Sierra Leonean youth showcased groundbreaking solutions to climate change and food insecurity at the eUPSHIFT Climate Challenge Final Pitch held on Thursday, 28th August 2025.
The event brought together five outstanding teams of young innovators from across the country, presenting their projects before industry experts, policymakers, and development partners.
Opening the session, Director of the Directorate of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), Jasper Sembie, emphasized the urgency of the challenge. “Every human being is feeling the effects of climate change,” he said. “It’s a huge challenge that all of us have a stake in, and that’s why we’re here: to think, tinker, and innovate together.”
The finalists presented practical, community-driven solutions aimed at addressing environmental and food security challenges:
Climate Change Ambassadors (Bombali): Turning waste into reusable plastics to reduce air pollution.
Jetway Innovation (Tonkolili): Producing biogas from waste to power affordable cooking stoves for households.
Tankoro Development (Kono): Reforesting with cashew trees to promote both environmental sustainability and economic growth.
Deforestation Team (Moyamba): Restoring forests through king palm cultivation while encouraging sustainable palm oil production.
Food Insecurity Fighters (Moyamba): Developing Ecstatic Sweet Mix, a nutritious alternative to pap, alongside an organic fertilizer made from waste.
These projects were the result of a months-long journey that began with more than 5,200 young people across 12 districts. From an initial pool of 58 submissions, the finalists advanced through a week-long bootcamp and incubation program with Craft Management Solutions, gaining skills in entrepreneurship, leadership, and innovation.
DSTI, with support from UNICEF Sierra Leone, the Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation, the Government of Sierra Leone, and delivery partners, continues to invest in both digital and human capital. Initiatives such as the Learning Passport — now used by over 61,000 learners — and Digital Learning Hubs, which have trained and certified more than 28,000 youth in digital skills, reflect this broader vision.
“We’re not just here to award prizes,” Sembie noted. “We’re here to join in this challenge, to work alongside these youth, because the future they’re building belongs to all of us.”
DSTI credited UNICEF, Craft Management Solutions, mentors, and industry experts for their role in delivering the program.
Organizers say the event highlighted the potential of Sierra Leone’s young people to provide practical, scalable solutions to global problems. As the finalists return to their communities, DSTI and its partners pledged continued mentorship, collaboration, and support to ensure their ideas are further developed and implemented.
