With funds from the European Union, MADAM, along with its two consortium partners, RODA and Humanist Watch, concluded a three day project launch of the Classroom to Commerce Project in Bombali Districts on February 28th, 2025.

The keynote speaker at the event was the Minister of Youth, Mr. Mohamed Orman Bangura.

In his keynote address, Minister Mohamed Orman expressed his appreciation for the excellent work MADAM has been doing in training young people with skills. He further commended the efforts of MADAM’s Entrepreneurship Development Support Services scheme (EDSS) in supporting small businesses, stating that the recovery of 100 percent of loans demonstrates the effectiveness of the model for young people. He expressed his willingness to collaborate further with MADAM to reach more youth.

The minister urged young people to take advantage of every opportunity available to them.

He highlighted the numerous options provided by the ministry and other development partners in the fields of agriculture and job market skills, emphasizing how these can contribute to building the economy.

The 36-month project aims to support 2,200 university graduates and youth in TVET through internships, job readiness training, digital skills training, and the promotion of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Bombali, Bo, and Kenema Districts.

The Director of MADAM, Mr. Mohamed Sorie Conteh, explained the organization’s effort on skills development, highlighting the success of the EDSS. He introduced stakeholders to the project and provided insights on how the EDSS has been tested in other districts and has proven good for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).