Sierra Leone Can Win The Diamonds Do Good® Entrepreneurship Grant 2024

Six Sierra Leonean entrepreneurs are Finalists for the Diamonds Do Good® Entrepreneurship Grant. Learn more about them.

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND, July 17, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- United People Global is pleased to highlight six remarkable Sierra Leonean entrepreneurs who are among 24 Finalists for the prestigious Diamonds Do Good^® Entrepreneurship Grant. With 24 Finalists from 8 countries, the winners are set to be announced on 17 July 2024.

The Diamonds Do Good^® Entrepreneurship Grant is known for supporting outstanding entrepreneurs. The grant provides financial support ranging from $5,000 up to $20,000, enabling the winners to scale their businesses and amplify their positive impact on society. As part of the design and the impact of the Grant, the Finalists go through a development process that includes completing the UPG Biashara Learning Journey through which they acquire new skills and sharpen existing ones. After the Grant, they also benefit from the UPG Biashara Action Journey that includes, ongoing exposure, skills acquisition, mentorship and more.

"Diamonds Do Good^® is thrilled to continue its support of entrepreneurs who hail from communities where natural diamonds are mined, cut, and crafted into exquisite jewelry. Our Entrepreneurship Grant winners embody the spirit of entrepreneurship and the power of innovative ideas to create positive change" said Nancy Orem Lyman, Executive Director, Diamonds Do Good.

The Six Finalists come from different backgrounds and they are UPG Biashara Entrepreneurs. They each demonstrated exceptional vision, creativity and unwavering determination. And their qualities have made them exceptional candidates for the prestigious Diamonds Do Good^® Entrepreneurship Grant. They are:

Mohamed Kamara is the founder and leader of Sarakoh Foods, a pioneering honey production company in Sierra Leone. With a Bachelor's degree in Economics and Development Studies, Mohamed is deeply committed to driving economic empowerment and social progress in his community. Having grown up in Sierra Leone, he witnessed firsthand the challenges individuals and communities face in achieving sustainable development. Since establishing Sarakoh Foods in 2020, Mohamed has focused on supporting local beekeepers and promoting sustainable beekeeping practices. His vision includes establishing the first modern honey processing factory in Sierra Leone, which aims to become a central hub for honey production in Sub-Saharan Africa. Under his leadership, Sarakoh Foods not only enhances the livelihoods of beekeepers but also ensures the availability of high-quality, eco-friendly honey for consumers. Mohamed is passionate about leveraging education, entrepreneurship, and innovation to drive positive change and foster sustainable development.

Salamatu Conteh, from Sierra Leone, specializes in beauty products through her business, Salisha's232, established in 2020. Her primary focus is on offering custom jewellery and accessories. Salisha's232 product line includes personalized name necklaces, bracelets, anklets, and earrings, aiming to provide high-quality pieces that are accessible to everyone. The mission of Salisha's232 is to offer stylish adornments that create meaningful memories for customers to cherish in the future.

Salamy Moody is a final year sociology student at Njala University in Sierra Leone. His passion for problem-solving led him to work as a communications officer at the Bo Innovation Hub. Salamy is the producer of "Pitch Room Africa," a podcast highlighting ecosystem players across Africa. He serves as the president of the Students Entrepreneurs Network at his university and is actively developing Skills Match, a startup aimed at tackling unemployment among university graduates in Sierra Leone. Beyond his entrepreneurial endeavors, Salamy is passionate about technology and enjoys playing musical instruments, particularly the piano.

Mohamed Samu, based in Sierra Leone, focuses on creating both long and short-term employment opportunities for young creatives. His initiative offers diverse services that empower youth with various skillsets, fostering financial viability in unconventional career paths. In a country where creative endeavors often face negative perceptions, Mohamed's work plays a crucial role in changing this narrative and strengthening the local ecosystem for creative pursuits.

Franklyn Koroma, based in Sierra Leone, holds a BSc in Electrical and Electronics Engineering and serves as the CTO and Project Manager at Sierra Innovation Labs. As Chief Electronics Engineer, he oversees product design, development, and manufacturing, ensuring alignment with the company's growth objectives. Franklyn provides leadership and direction to executives while steering the business through its pilot stage, currently serving approximately 500 customers. With over 8 years of experience, he is passionate about technology and has led digital transformations in the R&D and digital manufacturing sectors.

