On October 15, SierrAfrica Diaspora Connect (SADC) will host a free 90-minute webinar titled "Education & Digitalization: The Engine of Personal Growth and National Transformation." The event, scheduled for 3:00 p.m. EDT (8:00 p.m. BST; 7:00 p.m. GMT), will address a pressing question posed by Aminata, a composite of thousands of young Africans: can a seventeen-year-old in rural Sierra Leone access the digital economy that seems to be flourishing elsewhere?
The webinar's importance lies in its focus on practical pathways for a country where many students still study under intermittent electricity, and where the adoption of artificial intelligence is only beginning. Moderator Golda Fania Kamara, who implemented Sierra Leone's first National Health Information Hub, will lead four panelists with diverse expertise: accountant and nonprofit leader Bamikole Roberts; international education specialist Sajdah Ali; cybersecurity professional and entrepreneur James Kamara; and clean-energy entrepreneur Mariama Kamara, co-founder of the African-language AI venture SanKam. Together, they will explore topics ranging from teaching with limited power to the risks that rogue AI agents could pose for a nation just starting to embrace the technology.
Golda Kamara emphasized that technology alone is not enough: "Technology does not transform societies. People do. Skills, institutions, trust and opportunity do. The goal isn't to build for Sierra Leone. It's to build with Sierra Leoneans." That philosophy underscores why this conversation matters—it shifts the focus from external solutions to locally driven capacity building.
For those interested in joining, registration requires two steps: first, visit the SADC interest form at Register to complete the initial sign-up, then finish registering on Zoom. The session is the second in SADC's Global Webinar Series, following September 24's "Culture as a Connector." Upcoming webinars include Agriculture, Health & Foodways on November 5; Homecoming with Purpose on November 19; and Investing in Sierra Leone on December 10.
The series builds toward SADC's 10-Day Heritage & Legacy Tour, scheduled for March 7–16, 2027. The tour will visit Bunce and Tasso Islands, Bo District, Mozza Beach, and include a historical immersion in the inaugural Freedom Day commemoration. Limited to 30 travelers at $2,500 per person (double occupancy), the tour also includes a legacy gift to support the 5,500 residents of historic Tasso Island. This year, SADC partnered with LifeStraw to provide water purifiers in the five schools on Tasso Island, demonstrating the organization's commitment to tangible community development.
By connecting education, energy, and AI, the webinar aims to show that Sierra Leone's youth can be active participants in the digital future, not just bystanders. The implications extend beyond the individual: a generation equipped with digital skills and reliable energy could drive national transformation, but only if the right investments in people and institutions are made. As SADC's work illustrates, the diaspora is positioning itself as a partner in that endeavor, fostering connections that bridge heritage and innovation.
