How It Began
The AdAmi Project was inspired by the story of two young sisters, Adama and Aminata. In late 2017, they both became pregnant — aged just 15 and 17 — while still attending secondary school.
When their pregnancies were discovered, the school expelled them. Suddenly, both girls were left without education, help, or a clear path forward.
Our founder, Kirsty, who had known the sisters for many years, reached out for help — but struggled to find any organisation offering the kind of holistic, long-term support that was so urgently needed.
And so the AdAmi Project was born.
In August 2018, we launched a one-year pilot programme with 25 young mothers in Bo and Kenema district. Today, we are proud to work alongside upwards of 200 young mothers every year - providing education, training, mentoring, family support, and hope for a brighter future.
Our Journey So Far
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Two teenage sisters become pregnant and are expelled from school. There is no holistic support available for them locally.
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A needs assessment led by Kirsty and Musa Konneh, founder of our local partner MEANS, confirmed an urgent need for a project to support young mothers in the Bo and Kenema districts.
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The AdAmi Project is officially registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales.
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Our pilot project is launched. 25 young mothers in Bo and Kenema are supported to return to school or begin vocational training. The pilot shows overwhelmingly positive results.
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We scale up the programme, expanding to reach more young mothers in Bo and Kenema districts.
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The government lifts the long-standing ban on pregnant girls attending school following an ECOWAS court ruling. While a legal victory, practical barriers to re-entry remain.
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We register AdAmi Project Sierra Leone as a national NGO. An all-female local team is formed to lead delivery in Bo district, while MEANS continues as a key partner.
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Our work continues to grow, with new innovations added to strengthen the project:
The Community Girls Network expands across Bo District.
A paid mentoring programme is introduced.
University scholarships are offered to high-performing students.
We focus our delivery in Bo District to deepen our impact.
In 2024, we open a new tailoring social enterprise in Bo.
A new ‘Local Champion Board’ is launched in 2025, alongside a two-year local growth strategy aimed at building a sustainable, locally led organisation for the long term.
Our Team
We are a small but growing team in Sierra Leone and the U.K.
We work together with two local partners in Sierra Leone: our sister organisation, AdAmi Project Sierra Leone, and the local NGO, Movement for Education and Advocacy Salone (MEANS). Both play a unique and vital role in delivering our work.
AdAmi Project Sierra Leone
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Programme & Operations Lead
Mariatu runs the day-to-day programme and office with calm confidence. She’s driven by her own lived experience: ‘I was once vulnerable too, so I want to help others out of poverty.’
Secret talent: ‘I’m a brilliant cook!’
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Senior Social Worker & Deputy Manager
Andreta leads the holistic care side of the programme. She’s deeply passionate about creating safe spaces for young mothers: ‘It’s more than a project – it’s a movement.’
Secret talent: ‘I’m highly persuasive when I need to be!’
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Social Worker
Aminata supports young mothers and their families through mentoring and mediation. ‘I love helping girls feel seen, heard, and supported.’
Secret talent: ‘I’m skilled at restoring peace in families!’
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Admin Officer
Agatha keeps the wheels turning behind the scenes. She loves the life skills sessions and says: ‘They help the girls grow – and me too.’
Secret talent: ‘I love to sing!’
MEANS
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Founder & Country Director, MEANS
Musa brings decades of experience in education and community work. He helped launch the pilot in 2018 and still champions every girl in the programme: ‘Because of AdAmi, they have hope.’
Secret talent: ‘I am able to educate and inspire others.’
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Project Manager
A former mentor within the team, Miatta now leads the MEANS delivery team. ‘These girls are like my little sisters. I want to help them dream big.’
Secret talent: ‘I can sing beautifully!’ -
Assistant Project Manager
Fatmata began as a mentor and now helps manage the programme. She’s passionate about girl-led change: ‘AdAmi builds girls’ skills, rights, and confidence.’
Secret talent: ‘I am a fast and accurate typist!’
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Community Mentor
Doris also teaches in a local school. She’s passionate about education: ‘I remind the girls: if you learn, you can stand tall – and build the nation too.’
Secret talent: ‘I can motivate even the quietest of girls!’ -
Community Mentor
Ami is known for her warmth and ability to empower others. ‘I love connecting with women and helping them believe in themselves.’
Secret talent: ‘I am very good at crafting!’
Local Supervisor Board
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Mary is a business consultant, psychosocial coach, and rural development specialist with over 10 years’ experience supporting women and youth across Sierra Leone. She holds a BA in Mass Communication, a certificate in Business Management for SMEs, and is an accredited ILO Women’s Entrepreneurship Development trainer.
Mary has helped over 1,000 small businesses grow nationwide and is passionate about mentoring young mothers to build confidence, skills, and independence.
Secret talent: ‘I am a natural storyteller!’
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Mariama is a tech entrepreneur and advocate for girls in STEM. With a degree in Computing from Njala University, she founded Girls&Bytes, promoting digital literacy and closing the gender gap in tech. She also leads Agatha Vision–SL, a nonprofit advancing maternal health, education, and women’s empowerment.
Passionate about helping young mothers see what’s possible, Mariama brings expertise in digital tools, programme design, and community organising to her role as local supervisor.
Secret talent: ‘I once created a personalised bedtime storybook starring myself, my husband, and my daughter — a fun way to make storytime personal and empowering!’
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Josephine has spent her career in education and grassroots development, bringing a wealth of community-based experience to the AdAmi Project. A retired primary school teacher, she later spent 10 years as a community animator for an international NGO, leading women’s empowerment and life skills programmes across Sierra Leone.
Josephine understands the social and cultural challenges young mothers face and is deeply committed to supporting them with empathy and respect.
Secret talent: ‘I’m a fantastic cook — and love hosting themed international dinners to share culture, food, and laughter with friends and family.’
