By Foday Moriba Conteh
The Chief Executive Officer of Orange Sierra Leone, Sekou Amadou Bah, together with the Management team of the company, on Monday, 21st July 2025, led a high-powered Government delegation on an official tour of the newly relocated and reopened Orange Digital Center (ODC), situated on Alpha Wurie Drive, Hill Station, Regent Road in Freetown. The visit underscored the Government of Sierra Leone’s strong commitment to digital transformation and youth empowerment. The delegation included the Minister of Youth Affairs, Ibrahim Sannoh, the Minister of Information and Civic Education, Chernor Bah and David Manley, who represented the Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation.
They were warmly welcomed by Sekou Amadou Bah, Chief Executive Officer of Orange Sierra Leone; Annie Wonnie-Katta, Director of Orange Sierra Leone Foundation and Danetta Younge, General Secretary of the company. The Orange team guided the officials on an extensive tour of the state-of-the-art facilities, including the Fab Lab, Orange Fab and the Coding School all of which are designed to nurture innovation, entrepreneurship and digital literacy among Sierra Leone’s youth.
During the tour, the Ministers had the opportunity to interact directly with beneficiaries of the Center’s programs, including students living with disabilities who are currently enrolled in free digital courses at the facility. Their presence served as a powerful testament to Orange’s commitment to inclusivity and equal access to education. The delegation also met with the finalists of the Orange Social Venture Prize (OSVP) who are preparing to pitch their innovative business ideas today Friday 25th July, 2025at the Orange Digital Center (ODC).
These young entrepreneurs are competing for the National Prize of NLe 200,000 and the Tech-Queen Prize of NLe 120,000, a bold initiative aimed at encouraging local solutions to local challenges through technology.
In her address during the recent tour of the Orange Digital Center (ODC), Annie Wonnie-Katta, Director of the Orange Sierra Leone Foundation, briefed the visiting Government delegation on the operations and impact of the Digital Center as well as broader initiatives of the Orange Foundation.
She explained that the Orange Digital Center, originally opened in February 2023 at its former location on Wilkinson Road, has now been relocated to Alpha Wurie Drive on Hill Station. The facility is designed to promote digital skills and drive innovation among Sierra Leonean youth.
“The Orange Digital Center offers four core programs: a coding school, solidarity FabLab (a digital manufacturing workshop), an Orange Fab start-up accelerator and training modules through Orange Digital Ventures,” Annie Wonnie-Katta stated. She emphasized that all programs are offered free of charge and are open to the public, with the overarching goal of democratizing access to digital technologies and empowering young people to become digital entrepreneurs.
She noted that since its inception, the Orange Digital Center has trained over 5,000 young people in a variety of digital and tech-based courses. Beyond training, she added, the Center is also focused on job insertion, helping participants transition into meaningful employment or entrepreneurial ventures.
Between January and June 2025 alone, Annie Wonnie-Katta revealed that a total of 338 participants benefitted from different training programs at the center. These courses form part of the Foundation’s broader mission to equip Sierra Leonean youth with practical, market-relevant skills and to cultivate innovation-driven mindsets.
Key training modules included:
- Basic ICT Training – 112 participants
- Entrepreneurship for Beginners – 100 participants
- Scratch Coding for Beginners – 47 participants
Additionally, in partnership with Coursera, the center offered a variety of specialized online courses:
- Foundations: Data, Data Everywhere – 14 participants
- Foundations of Project Management – 13 participants
- Introduction to Data Engineering – 12 participants
- Cyber security for Everyone – 8 participants
- Programming in Python and Data Analysis – 23 participants
- Developing an Entrepreneurial Mindset: First Step Towards Success – 9 participants
She proudly disclosed that 118 participants (65 males and 53 females) from the January to June 2025 training cohort have already secured jobs through the Orange Digital Center’s job placement program.
Annie Wonnie-Katta reaffirmed Orange Sierra Leone Foundation’s commitment to bridging the digital divide in the country and expanding opportunities for marginalized populations, particularly women and young people. “Our work is about inclusion, access and empowerment,” she concluded, “so that Sierra Leone’s future leaders and innovators are equipped for the demands of the digital age.”
Speaking during the tour, the Minister of Youth Affairs, Ibrahim Sannoh, commended Orange Sierra Leone for its Digital Center, which he described as a vital platform for empowering young people across the country.
“This center represents hope and opportunity for the youth of Sierra Leone,” he stated. “It is encouraging to see private sector investment aligning so closely with the Government’s vision for innovation, job creation and inclusive growth.”
The Minister pledged to strengthen collaboration with Orange to ensure broader access to digital tools and skills by young people, especially for women and persons living with disabilities. He notably recommended a young woman named Rosamond, who resides under the Juba Bridge, to be considered for support and enrollment into the digital center.
Following his recommendation, Rosamond was officially admitted to the Orange Digital Center (ODC) on Wednesday, 23rd July 2025. She is now enrolled in a one-month foundational course in basic computer skills. Upon completion, she will undergo an assessment and be placed in a specialized digital program tailored to her interests and performance.
Minister of Information and Civic Education, Chernor Bah, also commended Orange Sierra Leone for establishing the Digital Center, describing it as a crucial initiative in equipping young people with essential digital skills, especially in today’s technology-driven world.
He emphasized the importance of preparing the youth for the digital age, noting that such initiatives help bridge the gap between education and employment. The also pledged to strengthen collaboration between his Ministry and Orange to ensure broader access to digital literacy and civic education opportunities across the country.