5July 2024

On Friday, 5 July, Mayor of Freetown, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr toured a two-day Career Expo and Job Trade Fair hosted at the main lobby of the Freetown City Council (FCC) jointly organized by FCC and the Academic and Career Counseling and Students Complaints Services (ACACSC) of the University of Sierra Leone. The fair, to support students explore job and business opportunities was organised alongside the official launch of FCC’s 2024-2028 development trajectory, the Transform Freetown-Transforming Lives Development Agenda.

Joined by Dr. Fatou Taqi, the Director of Academic and Career Advisory & Counseling Services and the Students Complaints Commission at the University of Sierra Leone, Mayor Aki-Sawyerr toured several booths, among them, Beulah World, which empowers young graduates by training them in breaded jewelry production, facial makeup, event decoration, and catering services. With these trainings, Beulah World helps young university graduates and students to become self-reliant entrepreneurs. At the Sierra Leone Commercial Bank Booth, Mayor Aki-Sawyerr discussed with staff the bank’s Women Banking Initiative, which supports the empowerment of female entrepreneurs and promotes financial inclusion. The initiative helps women business owners overcome challenges in accessing finance by offering low-interest loans.

The Career Expo and Job Trade Fair offered graduates looking for jobs a platform to engage with companies and institutions about potential job opportunities. In line with FCC’s Transform Freetown-Transforming Lives 2024-2028 Development Agenda, Mayor Aki-Sawyerr, emphasized the importance of enhancing joint collaborative efforts with the banking sector, to empower more women, thereby fostering job creation. Among others, FCC’s Development Agenda seeks to support women’s economic empowerment. The two-day Career Expo and Job Trade Fair was attended by several national and private institutions including banks, and insurance companies.