By Alieu Amara Suwu
On Monday, January 27, 2025, the First Lady of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Dr. Fatima Maada Bio, officially launched Orange Foundation Sierra Leone’s Orange Digital School Kits initiative. The event, held at the Ansarul Islamic Primary School for Girls in Kono District, her alma mater, was a significant step toward enhancing the digital learning experience for young pupils in Sierra Leone.
Dr. Fatima Maada Bio, alongside Orange Sierra Leone CEO Sekou Amadou Bah, ceremoniously handed over a comprehensive set of digital school kits to the school. This donation aims to foster technological literacy and equip pupils with critical skills to thrive in a digital era.
The ceremony, hosted in the school hall, attracted high-profile attendees, including the Mayor of Koidu City, Komba Mathew Sam; Orange Sierra Leone General Secretary Danetta Younge; and Head of Orange Digital Centre Finnah Mariama Stevens, as well as school authorities, community stakeholders, and local residents.
The donated digital kits comprised cutting-edge tools such as tablets, Raspberry Pi devices, laptops, Bluetooth speakers, projectors, screens, headsets, extension cables, power banks, and solar panels. These resources are tailored to enhance digital literacy, providing students with access to a tech-driven education.
In her remarks, Finnah Mariama Stevens emphasized the need for technological tools to drive innovation and bridge the digital divide. “From Freetown to Bo, Kenema, Kailahun, Pujehun, and now Kono, the Orange Foundation is ensuring that every child in Sierra Leone has access to the technological tools essential for today’s world,” she said.
She underscored Orange Sierra Leone’s commitment to the government’s human capital development agenda and its focus on empowering young girls through access to digital resources.
Addressing the gathering, Sekou Amadou Bah, CEO of Orange Sierra Leone, underscored the transformative potential of the Digital School Kits in promoting education and empowering pupils through technology.
“These kits are electronic libraries designed to provide educational content to schools with limited or no internet access,” he noted. “Currently, 16 countries, including Sierra Leone, have benefited from this program, with 1,400 schools and 500,000 pupils gaining access to digital education tools.”
Over the past three years, Orange Sierra Leone has donated 35 Digital School Kits, impacting over 10,000 pupils nationwide. The initiative also offers schools the opportunity to participate in the prestigious Wiki Challenge, an international competition organized by Orange Group. Last year, a Sierra Leonean school, Dele Preparatory School, won a €5,000 prize for their article on “Krio Print Dress.”
Bah urged pupils and teachers to handle the equipment with care and fully utilize it to enhance learning. “With technology, we can expand our horizons and enable new ways of easy learning. These tools are not just about access but about empowering young minds to explore and innovate,” he stated.
He reaffirmed Orange Sierra Leone’s commitment to supporting the government’s human capital development agenda through initiatives that align with President Julius Maada Bio’s vision for the country.
His Worship, Mayor Komba Mathew Sam, expressed his gratitude to Orange Sierra Leone for selecting the Ansarul Islamic Primary School for Girls as a beneficiary of the initiative. He praised Orange Sierra Leone for bringing such innovative resources to his district and urged the school to utilize the digital kits to their fullest potential.
Reflecting on his own educational journey, Mayor Sam stated, “During my school days, I did not have the privilege of learning about computers until my college years. These young girls are fortunate to have this opportunity at such an early stage, and I hope they make the most of it.”
Headmistress Zainab Bah also commended the Orange Foundation for their generosity and expressed appreciation to Dr. Fatima Maada Bio for gracing the event. “We are committed to making the most of these resources to enhance our pupils’ learning experience and ensure their sustainability,” she assured.
In her keynote address, Dr. Fatima Maada Bio commended Orange Foundation Sierra Leone for its commitment to empowering education and emphasized the importance of equipping pupils with the skills necessary to thrive in the digital age. The initiative underscores the collaborative efforts to bridge the digital divide and promote educational development across the nation.
The First Lady of Sierra Leone, Dr. Fatima Maada Bio, expressed deep gratitude to her former school, crediting it for shaping her into the woman she is today. Dr. Bio highlighted the importance of technology in modern education, emphasizing that the digital kits would provide the pupils access to the tools needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving, tech-driven world.
Dr. Bio encouraged the pupils to aspire beyond societal expectations, urging them to embrace science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses to position themselves as leaders in Sierra Leone and beyond. She underscored the importance of breaking barriers, discouraging early marriages, and striving for careers in leadership and innovation.
She urged the school to make effective use of the digital kits, emphasizing the importance of embracing technology in an increasingly digital world. “Today, let us celebrate Orange. I want all the pupils here to stand up and say, ‘Thank you, Orange.’ We promise to make good use of this facility and this opportunity.
She also expressed her gratitude to Orange Sierra Leone for the digital school kits, praising their efforts to empower girls across the country. “May God bless Orange Sierra Leone, elevate them, and help them grow from strength to strength,” she concluded.
The event concluded with the formal handover of the Digital School Kits to the school administration, symbolizing a new chapter in the pupils’ education journey. This initiative is expected to inspire a brighter future through the integration of technology into learning, paving the way for innovation and progress in Sierra Leone.
