Sierra Leone is one of the world’s youngest countries – half the population is under 19. It’s also one of the world’s least developed countries.
To create more opportunities for young people, the Ready Salone project at ITC trained young entrepreneurs and start-ups so they can earn better incomes through the digital economy.
Since launching in 2024, Ready Salone has already created new pathways for entrepreneurs in Sierra Leone to sell their services around the world. Those successes were on full display for a recent visit by a delegation from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), a funder of the project.
During their visit, 50 small businesses graduated from the Ready Salone e-commerce programme.
And 50 young people graduated from the Learn2Earn programme. Working with the Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation, Learn2Earn provides three weeks of training and mentorship on digital skills, freelancing, and online work opportunities.
Now the graduates will be onboarded onto the Bounty Platform, which connects freelancers with paid digital work.
The e-commerce programme ran for six months, giving startups training and mentorship to establish and grow their online presence, use digital platforms, reach customers, and strengthen their business operations.
They also met service providers offering practical solutions for logistics, payments, and digital business support.
READY Salone also created engagements between local innovators and international investors. Investors from South Africa and France met with startups alongside government representatives and others within the technology ecosystem.
Entrepreneurs shared their solutions, built networks, and explored opportunities for collaboration and investment. Ten start-ups pitched their businesses during the investor day event. Five received fully funded opportunities to attend international innovation platforms, including the COMEUP festival in Korea and the Africa Tech Festival in South Africa.
The KOICA team also joined in a dialogue on the legal and regulatory landscape for digital transactions in Sierra Leone. Government, businesses, and others in the digital ecosystem discussed how to strengthen the environment for digital businesses and online payments.
From equipping young people with market-relevant digital skills and creating pathways to online work, to supporting businesses to adopt digital solutions and strengthening connections across the innovation ecosystem. By bringing together youth, entrepreneurs, investors, service providers, and ecosystem stakeholders, the project continues to build the foundations for greater participation in Sierra Leone’s digital economy and create opportunities for sustainable growth and employment.
About the project
The READY Salone Project is funded by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and implemented by ITC in partnership with the Government of Sierra Leone.
July 2026, Freetown, Sierra Leone – KOICA representatives, ITC staff alongside program beneficiaries of the e-commerce training.Photo by ITC