By Sorie Ibrahim Fofanah
The Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, in joint support from the World Bank and the Sierra Leone Economic Diversification Project (SLEDP, has certified 800 (Eight hundred) entrepreneurs who were trained by Madam Yokie on Arts, Crafts, Artisan work, and Entrepreneurship.
The certification ceremony took place at the Freetown City Hall Council in Freetown on 16 February this year.
Keynote Speaker at the event- Minister of Tourism, Nabeela Farida Tunis noted that the 800 female entrepreneurs “have been trained, guided and taught by Madam Yokie,” recalling that the training started back in July 2023, and ended in February this year.
Tunis recalled that training had previously targeted four hundred women from Bureh, Kent, Bonthe, Number 2, Leicester, and Bathurst communities, but that due to more requests from other women, another 400 were added.
Speaking about the objective of the training, she said it was to “improve” tourism’s value chain in what he described as growth- oriented craft for women, with the hope that women entrepreneurs would have the capacity to “improve, expand and diversify the quality” of their products in meeting market demands.
“The Ministry will make a conscious effort to recognize women in tourism by celebrating their achievement and promoting the concept of having an industry where women sit at the helm of hospitality,” she added.
The Ministry would showcase some thirty businesses managed by the graduates from Madam Wokie this October to activate additional resources to train more women, according to the minister.
In taking “steps” to protect and promote interventions, she encouraged the beneficiaries to train and mentor their fellow women who did not benefit from the training. She called on the Trade Ministry to provide “permanent space” for the 800 women to display and market their products.
In her statement, Marian KaiKai of Madam Yokie promised to train more women for what she believed would close the gender gap in the job market. She told the beneficiaries to start selling their products to individuals and institutions both within and outside the country.
KaiKai recommended that the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education encourage the use of “gara” material as an official uniform for school-going children.
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