Celebrating Sierra Leone Friendship Link through Leadership Challenge

This year, three of our Future Leaders successfully completed a Leadership Challenge project that explored their school’s Sierra Leone Friendship Link, recognising that many students knew very little about the partnership or the country itself. Motivated to change this, they set out to research Sierra Leone’s history, culture and daily life, creating materials to help educate their peers.

Like many Leadership Challenge projects, their journey wasn’t without obstacles. GCSEs and mock exams led to their project being postponed several times, which was understandably disheartening. However, the trio demonstrated outstanding resilience, staying committed to their goal and supporting one another until they were able to deliver their project.

Together, they planned to run a stall at their school’s Careers Day, bringing along their newly created materials, as well as snacks from Sierra Leone, fruit, currency and cultural items. School staff praised the Future Leaders for their efforts in planning and preparation, and recognised how confidently they engaged with students.

The Future Leaders reflected positively on the experience, sharing how proud they felt to have completed their Leadership Challenge. They spoke about the confidence they gained and the new skills they developed — including communicating professionally with teachers and staff to organise the event.

Their project is a brilliant example of what the Leadership Challenge is all about: discovering new interests, developing practical skills, and making a meaningful contribution to their school community.