Young Sierra Leonean Wins Award from the Queen

Brima Manso Bangura, a young Sierra Leonean entrepreneur, has won the 2018 Queen’s Young Leader award and met the Queen on Tuesday 26 June to be presented with the award.

Brima, who was awarded earlier this year, grew up in a Freetown slum where there was no access to a stable electricity supply. He invented a bicycle-powered generator to provide clean, environmentally-friendly and affordable electricity to power household appliances. His invention has benefitted not only his own family, but also his neighbours and the entire community.

Earlier this year he won a Queen’s Young Leaders Awards, given to recognise the work that young people from across the Commonwealth are doing to transform lives in their community and beyond. On Tuesday he met the Queen at Buckingham Palace, London, to be formally given the award.

While studying at the African Leadership Academy, Brima started a Creativity and Innovation Club to encourage a culture of innovation among young people and to enable them to create practical solutions to problems facing their communities. He recently won an award for inventing a substance made from coconut shells which can absorb carbon monoxide in enclosed areas.

On receiving the award Brima said ‘‘I am so excited to meet Her Majesty The Queen and be part of these young passionate individuals who are making a lasting impact in their communities. I am really excited to see what the year ahead will bring, and I’m looking forward to meeting other award winners to learn more about their amazing work.’’

Whilst in the UK, Brima will also visit 10 Downing Street and take part in masterclasses at the BBC World Service and the UK Headquarters of Facebook. He will meet with the Commonwealth Secretary-General and High Commissioners from across the Commonwealth. He will also attend workshops at the University of Cambridge and visit projects that are changing the lives of vulnerable people in the UK.

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