A voice of positive change from Franklin Koroma in Sierra Leone .
Ladies and gentlemen, leaders of the future, My name is Franklyn Koroma: from Sierra Leone . I am pleased to showcase my activism and leadership skills in Sierra Leone to help in making a positive change in the education of children and young people in post-war Sierra Leone .
Post-conflict Sierra Leone , relies on strong leadership skills to help change the situation of those most vulnerable and those affected by the war.
I had the honour of attending the Voices of Change 2006 International Summer School to share my stories of my leadership role in Sierra Leone , from 15-21 August, 2006 in Gloucester , Great Britain . Following the success of the 2005 Voices for Change event in Pune , India , Voices for Change returned to the United Kingdom from the 15 to 21st of August. Located in an outdoor environmentally sustainable conference center called Green and Away near Gloucester , the event was home to 150 young activists from around the world between 16 and 25.
I was able to attend due to securing a competitive full registration scholarship as well as financial support from the Ministry of Youth and Sports in Sierra Leone and Cafe Society in England . At the conference I was able to inspire others , motivating and increasing the skills of young people involved in running community projects, social enterprises, campaigns and youth organizations and to help other young people create an international support network of young activists. During the week-long summer event, I combined my skills and share my culture in several workshops run by a mixture of participants and professionals from all over the world. I engaged other young people in themes such as environment, Peace and Conflict, Trade Justice, Minorities, Refugees and Asylum and Health.I also had the privilege to meet with and live in the homes of partners at Cafe Society in Hull , England . The film-makers Jon Robson and Murray Clark, together with writer Matt Stephenson, haven been welcomed to their homes and taught me how to use digital video media. The trio also visited me in Freetown on May 5th to work with young people in Sierra Leone on a major digital media project: developing children's skills and helping them to tell their stories.I returned to Sierra Leone feeling more inspired more engaged in social change and looking for more roles to play in making the change and ultimately wanting to 'Change the World! I gained considerable Support to participate from the following people Rachel Laurence, summer conference host.

Additionally as a Youth Representative of Sierra Leone i had the honour of representing youths at the recently concluded Youth CaN conference organized in New York . YouthCaN, which began in 1993, is a youth-run organization that gives kids who are concerned about the environment an opportunity to think and work on a national and international level.The organization's Web site invites "teachers, students, schools, environmental clubs—all youth and educators—to join in facing the challenge of becoming better stewards of our environment." The Conference took place in April the 21-23 2007, at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City and the theme was ‘When Violence Causes Silence’. Activities include educational workshops and presentations designed by the youths.

At youth Can, i encouraged youth to also exchange ideas about environmental issues and concerns.After the Conference, I also had the honour to be invited at the International educational offices in U.S.A as an intern for two weeks. My task was to work on the International Education in Sierra Leone country database and confirm the participation of youth, test the site, and observe new technologies in the office that are meant to be used for a new project idea in Sierra Leone,. In 2007 my collaboration project involving director Andrew B. Greene, and during my outreach abroad I had the privilege of making several educational visits to such places as Washington, D.C., (World Bank), Richmond, VA, and Atlanta, GA, where i explored various connections for Sierra Leonean and American youths

My youth involvement and leadership in education came in me like a buzz and then a vision, and then an action, and then a powerful result. I rose to the position of youth representative based on my relentless action amongst peers, as well as my leadership potential in being proactive in setting up of various peace and ICT clubs in Sierra Leone . Since 2001 and 2002, I became motivated to connect to the My interaction amongst youth thereby led to the first establishment of the International Education ICT and peace clubs at my former high school: Albert Academy Secondary School. Till 2005, in my school, I became first the club head, and spearheading meeting in peace, ICT and youth empowerment.My principle, Mr. Albert Fofie Kawa, realized my potential and was amazed and wanted to see how the program in Sierra Leone is changing the lives of the youth. I invited him to the center during the visit of Tony Robert and Angela Anyiam from Computer Aid international UK .This created new windows of opportunity for my school. Together with Andrew Benson Greene, I endeavored the shipment of 10: computers to Albert Academy school for the expansion of more resources to the school club. I realized that I must not stop my activism in my school, and so decided to extend in other schools where youth can experience the power of I.C.T. So my outreach campaign and propagation of the ideals of international Education reached as far as 12 schools. Through international education programs, I was opportune to be involved in a variety of workshops, including international youth day: which was held on the 10th of august 2005, also participated at the hands up for girls education, that was on 15th of February 2003.Other levels of participation and show of leadership in education include the ‘ Africa youth network, held on the 8th of March 2005. On the 16 February 2004, the Plan Sierra Leone decentralization and country wide sensitization campaign for birth and death registration. On the 18th of January, I was allotted the task of being a key note speaker for the environment network online (E.N.O) project. I also participated as a youth representative at the launching of he millennium development goals (M.D.G) On the 11th of May, I was opportune to witness the declaration of the human Right in Sierra Leone .I was also given the opportunity to attend the common wealth workshop at British council as a youth representative of International Education in Sierra Leone . I also participated in several music and film programmes that help me to interact with other youth, as well as brain storm in debate at the International Education center. On my return from the International Education conference in Dakar , I shared a vivid meaning and experience about my insightful trip to youth both at the education center and through the ‘’youth in perspective, T-V. Program.

To conclude, education is the ultimate key to changing lives and I have effectively used my educational tools and leadership potentials to help transform the lives of other young people in my country, as well as help to shed similar values to the youth of the world.



