Insight Magazine Nov/Dec 2016

Change Maker
CONTINUED
Ndye Farrie,
The educator
Aminata Dumbuya,
The businesswoman
How would you describe your job?
There are so many hats you wear as an educator on any given day so this description
was hard to do. I fundamentally believe an educator guides and coaches children to
thrive in life and eventually become what is essential. We hope to give them the
learning tools they will use to continue learning way after their formal schooling is
over.
How did you get into this field?
My interest in teaching started in high school where my awareness of the difference
between good and great teachers peaked. I met two teachers who really embodied great teaching. These two
teachers invested their time and whatever else it took to make sure I succeeded. Their expectations were high
but they made me feel like we were in it together and that I could really do anything. They sparked my interest
in teaching, leading me to pursue an undergraduate and graduate degree in Education. I started my teaching
career in New York City public schools and also abroad at an American International School in the Dominican
Republic. My love of teaching also brought me back to Sierra Leone In 2004.
How would you describe your job?
I am an entrepreneur/businesswoman. I took the plunge from being an employee to
an employer when I realised in 2007/2008, that the pay as an employee (even for
an international commercial bank), was not enough to take care of my basic needs
as a single mother. I decided to use my talent in sales and marketing to start Pinnacle
Marketing and Consulting Group, a company which was catalytic in the rebranding
and commercialisation of SierraTel. I also started a serviced office outfit that caters for
investors coming into Sierra Leone, wanting to test the waters by subletting an office
space for a short period of time until they find their footing.
Finally there is Masada Waste Management Company, which in 2013 won the Waste Management Contract for
the Municipality of Freetown to handle Waste Management and Conversion to Energy. Waste Management has
become a passion for me due to the immediate and immense social impact it can have on our environment and
our people. Though without its challenges, the sector has incredible potential for creating transformative social
shifts in the fabric of our Society.
I started out teaching and later moved into Educational administration in 2007, as Director of the American
International School of Freetown. This laid the foundation for me to later open my own educational center (YAS
Learning Center) in Freetown.
Many years later I still love teaching and learning. Nothing gets me more excited than seeing children excited
about learning. There is really no other job I’d rather be doing.
What would you say are your most significant professional achievements?
Opening my own centre of learning for children had always been a dream of mine. This idea started as just an
after school program and quickly evolved that first year to include an early education component which was
really a gift to my young daughter. I wanted to give her the best start, so the opportunity to design and create
an optimal space in Sierra Leone for her early childhood development was a blessing. I’ve been incredibly lucky.
I am a partner and the Project Manager for Masada. Being The Project Manager entails rigorous and continuous
engagement with stakeholders, such as the government, donor partners and the general public, with the key
objective of bringing attention to the sector enabling them to see the importance and significance of prioritising
waste management nationally!
I am also the Campaign Director for Power for All in Sierra Leone. Power for All is a campaign that advocates
for Decentralized Renewable Energy (DRE) as the fastest and most efficient way to end energy poverty in
Sierra Leone. As the Campaign Director, I support the government through the Ministry of Energy on compact
commitments and to implement the Energy Revolution Targets. The campaign is also poised to support Private
Sector and Civil Society Organizations to effectively work together to develop and build the DRE market in Sierra
Leone, as well as educate and inform the general public on the advantages of home solar systems and shift
perceptions on the sector.
FT
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Co-founding the Learning foundation in 2012, helping develop over 100 libraries in schools throughout Sierra
Leone, has also been a proud achievement. We have given children more access to books and improved literacy.
Also through a recent partnership with Schools For Salone, we have been able to launch reading clubs in the
libraries we’ve developed, and to provide intensive on site teacher training in schools. The challenges for schools
in Sierra Leone are many, so making the time to support teachers and improve learning for all children is close to
my heart.
How did you get into this field?
I saw an opportunity to use my skills more productively as an entrepreneur than as an employee, and create
employment opportunities for other Sierra Leoneans. My first degree in International Business and Finance from
San Diego State University, my experience in corporate America, and additional studies in the UK as a Chartered
Marketer, gave me the experience and qualifications that enabled and empowered me to drive forward with my
entrepreneurial ambitions.
How does your work contribute to Sierra Leone’s economic development?
The long term benefit of what I do has an impact on Sierra Leone’s human resources, providing the foundation
for a more educated and skilled workforce. We also employ several Sierra Leonean professionals providing jobs
and on going training throughout the year.
Who has been your greatest mentor and what did they teach you?
My greatest mentor has been Jacqueline Leigh. She was director of the American International School of
Freetown when I relocated to Sierra Leone in 2004. When I became the school director in 2007, she was a great
source of support for my transition into administration. The greatest thing she taught me was to have a clear
vision and to stay true to it no matter what. This has stayed with me as I’ve navigated my career through the
years.
Nominate the HeForShe champion for change who you think has had the most impact to date in Sierra Leone?
I have been following the work of Chernor Bah- a Sierra Leonean gentleman who has been making some great
strides and giving a voice to issues around the empowerment of women and girls. I have never met him but he
has shown some very impressive commitment and dedication in this area so I’d like to nominate him.
What would you say are your most significant professional achievements?
My proudest and most significant professional achievements to date have been - successfully rebranding and
helping to commercialise SierraTel; being able to raise awareness around waste management and sanitation
issues in Freetown, though alleviating unsanitary practices is still a challenge, and most importantly, having
sustained an employee roster of 300 employees in our Waste Management Operations for the past three years
and counting.
How does your work contribute to Sierra Leone’s economic development?
As a private sector player creating employment opportunities for our youth population, Masada is poised to
contribute vastly to the economy. Waste Management has the immense potential of employing upwards of
1000 plus youths as well as, with its energy generation capacity, adding to the electricity generation capacity for
the country and helping with our energy deficit.
With the Power for All Campaign pushing forward the DRE sector, accelerating energy access and committing to
ending energy poverty by 2025, the Sierra Leone economy will be boosted by the mere fact that most Sierra
Leoneans will have access to basic energy needs.
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