
✅ This tailoring union now enjoys a valuable platform for growth, enlightenment, and enhanced economic opportunities.

SEP's unwavering commitment to empowering entrepreneurs and driving economic progress is truly praiseworthy.

Together, we're paving the way for a brighter future within the tailoring industry in Sierra Leone 🇸🇱.

For more insights into the Strategic Entrepreneurship Programme and its impactful initiatives, check out: https://sep-sl.org/ 🌐



AbubAbubakarr BanguragAbubakarr Bangura

19/04/2023

Abubakarr Bangura is a bridge builder between the Netherlands and Sierra Leone, his country of origin. He has been on missions to help youths develop their talents and potential for the benefit of society. He is passionate about setting up educational projects for young people because it enables them to lay the foundation for entrepreneurship and job creation to facilitate inclusive social development.

For more details, Watch the Afropeans documentary:

Abubakarr Bangura is a lecturer, project leader and social entrepreneur.The Afropean 100 is an initiative with which the Afropeans Foundation gives the floor...