LocationsHow Youth Innovators in Sierra Leone Are Turning End-Of-Life Materials into Opportunity Through The Launch Of Four Circular Innovation Clubs
April 22, 2026
To address the growing challenge of end-of-life electronic and mobile devices, youth innovators across Sierra Leone are leading the charge through Circular Innovation Clubs (CICs) launched under the Youth for Circularity 2030 initiative in four universities: Eastern Technical University, Njala University, the University of Makeni (UNIMAK), and Milton Margai Technical University.
Group photo of Njala University leadership and students
The Circular Innovation Clubs are student-led platforms embedded within Unipod Fabrication Labs, designed to empower young people to reuse, repair, recycle, and redesign discarded electronic devices into sustainable, practical solutions.
Globally, the world generates approximately 62 million tonnes of electronic waste annually, yet only a fraction is formally recycled. In Sierra Leone, increasing volumes of e-waste, combined with limited recycling infrastructure,continue to drive environmental degradation and material loss. Through the Youth for Circularity 2030 initiative, young innovators are bridging digital innovation and the green transition.
At the launch of the Circular Innovation Club at Njala University’s Mokonde Campus, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Patrick Sawyer described the initiative as an opportunity to give “dead technology a new life,” encouraging students to move away from linear consumption toward regenerative, circular systems.
Patrick Sawyerr - Deputy Vice Chancellor : Njala University
He highlighted the economic value of electronic waste, noting that a ton of mobile phones can contain more gold than a ton of gold ore, while discarded chargers and laptops contain valuable materials such as copper, aluminium, and cobalt.
“In Njala, 90% of e-waste ends up burned, buried, or discarded. That is a straight line—buy, use, and dispose. Today, we bend that line into a circle.”
At Eastern Technical University in Kenema, Student Union Representative Mariam Keita described the initiative as timely and transformative, encouraging students to use the platform to build technical skills and develop practical, community-driven solutions.
Mariam Keita - Student Union President -Eastern Technical University
Similarly, at the University of Makeni, student representative Soriba Koroma emphasized the importance of student ownership, describing the Clubs as ecosystems that support innovation, skills development, and green job creation.
Sorieba Koroma - Student Union Representative: University of Makeni
Across all participating institutions, the launches created collaborative spaces for students to co-design activities, identify pressing challenges, and develop practical responses to electronic end-of-life materials. Through group work and idea presentations, youth innovators demonstrated how discarded devices can be reimagined, repurposed, and reintegrated into the economy.
Students presenting their ideas during the co-design workshop at Njala University
Looking ahead, the Circular Innovation Clubs will host hackathons, competitions, and capacity-building programmes, enabling students not only to generate ideas but to prototype, test, and implement circular solutions. These efforts are expected to drive green entrepreneurship, expand livelihood opportunities, and strengthen youth leadership in sustainable development.
Students engaged in group discussion during the co-design workshop at Milton Margai Technical University
Through these efforts, youth innovators in Sierra Leone are emerging as key drivers of circular innovation, transforming end-of-life mobile devices into opportunity and shaping a more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient future.
For Media Enquiries:
Tanya Honnah
Communication and Partnership Analyst - UNDP Sierra Leone
Email: tanya.honnah@undp.org