Enterprise Academies International (EAI)
Registered Charity no: 1192272
“Sierra Leone (SL) has suffered greatly both through civil war and then Ebola in more recent years. Following an invitation to visit in 2018 I was shocked by the poverty that I saw which was more stark than any other developing nation I had visited in previous years. The irony of abundance of natural resources and yet poverty and suffering surely had a solution. Whilst visiting various SL government departments and local authorities the vision for community owned enterprises began to crystallise as a model for regeneration. The model is simple, based on local ownership, local natural resources and community provision of labour with the support of start-up resources and training. provided by Enterprise Academies International (EAI)”
David Edgecumbe, EAI Founder Chair of Trustees
“ The EAI model for training young people and locally owned enterprises hosted on land provided by communities certainly caught my attention. I believe it will help address poverty especially in rural communities”
Hon. Charles Bio, Sierra Leone Minister of Sport
“The EAI model for regeneration of Sierra Leone communities is bringing engagement to young people. The skills they gain enable them to start small social enterprises which bring employment and life transforming income. The communities provide the land, locally available materials and the labour which reinforces their ownership. EAI provide the support and start-up resources to begin and then facilitate their journey,”
Howard Lunt, EAI Trustee
“Enterprise Academies International has a vision to transform local communities in Sierra Leone and other African developing nations through the Enterprise Academies (EA) we facilitate, which are owned by the local people who host them. Having grown up in Sierra Leone I saw the needs that persist since the decimating effects of civil war. Whilst now working in the UK and part of the EAI team I'm able to help my people through the vision of the charity.”
Samuel Sesay, EAI Trustee
“We have a vision to transform our community with the skills and support that we have gained through Enterprise Academies International”
Young people from the Kafogo community
“Our first training building in Kafogo being constructed by the community of Fadugu who have taken on the EAI model for local training and local social enterprise. We have been inspired by the simplicity and effectiveness of the EAI vision for which we assigned land for the buildings and local enterprise initiatives which bring skills, employment and income to our young people”
Chief Saio Sesay, Fadugu district