Empowered to Lead: How Aminata is Changing the Narrative of Women in Portloko District
Aminata facilitating a refresher training for district based CSOs
Aminata T. S. Bangura, widely recognized as TS, is the Coordinator of the Makemoh Small Holders’ Farmer Association in Port Loko District. The Makemoh Small Holders’ Farmer Association is one of 10 Women-Led Community Based Organization’s created and supported through the Women Unite! project in 2018 and through many other project phases with support from Irish Aid. She supervised three women groups of 40 member each. Aminata is a mother of four, a schoolteacher who embodies resilience and resourcefulness typical of many African mothers and housewives. Aminata has engaged in diverse income-generating activities to sustain her household. She is a primary school teacher also simultaneously operating a small catering service (Cookery), which was her secondary source of income. Over the years, Aminata has emerged as a beacon of women’s empowerment, a leader, a community development worker and a strong interlocutor in fostering inclusive governance. Her journey is a testament to the transformative impact of capacity-building initiatives on grassroots leadership and community mobilization. This case study explores Aminata’s journey and contributions to her community.
In 2018, Aminata met Talking Drum Studio and its partners: the 50/50 Group and Budget Advocacy Network (BAN), through a project titled ‘Women Unite! Strengthening Women-led Social Cohesion and Accountability in Sierra Leone’. This partnership has been instrumental in her development as a leader within her organization and her community.
The project provided both logistical support (motor bike, laptops, hard drive, stationery etc) and cash transfers to enhance the operations of her organization. Just a few months into the project, she was appointed Head Teacher of the Sierra Leone Muslim Brotherhood School in Port Loko (2019). This milestone achievement marked the beginning of a journey that she will never forget.
In 2020, during an official launch of an agricultural initiative by the Ministry of Agriculture, Aminata was called upon impromptu to deliver the welcome address. Her eloquence and confidence caught the attention of key stakeholders, leading to her immediate appointment as the Public Relations Officer (PRO) for the project. Over the past six years, Aminata has participated in various project-supported capacity-building training and mentoring programs which enhanced her skills and increased her knowledge. She acquired knowledge and skills in Community mobilization, technical skills for effective organizational management, Public financial management, Gender budgeting, Advocacy skills, Conflict mediation using the common ground approach etc. These experiences have equipped Aminata with the necessary tools and experience to lead her organization effectively and advocate for women’s rights in a non-adversarial way. She has gained recognition among her peers, highly respected by local stakeholders and fearless in her pursuit for equal opportunities.
In 2023 during the reformation of the National Federation of Farmers (NAFF) in Port Loko District she was appointed as the Organizing Secretary, a position she assumed without the need for an election, and an acknowledgment of her outstanding leadership in local development. Using her influence and negotiating skills, she has successfully linked the women groups she is supervising with NAFF, and they have accessed agricultural loans. Beyond the agricultural sector, Aminata has expanded her influence into religious, educational, and community development roles. She has been entrusted with multiple leadership roles and currently serves as Secretary of the Central Mosque, Deputy Chairperson of the Education Committee in her Chiefdom, and most recently, a member of the Chiefdom Development Committee, a committee that is male-dominated and with a history of embezzling community development funds. Her strategic engagement in these spaces has reinforced women’s voices in traditionally male-dominated decision-making structures, advancing inclusive governance.
Aminata’s rise is a powerful example of how sustained investment in women-led initiatives can contribute to dismantling barriers and influencing behaviours and attitudes toward women.
