Girls Advocacy Development Network

18/08/2026

Different Context, Common Aspiration

GADNET-SL was proud to join fellow -led organizations, members and in Kroo Bay on 12th August 2026 to commemorate International Youth Day.

The outreach gave us an opportunity to listen to community voices and engage on issues affecting young people, including drug abuse, mental health, sanitation, climate change, healthcare, disability inclusion and youth participation.

We believe meaningful change begins with listening to communities and turning their voices into action.

Different contexts. Different experiences.
One common aspiration — a better Sierra Leone.

17/08/2026

Registration for the National Girls Summit 2026 is still open, but not for long.

Join us and be part of conversations, ideas, connections and experiences that bring young people together to speak, learn and shape what comes next.

*📍 Kenema District*
*🗓 13th–17th October 2026*
Registration Fee 350 Le
Registration closes *31st August.*

If you’ve been thinking about it, this is your moment. Scan the QR code and apply.
https://gadnet.org/events/7

14/08/2026

Young People Must Have a Voice and a Seat at the Table

in Lungi created an important space for young people to engage, question and contribute to conversations about the future of Sierra Leone.

-SL was represented by our Programmes Lead, who joined the panel discussion on the role of young people in shaping development and governance.

A key part of the conversation was what it truly means for young people to hold government accountable. Accountability is not only about asking questions when promises are not fulfilled. It is about young people being informed about policies and commitments, participating in decision-making spaces, tracking progress, speaking up on issues affecting their communities, and demanding transparency from those entrusted with public responsibility.

The discussion also reinforced the importance of creating safe and meaningful platforms where young people can engage government constructively not only as beneficiaries, but as citizens, partners and leaders.

Beyond the panel, also showcased handmade crafts produced by young people through our empowerment initiatives. The exhibition was supported by UNICEF Sierra Leone, it was a celebration of creativity, skills, entrepreneurship and the potential of youth-led livelihoods.

For , youth empowerment means voice, participation, accountability and opportunity.

Young people are not waiting for the future. They are helping to shape it now.

Thanks to the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Sierra Leone 🇸🇱

14/08/2026

-SL is proud to have participated in the 5-day Training on Social Norms and Change, organised by UNFPA Sierra Leone with support from the Embassy of Iceland in Freetown.

The training strengthened participants’ understanding of the social drivers of Female Ge***al Mutilation (FGM) and explored community-led approaches to challenging harmful social norms and advancing lasting change.

We remain committed to working with communities, partners, and young people to strengthen efforts towards ending FGM and promoting the rights, dignity, and wellbeing of girls and women in Sierra Leone.

13/08/2026

August is International Youth Month and GADNet ask it young people what does the future look like for you

This is what they have to say ……..

12/08/2026

12/08/2026

DIFFERENT CONTEXTS, COMMON ASPIRATIONS.

Happy International Youth Day 2026!

At GADNET, we believe that young people may come from different communities, backgrounds and realities, but across our differences, we share something powerful: the aspiration to live, lead and build a better future.

As a youth-led organization, we don't believe young people are simply leaders of tomorrow. We are leaders today. We are organizing in our communities, challenging harmful systems, creating opportunities, amplifying voices, protecting girls and young women, and turning our ideas into action.

Our realities may be different.
Our journeys may be different.
Our challenges may be different.

But our aspirations connect us.

We aspire to a world where every young person has a voice, every girl has the freedom to dream, every young woman can lead, and every young person has the opportunity to turn their potential into impact.

Today, we celebrate the young people who refuse to be defined by their circumstances. The dreamers. The organizers. The advocates. The innovators. The leaders. The changemakers.

We are not waiting for our future to arrive. We are building it, right now.

From Sierra Leone to the world, GADNET stands with young people who dare to dream boldly, lead courageously and act collectively.

Because our contexts may be different, but our aspirations are common and our power to create change is limitless.

Our donors and Partners who are resourcing us we say thank you for recognizing our power and every young person making strives their community and to make sure Sierra Leone is in a better place for young people.