Habib Turay, based in Sierra Leone, leads Sierra Pork Sierra Leone Limited, an innovative enterprise operating on a Contract Pig farming business model. Under his visionary leadership, Sierra Pork specializes in fresh pork production. The company is committed to principles of sustainability, collaboration, and economic empowerment, aiming to reshape the pork meat industry in Sierra Leone through innovative approaches to production and distribution.

This year the 24 Finalists come from 8 countries: Botswana, Canada, India, Lesotho, Namibia, Sierra Leone, South Africa and Tanzania. Which countries will be represented among the winners? And which country will win the grand prize? In 2023 the honour of the grand prize went to Namibia with UPG Biashara Entrepreneur Eddy Ngong securing USD 20,000.

“It is a joy to listen to entrepreneurs with brilliant solutions that win in the marketplace and that also deliver value to their communities. The Diamonds Do Good^® Entrepreneurship Grant has delivered another year of blockbuster impact - and the businesses are getting stronger and stronger. We know that all the Finalists are winners and we look forward to supporting their progress,” said Yemi Bebington-Ashaye, President of United People Global.

In 2024 each of the 24 Finalists have demonstrated remarkable resilience and determination to reach the final stage of the Diamonds Do Good^® Entrepreneurship Grant. Their businesses represent diverse industries including: agriculture, education, electronics, energy, environment / nature, events, health and health care, jewellery, manufacturing, marketing, real estate and more. And their creative approaches to business solutions as well as their dedication has propelled them forward as outstanding contenders for the Diamonds Do Good^® Entrepreneurship Grant 2024.

Here are the Finalists representing 8 countries, they are also visible on this brief video: https://youtu.be/n_DjxP_cakU

What has happened so far? The 24 finalists advanced to the ultimate stage of the process: a "Shark Tank" format. This entailed presenting to an experienced panel, in front of a live audience. During these sessions, the UPG Biashara entrepreneurs showcased their ideas, businesses, and distinct value propositions. Now the next step is the announcement of the winners and with 10 winners expected to win the prestigious Diamonds Do Good^® Entrepreneurship Grant 2024.

When is the announcement? The announcement of the winners takes place on 17 July 2024 from 4pm CEST (10 am EST). And it is possible for those passionate about entrepreneurship to witness the announcement of the winners of the Diamonds Do Good^® Entrepreneurship Grant 2024. While places last, those interested can RSVP here: https://upglive.org/upgbiashara-events-RSVP. The event brings together people passionate about entrepreneurship including industry leaders, investors, and supporters who are eager to witness the next generation of entrepreneurial success stories.

And so who will win? “The Finalists for the Diamonds Do Good^® Entrepreneurship Grant are outstanding and each of them is a winner! Once the announcement is made, we will be happy and sad at the same time. And we will remain united in the understanding that when any of them wins, then we are all winning. I invite you to keep an eye on all of these entrepreneurs,” said Yemi Babington-Ashaye, President, United People Global.

About Diamonds Do Good^®: A not-for-profit organization inspired in 2006 by Nelson Mandela to tell the world about the positive impact of diamonds in Southern Africa. Presently, its primary objective is to initiate significant transformations within natural diamond communities worldwide and to effectively share these impactful narratives. https://www.diamondsdogood.com.

About UPG Biashara: UPG Biashara is an initiative that supports entrepreneurs in their journey to turn ideas into businesses. This includes growing and strengthening existing enterprises. UPG Biashara provides training, mentorship, financial support and more.
United People Global is a community that encourages and enables people to participate in making the world a better place.

Note to Editors
Social media hashtags: #DiamondsDoGoodGrant #UPGBiashara
Learn more about the Diamonds Do Good ^® Grant: https://upglive.org/DDG-Grant
Learn more about the Diamonds Do Good ^®: https://www.diamondsdogood.com/
Learn more about UPG Biashara: https://upglive.org/UPGBiashara
Learn more about United People Global https://unitedpeople.global/about-us
Join UPG: https://unitedpeople.global/join
Join UPG Media Community: https://unitedpeople.global/nominations/journalists-nomination
Follow UPG on social media: @unitedpeopleglobal or on Twitter: @unitedpeople36

Dixita Mahanta
United People Global
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Meet the 24 Finalists of the #DiamondsDoGoodGrant 2024 - #UPGBiashara