UK Team
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Founder
Kirsty is the founder of the AdAmi Project. She first moved to Sierra Leone in 2006 for what was meant to be a six-month volunteering placement — but stayed for four years. During that time, she worked with local organisations on grassroots initiatives and went on to co-found a girls’ school in a rural community with Sierra Leonean colleagues.
With nearly two decades of experience as a fundraising specialist, Kirsty has helped a wide range of charities grow their income from trusts and foundations. Now based in North Wales, she divides her time between overseeing AdAmi’s day-to-day operations, working as a freelance fundraising consultant and caring for her energetic young daughter.
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Chair of trustees
Emily joined the Board in 2024 after volunteering with the AdAmi Project since its founding in 2018, including serving on the Programme Committee and supporting programme design and delivery.
An international development practitioner with 15 years’ experience in education and livelihoods for women and youth, Emily is based in Toronto and serves as Head of Program Operations for Education and Transitions at the Mastercard Foundation. She holds an MSc in Social Policy and Development from the London School of Economicsand a BA in Political Science and International Development from McGill University.
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Jenny joined the Board of Trustees in 2022 after volunteering with the AdAmi Project since its formation in 2018, where she sat on the Programme Committee and led work on safeguarding, monitoring, evaluation, and learning.
Based in London, Jenny has 15 years’ experience in international development, with a focus on impact, learning, and women’s empowerment. She holds an MA in International Development and has worked across West and Sub-Saharan Africa on programmes in sexual and reproductive health, education, and gender.
As a Trustee, Jenny supports our partners to strengthen monitoring, evaluation, and learning — ensuring inclusive and impactful programming for young mothers and their communities.
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Lisa joined the Board of Trustees in 2020, having previously served on AdAmi Sierra Leone’s Supervisor Board. Based in Freetown, she currently works as a Technical Health Specialist.
A medical doctor from the Kingdom of Eswatini, Lisa brings over a decade of clinical and programmatic experience across West and Southern Africa. Her expertise spans patient care and health systems strengthening, with a focus on reproductive, maternal, and child health, health technology, emergency medicine, and non-communicable diseases including breast and cervical cancer.
Passionate about accessible, affordable, and sustainable healthcare, Lisa is dedicated to reaching underprivileged communities in rural areas. She also enjoys teaching and has lectured in clinical skills, mentoring medical students and young professionals.
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Fundraising Representative
Cathy joined the Board of Trustees in 2024.
Cathy currently serves as Head of Major Giving (philanthropy, corporate and trusts) at Friends of the Earth EWNI, An environmental justice organisation. She previously worked in philanthropy fundraising at Dogs Trust and Brighton College. Cathy started her career in international student recruitment: seeing the world for work!
Cathy grew up in Malawi, studied in Australia and has worked in France and Thailand.
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Treasurer
Donna joined the Board of Trustees in 2023 and is based in London, UK.
A Chartered Accountant with over 20 years’ experience across multiple sectors, Donna is passionate about building strong relationships and believes good communication is at the heart of effective teamwork. She’s also determined to show that finance isn’t something to be feared!
Donna works closely with the teams in Sierra Leone, providing day-to-day financial support and ensuring they have the resources they need to thrive.
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Legal Representative
Divya joined the Board of Trustees in 2024 and is based in London, UK.
After obtaining a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in History at the University of Warwick, Divya trained as a solicitor at Slaughter and May having previously worked in a variety of customer related roles. She has spent her legal career since qualifying as a solicitor at Slaughter and May.
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Safeguarding representative
Jenny Young is a freelance practitioner specialising in safeguarding, SEND, and social care. With extensive experience supporting autistic young people, those with complex communication needs, and individuals at risk of exploitation, she combines frontline practice with academic research to deliver person-centred, trauma-informed support.
She is a safeguarding specialist with expertise in harmful sexual behaviour, online exploitation, gender-based violence, and child protection. A qualified Safeguarding Instructor, Jenny also serves as an Independent Review Mechanism Panel Member, contributing to adoption and fostering appeals to ensure fair, evidence-based, and safeguarding-focused decisions.
Alongside her professional practice, Jenny is undertaking a PhD in Health and Social Care Research at the University of Lincoln, exploring autistic children’s pathways into technology-assisted harmful sexual behaviours. She brings strategic insight, practical experience, and a strong commitment to improving outcomes for vulnerable children and families. -
Uttam joined the Board of Trustees in 2025 and is based in Toronto, Canada.
She is an experienced researcher and evaluator specialising in applied research, strategic planning, knowledge mobilisation, and community engagement across health, education, and international development. Her work focuses on community-based approaches that centre historically marginalised voices and promote evidence-based, inclusive decision-making locally and globally.
Uttam holds a PhD in History and completed postdoctoral research in global public health. She is currently an independent consultant and an Adjunct Lecturer at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto.
Volunteers
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Rory has been a dedicated volunteer with the AdAmi Project since its creation in 2018.
He supports many aspects of AdAmi’s fundraising and communications, including managing social media, coordinating the annual Big Give match-funding campaigns, and helping to deliver in-person fundraising events.
Rory currently works as Volunteering and Community Manager for the National Trust in Herefordshire and brings over 15 years’ experience in the charity sector. He has previously worked with organisations including Changing Faces, Crisis, Healthwatch, and CB Plus.
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Crystal has been involved with the AdAmi Project since its formation, supporting a range of high-profile fundraising events that have raised thousands of pounds for our work — including a supper club with Sierra Leonean chef Maria Bradford.
With over a decade of experience in major gifts and philanthropy, Crystal is passionate about connecting people with purpose. She currently serves as Community Director at Founders Pledge, where she empowers entrepreneurs to fund effective, impactful solutions to global challenges.