Freetown Innovation Lab and Acumen launch green jobs programme

The Freetown Innovation Lab, in partnership with Acumen, has launched the Circular Economy, Green Jobs and Enterprise Development Programme in Sierra Leone. The initiative aims to empower 300 aspiring green entrepreneurs from five communities: Dwarzark, Kroo Bay, Susan’s Bay, Waterloo, and Tombo.

The programme focuses on transforming waste into economic opportunities through recycling, reuse, and recovery. By equipping participants with practical skills to establish environmentally friendly businesses, the project seeks to address both urban waste management and youth unemployment. To promote gender-inclusive economic empowerment, 70% of the training slots are strictly allocated to women.

Mohamed A. Kamara, Co-founder and Director of the Freetown Innovation Lab, emphasized that waste should be viewed as a potential source of livelihood rather than just an environmental problem. Local leaders, including Kroobay Vice Chairman Mohamed Thonka Karoma, noted that the initiative could help mitigate seasonal flooding by reducing the amount of plastic waste clogging community drainages and marine ecosystems.