By: Abdul Razack Gbla
The Orange Digital Centre in Freetown has concluded its 2025 Next Generation Camp, a month-long training program designed to equip children with foundational digital skills. The initiative, which brought together learners aged seven to fifteen, ended with a graduation ceremony at the Centre on Thursday, August 28.
The camp, sponsored by the Orange Foundation, introduced participants to coding, web development, and 3D printing in an engaging and interactive setting.
During the ceremony, proud parents joined trainers. They invited guests to celebrate the achievements of the young learners who showcased their projects, including a presentation by seven-year-olds and a coding demonstration by older participants.
Acting Chief Executive Officer of Orange Sierra Leone, Mamadou Bousso, described the graduates as “brilliant young minds with revolutionary thinking,” stressing that the skills acquired would help them move from being technology users to contributors. “The future is yours, go out and shape it,” he urged.
Guest of honour, Madam Edleen Elba, encouraged the children to remain committed to self-improvement and to pursue their dreams with courage.
“You have not just earned a certificate; you have gained knowledge that will help you navigate an evolving digital world,” she remarked.
Foundation manager, Desmond Spain, and trainer, Samuel Koroma, also commended the students and their parents for their commitment throughout the program. Certificates were later awarded to all participants in recognition of their efforts.
The Next Generation Camp, which has become a flagship youth development program in Sierra Leone, continues to position digital literacy at the heart of human capital development in the country.