Mercury International and Freetown Pitch Night Empower Entrepreneurs with USD 5,000 in Global Entrepreneurship Week

To mark Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) this year, Mercury International, in collaboration with Freetown Pitch Night, has granted  a total of USD 5,000 in prize money to support the entrepreneurial endeavors of four young women. 

The event, themed “Dare2Aspire,” gathered a total of eight female entrepreneurs (five in the junior category and three in the senior category). They presented business pitches spanning carpentry, farming, housing rental, waste management, waste recycling, crochet making, and various other ventures.

N’yillah Elizabeth Cwaray, the founder of N’yillah Designs, secured victory in the senior category, earning a prize of USD 2,000. Meanwhile, Regina K. Turay, a 17-year-old student at St. Joseph Senior Secondary School, emerged as the winner in the junior category, walking away with USD 1,000.

At 22 years old, Cwaray, a political science graduate, specializes in creating modern woodwork using local materials of high quality. Her company is also committed to combating deforestation through tree planting initiatives.

Reflecting on hervictory, Cwaray shared her plans for the prize money, emphasizing the importance of investing in machinery to expand her business. 

“The awarded funds will be invested in acquiring machines to expand the business, eliminating the need to source materials externally. This expansion aims to boost our output and create employment opportunities for others,” said Cwaray.

Turay is the founder of “Operation Clean My Community,” an initiative committed to fostering a healthy environment for all residents in her community, Dwazark.

The additional awardees include Josephine Quee from Jojo Design, who clinched second place in the junior category, winning USD 5,000. In the senior category, the runner-up from Kam Rent Ya secured the prize of USD 1,500.

However, despite the longstanding history of Freetown Pitch Night, this edition stands out as a notable collaboration with Mercury International. The latter has committed a significant USD 25,000 grant in 2023 to support the growth of Sierra Leonean startups.

The past pitch nights saw victories for Emily Fanday, Franklyn Momoh, and Oswald Dundas, each securing a prize of USD 5000. Mercury International and Freetown Pitch Night have one more pitch night scheduled for this year. Prospective participants are urged to stay updated by following Freetown Pitch Night’s social media channels for forthcoming announcements.