Plan has played an integral part in Sierra Leone’s Youth Day*, helping children to celebrate and to advocate for their rights.

Children in Port Loko during the march.

Children speak up

This year the day was particularly successful in Port Loko. There, more than 300 school children took part in a march, wearing t-shirts bearing different slogans like: ‘Say no to child labour,’ ‘Stop early marriage’ and ‘Children have the right to education.’

Celebrations reached their climax in a jam-packed gathering at the District Council Hall, funded by Plan Sierra Leone and partners.

'Stop violence against children' - one of the banners used on the day.

Children spoke up about challenges which they face: child labour, early pregnancy, female genital cutting, getting an education, and domestic and gender-based violence. They also performed sketches on child rights, seizing the opportunity to advocate towards the Government.

Isha receives Child of the Year Award

Isha poses with her award.

During the celebrations, Isha Mariam Kabba of Plan partner CFN (Children’s Forum Network) received the Child of the Year award for her advocacy work. Isha and other children have been participating in radio discussion shows and conducting outreach sessions on child rights. 

Plan Port Loko Manager Mustapha Kai-Swaray explains that children decided how they wanted to mark the day, and then Plan funded their ideas. On the day, Deputy Director of Education, Ishmial Sankoh, said: “Children are the seeds we plant and, if nursed well, will grow.”

During the celebrations in Port Loko, the new Child Welfare Committee was formally introduced. This committee, established by children, with help from Plan and other adults, has been working for about 4 months  advocating for child rights.

Radio debates, plays and a film screening

In Moyamba, Youth Day was commemorated with a radio discussion on the rights and responsibilities of children. Plan organised this awareness raising debate with the District Council Authority hoping to increase the provision made for children and young people in the upcoming budget.

In Bombali, Plan chaired a discussion programme on child rights, as well as hosting short plays by children on girls’ rights to education and female genital cutting. ‘Sarafina,’ a film about South African school children during apartheid, was also screened. 

The day was a great opportunity to advocate for children’s rights, to reward the great work that children are doing, and to have some fun.

Find out more about what we do in Sierra Leone

*Sierra Leone celebrates Youth Day on 16th June, to commemorate the lives lost in South Africa when thousands of young people protested against the education policies of the government and its apartheid regime – particularly an edict ordering that black students be taught in the Afrikaans language.