Ladies and gentlemen, leaders of the future, I 'm Franklyn Koroma: from Sierra Leone . I am pleased to showcase my activism and leadership skills in Sierra Leone to help in making a positive change in the education of children and young people in post-war Sierra Leone .
Post-conflict Sierra Leone , relies on strong leadership skills to help change the situation of those most vulnerable and those affected by the war.

I had the honour of attending the Voices of Change 2006 International Summer School to share my stories of my leadership role in Sierra Leone , from 15-21 August, 2006 in Gloucester , Great Britain . Following the success of the 2005 Voices for Change event in Pune , India , Voices for Change returned to the United Kingdom from the 15 to 21st of August. Located in an outdoor environmentally sustainable conference center called Green and Away near Gloucester , the event was home to 150 young activists from around the world between 16 and 25.
I was able to attend due to securing a competitive full registration scholarship as well as financial support from the Ministry of Youth and Sports in Sierra Leone and Cafe Society in England . At the conference I was able to inspire others , motivating and increasing the skills of young people involved in running community projects, social enterprises, campaigns and youth organizations and to help other young people create an international support network of young activists. During the week-long summer event, I combined my skills and share my culture in several workshops run by a mixture of participants and professionals from all over the world. I engaged other young people in themes such as environment, Peace and Conflict, Trade Justice, Minorities, Refugees and Asylum and Health.I also had the privilege to meet with and live in the homes of partners at Cafe Society in Hull , England . The film-makers Jon Robson and Murray Clark, together with writer Matt Stephenson, haven been welcomed to their homes and taught me how to use digital video media. The trio also visited me in Freetown on May 5th to work with young people in Sierra Leone on a major digital media project: developing children's skills and helping them to tell their stories.I returned to Sierra Leone feeling more inspired more engaged in social change and looking for more roles to play in making the change and ultimately wanting to 'Change the World! I gained considerable Support to participate from the following people Rachel Laurence, summer conference host.

Additionally as a Youth Representative of Sierra Leone i had the honour of representing youths at the recently concluded Youth CaN conference organized in New York . YouthCaN, which began in 1993, is a youth-run organization that gives kids who are concerned about the environment an opportunity to think and work on a national and international level.The organization's Web site invites "teachers, students, schools, environmental clubs—all youth and educators—to join in facing the challenge of becoming better stewards of our environment." The Conference took place in April the 21-23 2007, at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City and the theme was ‘When Violence Causes Silence’. Activities include educational workshops and presentations designed by the youths.

At youth Can, i encouraged youth to also exchange ideas about environmental issues and concerns.After the Conference, I also had the honour to be invited at the International educational offices in U.S.A as an intern for two weeks. My task was to work on the International Education in Sierra Leone country database and confirm the participation of youth, test the site, and observe new technologies in the office that are meant to be used for a new project idea in Sierra Leone,. In 2007 my collaboration project involving director Andrew B. Greene, and during my outreach abroad I had the privilege of making several educational visits to such places as Washington, D.C., (World Bank), Richmond, VA, and Atlanta, GA, where i explored various connections for Sierra Leonean and American youths

My youth involvement and leadership in education came in me like a buzz and then a vision, and then an action, and then a powerful result. I rose to the position of youth representative based on my relentless action amongst peers, as well as my leadership potential in being proactive in setting up of various peace and ICT clubs in Sierra Leone . Since 2001 and 2002, I became motivated to connect to the My interaction amongst youth thereby led to the first establishment of the International Education ICT and peace clubs at my former high school: Albert Academy Secondary School. Till 2005, in my school, I became first the club head, and spearheading meeting in peace, ICT and youth empowerment.My principle, Mr. Albert Fofie Kawa, realized my potential and was amazed and wanted to see how the program in Sierra Leone is changing the lives of the youth. I invited him to the center during the visit of Tony Robert and Angela Anyiam from Computer Aid international UK .This created new windows of opportunity for my school. Together with Andrew Benson Greene, I endeavored the shipment of 10: computers to Albert Academy school for the expansion of more resources to the school club. I realized that I must not stop my activism in my school, and so decided to extend in other schools where youth can experience the power of I.C.T. So my outreach campaign and propagation of the ideals of international Education reached as far as 12 schools. Through international education programs, I was opportune to be involved in a variety of workshops, including international youth day: which was held on the 10th of august 2005, also participated at the hands up for girls education, that was on 15th of February 2003.Other levels of participation and show of leadership in education include the ‘ Africa youth network, held on the 8th of March 2005. On the 16 February 2004, the Plan Sierra Leone decentralization and country wide sensitization campaign for birth and death registration. On the 18th of January, I was allotted the task of being a key note speaker for the environment network online (E.N.O) project. I also participated as a youth representative at the launching of he millennium development goals (M.D.G) On the 11th of May, I was opportune to witness the declaration of the human Right in Sierra Leone .I was also given the opportunity to attend the common wealth workshop at British council as a youth representative of International Education in Sierra Leone . I also participated in several music and film programmes that help me to interact with other youth, as well as brain storm in debate at the International Education center. On my return from the International Education conference in Dakar , I shared a vivid meaning and experience about my insightful trip to youth both at the education center and through the ‘’youth in perspective, T-V. Program.

To conclude, education is the ultimate key to changing lives and I have effectively used my educational tools and leadership potentials to help transform the lives of other young people in my country, as well as help to shed similar values to the youth of the world.