The best way to bring an end to the extreme poverty and deprivation in Sierra Leone and throughout Africa is to ensure the health and well-being of our future – our children. It is with that in mind that I created the Twenty-First Century African Youth Movement (AYM). AYM is committed to bringing people and resources together to raise the economic and social status of young people in Africa.

We’ve created programs in five areas to engage and empower Sierra Leonean youth, each aligned with the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals designed to “free people from extreme poverty and multiple deprivations” by 2015. In order to maintain these programs, we are asking for your help.

Please make a financial contribution to AYM to support the youth of Africa. Your gift of $25, $50, $100, $500 or more will help us continue our much-needed programs designed to give young people the skills and tools they require to build lives free from poverty.

Your gifts, no matter how large or small, will support AYM’s existing programs in Sierra Leone.

• The arts, culture, history and humanities: AYM has established African Artville, which includes a traveling exhibit of authentic Sierra Leonean art, and a music program that culminated in the production of an album by Sierra Leonean musicians The Mixing Crew and the Young Sisters.

• Agriculture: The Bonthe Youth Vegetable Gardens has three sites in southern Sierra Leone which provide training in sustainable farming. Thanks to more than $30,000 worth of donated seeds and a partnership with All Terrain Services, we have produce ready to sell and a market to sell them!

• Tourism: The Mosselleh Tourist Project in Mattru Jong provides recreational opportunities for the residents and visitors to the area, as well as training for the youth volunteers. The project is a three-square-mile area that includes a beach and a wildlife and ancient forest preserve.

• Entrepreneurship: Our Youth Business Mentoring and Development Pilot Project in Mattru Jong was successfully launched with a solar-powered water filtration machine and fee-based cellphone charging station.

• Education: AYM is working to continue to provide technical and vocational education in the Mattru Jong community. We will use the infrastructure of the now-defunct Albert Margai Institute of Design, Crafts and Technology (AMIDCAT) and have partnered with a technology consultant from Kenya to provide a parallel online educational platform.

Donations such as yours help us keep our current programs going - they are used to purchase seeds for the gardens, and materials and supplies for art projects. But it is time to increase the breadth and scope of our programs. For the first time in four years we are sending out a call for help to reach more young people.

Our plans include:

♦        Adding animal husbandry and fish farming to our agricultural projects:  Fish farming itself is an ideal way to create a constant food supply and protect natural fishing habitats from over-fishing.

♦        Expanding our Business Mentoring and Development projects to include a food-selling venture and a larger water purification business.

If you care about alleviating poverty, hunger, disease, take action today by donating to AYM Please make your contribution securely online at FirstGiving or send your check made payable to Twenty-First Century African Youth Movement.

You can also help us raise money through our FirstGiving Pages. By creating a fundraising page on our behalf, you can ask your friends and family to support us too! Volunteer opportunities are also available – we are an all-volunteer group and we depend on you to help us in our work on behalf of the young people of Sierra Leone.

Thank you again for all that you do.

Sincerely,

Abu-Hassan “Askia” Koroma

Founder, President & CEO

P.S. Please This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  or by phone at 703-745-8958 for more information on volunteering or other ways you can help.