United Nations in Sierra Leone
UN Women Sierra Leone
UNFPA Sierra Leone
UNICEF Sierra Leone
Plan International
Save the Children Sierra Leone
Global Youth Network for Empowerment & Development - Sierra Leone
Rainbo Initiative
ActionAid

11/08/2026

AHEAD OF INTERNATIONAL YOUTH DAY 2026 | PREPARING YOUTH LEADERS FOR ACTION

As we look ahead to International Youth Day 2026, Girls Advocacy Development Network (GADNet-SL), as one of the collaborating organizations, participated in the Training of Trainers (TOT) organized to prepare youth leaders, organizational leads, and community representatives for meaningful engagement with the people of Kroo Bay.

This preparatory session equipped trainers with the knowledge, tools, skills, and confidence needed to facilitate meaningful conversations during the IYD activities.

At the heart of the training was storytelling as a tool for sensitization and advocacy. Participants explored how real-life experiences and relatable narratives can help raise awareness around pressing issues affecting young people and families, including waste management and recycling, gender-based violence, child marriage, drug abuse, and other community challenges.

The training also focused on connecting these local realities to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), highlighting how community voices and actions contribute to the broader pursuit of equality, justice, inclusion, and sustainable development.

For GADNet-SL, youth participation goes beyond being present. It means creating spaces where young people can speak, lead, organize, advocate, and drive meaningful change.

Special appreciation to SHE4Peace for serving as the lead organization and for bringing partners and youth actors together around this important initiative. We also appreciate all collaborating organizations, trainers, youth leaders, and community representatives whose contributions are helping make this year's International Youth Day a platform for meaningful engagement and action.

Tomorrow, 12 August, we take these conversations to Kroo Bay, not simply to celebrate young people, but to listen, connect, mobilize, and turn shared aspirations into action.

Different Contexts. Common Aspirations. One collective commitment to youth-led change. 💙✊🏾

10/08/2026

The journey to the 7th Sierra Leone National Girl Summit 2026 is officially underway!

Today, Girls Advocacy Development Network (GADNet) convened partners from Sierra Leone and Liberia for a strategic coordination meeting focused on strengthening collaboration and collective action ahead of the Summit.

The meeting provided an opportunity to share progress, reflect on key planning milestones, explore areas of partnership, and agree on practical actions to support the successful delivery of the Summit.

This is more than a coordination meeting, it is a shared commitment to creating a space where girls and young women can be heard, learn, lead, connect, and experience meaningful opportunities for growth and leadership.

As we journey toward October, we are turning partnership into action and collective commitment into opportunities that advance gender equality and girls’ rights, contributing to SDG 5.

A special thank you to all our partners UNICEF Sierra Leone Global Youth Network for Empowerment & Development - Sierra Leone Purposeful UN Women Sierra Leone Solthis Save the Children Sierra Leone ActionAid Plan International United Nations in Sierra Leone -Women Care-LiberiaSL attended and contributed to this important conversation. Your presence, ideas, and commitment continue to strengthen the journey toward the 7th National Girls Summit.

We also extend our sincere appreciation to women Sierra Leone for graciously hosting us and providing a space for partners to connect, collaborate, and move this important agenda forward.

To every partner standing with girls: thank you for believing in their voices, their leadership, their power, and their future.

Together, we rise. Together, we act. Together, we protect our future.

Our Power in Action: Protecting Our Future.

10/08/2026

Girls Advocacy Development Network and BRAC Sierra Leone-NGO signs a partnership MOU

On Friday, 7 August 2026, Girls Advocacy Development Network (GADNet-SL) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with BRAC Sierra Leone, marking an important milestone in strengthening collaboration for meaningful, community-led change.

This partnership brings together complementary strengths and shared commitments.

GADNet-SL brings its experience in girls’ rights, leadership, advocacy, protection, SRHR, mentorship, education, economic empowerment and youth-led action. BRAC Sierra Leone brings extensive experience in youth empowerment, education, livelihoods, agriculture, entrepreneurship and financial inclusion.

Together, these strengths create an opportunity to build stronger pathways, from voice to opportunity, from leadership to livelihoods, and from participation to sustainable empowerment.

For us, this MoU is more than a formal agreement. It represents a commitment to learn from one another, strengthen local solutions, expand opportunities and work collectively to ensure that girls, young women and communities are not only reached by development efforts, but are active shapers of the change they want to see.

GADNet-SL looks forward to a meaningful partnership with BRAC Sierra Leone as we continue turning collaboration into action, opportunity and lasting impact.