Young Digital Champions Step Up to Promote Digital Learning in Sierra Leone

Freetown, 12 March 2026 – Young leaders from Freetown, Kenema and Makeni have completed the Digital Champions Youth Leadership Bootcamp, a UNICEF-supported initiative that equips adolescents with digital, leadership and advocacy skills to support learning and inspire positive change in their communities.

Organized by UNICEF Sierra Leone in collaboration with the Directorate of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), the four-day bootcamp strengthened participants’ leadership, advocacy and communication skills, preparing them to help other adolescents access digital learning opportunities, life skills and climate awareness content.

“Young people are not only the future of innovation — they are already leading change today,” said Rudolf Schwenk, UNICEF Representative in Sierra Leone. “By strengthening adolescents’ digital and leadership skills, we are helping them unlock opportunities for themselves and their communities. UNICEF will continue working with government and partners to ensure that every child and young person — especially girls and those in underserved communities — can access the skills they need to learn, participate and thrive in a digital world.”

Digital access remains highly constrained in Sierra Leone. Fewer than 1 per cent of schools have functioning internet access, while although 48.7 per cent of adults own mobile phones, only 31 per cent have access to smartphones. These limitations restrict young people’s ability to benefit from digital learning opportunities, online services and emerging digital employment pathways.

Through interactive workshops, group activities and storytelling sessions, participants explored how digital tools can support learning and community engagement. The cohort includes 11 girls, reflecting a strong commitment to promoting gender equality and strengthening girls’ leadership in digital spaces.

Participants developed skills in leadership and personal development, communication and public speaking, emotional intelligence, conflict resolution and peer advocacy. They also explored practical approaches to engaging their communities and supporting other adolescents to access digital resources.

Following the training, the newly trained Digital Champions will serve as youth ambassadors for digital learning, working with schools and communities to promote digital inclusion and peer-to-peer learning.

The Digital Champions initiative is part of UNICEF’s efforts to expand access to digital skills and learning opportunities for adolescents in Sierra Leone. Over the next year, the programme aims to support 100 young leaders through a series of bootcamps, equipping them to promote digital learning and inspire positive change in their communities.

Recruitment for the next cohort of Digital Champions will begin in May 2026, as UNICEF and partners continue working to equip adolescents with the digital and leadership skills needed to participate in an increasingly connected world.