Salone Compass Newspaper

NARCO NIGHTMARE!
Opposition Leader Hon. Abdul Kargbo has launched a blistering warning to President Julius Maada Bio, saying Sierra Leone risks sliding into a full-blown “narco-state” amid mounting international co***ne trafficking scandals linked to the country. From the shocking interception of a vessel carrying over 30 tonnes of co***ne allegedly departing Freetown, to growing global scrutiny over Kush, airport drug busts, and the notorious “Mocro Mafia” connection, Kargbo says Government silence is damaging Sierra Leone’s image, security, economy, and global credibility. He warned that history shows nations become narco-states gradually through corruption, compromise, and silence — urging immediate action before irreversible damage is done.

When Innovation Meets Opportunity

Richlyn Kainekay Turay, 2025 OSVP Tech Queen Winner
Why OSVP 2026 Is a Defining Moment for Young Women Building Solutions That Matter, 2025 OSVP Tech Queen Winner tells her Inspirational Journey.
Freetown, 11th May 2026
At Orange Digital Center, innovation is about more than technology, it is about people, purpose, and progress. It is about creating opportunities that empower individuals and communities to thrive.
For me, that opportunity came through the Orange Social Venture Prize (OSVP) 2025, a turning point in my journey as an innovator and entrepreneur.
My name is Richlyn Kainekay Turay, Co-CEO of TechMinds SL Ltd., a software and IT consultancy company based in Sierra Leone. I also lead the development of Smart College, our flagship digital solution designed to modernise higher education management, streamline institutional operations, and improve learning experiences for students and educators alike.
Being recognised as the OSVP Tech Queen 2025 was more than receiving an award. It was a powerful vote of confidence, confidence in the problem we are solving, the potential of our solution, and the impact women can create when given the right support.
From Promise to Progress: The OSVP Effect
Before OSVP, Smart College was a promising idea gaining traction. After OSVP, it evolved into a solution with clearer direction, greater credibility, and stronger potential for scale and impact.
Through OSVP’s support, we expanded Smart College far beyond its initial scope. The platform now includes enhanced system features, improved performance, and smarter workflows tailored to the real needs of academic institutions. These improvements were shaped by mentorship, strategic guidance, and exposure provided through the OSVP ecosystem.
The visibility created by Orange opened doors to strategic partnerships, valuable industry conversations, and meaningful collaboration. OSVP did not simply showcase our product, it connected us to people, networks, and knowledge that strengthened our solution and positioned it for sustainable growth within Sierra Leone’s education technology landscape.
Empowerment Through the Orange Digital Centre
A key part of this journey was the support I received through the Orange Digital Centre. The experience offered far more than technical guidance, it provided clarity, confidence, and renewed purpose.
Through mentorship and tailored support, I strengthened my leadership skills, refined our growth strategy, and learned how to scale responsibly while remaining focused on impact. These experiences reinforced an important truth: technology creates lasting value when people remain at the centre of innovation.
For women in technology and entrepreneurship, this kind of intentional support matters deeply. It reflects Orange’s commitment to inclusion and diversity, and its belief that innovation becomes stronger when every voice has the opportunity to lead.
An Invitation to Young Women Innovators
To every young woman with an idea capable of solving a real challenge: OSVP is for you.
If your solution is still evolving, apply. If you are unsure whether you are “ready,” take the step anyway. The Orange Social Venture Prize is not only about recognising what already exists, but also about nurturing what is possible. The OSVP journey encourages innovators to think boldly, build responsibly, and lead with purpose. It offers access to mentorship, visibility, and a supportive community that believes in growth through learning and collaboration.
Through OSVP, I found confidence, community, and the courage to push my innovation beyond its limits.
Innovation With Purpose, Impact With Reach
Today, Smart College supports more institutions and contributes to a more efficient and digitally enabled education sector in Sierra Leone. Beyond product development, OSVP has also deepened my commitment to giving back.
I continue to mentor students and young entrepreneurs, especially women, because innovation grows stronger when knowledge is shared and opportunities are multiplied.
My journey reflects what can happen when vision is supported by opportunity, and when innovation is guided by purpose.
Why OSVP 2026 Matters
Applications are now open for the 8th edition of the Orange Social Venture Prize (OSVP) 2026. Entrepreneurs in Sierra Leone are invited to submit their projects from 26 March to 17th May 2026.
Apply here: https://poesam.orange.com/en/
Learn more about OSVP: https://www.orange.com/en/osvp
Prizes
SLE 200,000 – National Winner (Sierra Leone)
SLE 120,000 – Tech Queen (Women’s Category)
€10,000 – €25,000 – International Prizes
€20,000 – International Women’s Prize

If you are driven by a solution that creates positive change, do not underestimate your idea. Apply even if you feel uncertain. Progress often begins with the courage to try.
The Orange Social Venture Prize 2026 could be the moment your idea grows into impact, and your journey into lasting change.
OSVP changed my path.
It might just shape yours too.

In July last year, Hon.. Kandeh Kolleh Yumkellah- the Chairman of the Presidential Initiative on Energy and Food Security, promised an electricity revolution with over 250 megawatts of power by 2026. But today, Sierra Leoneans say they are living under “250 megawatts of blackout.” From Freetown to the provinces, homes, businesses and hospitals remain trapped in suffocating darkness as frustration boils nationwide. With blackouts worsening daily despite millions spent on the energy sector, citizens are now demanding answers: Where is Karpowership?

OVER 250 MEGAWATTS BLACKOUT!
What was promised as an electricity revolution has now turned into a nationwide darkness crisis. From Freetown to the provinces, homes, businesses and hospitals are trapped in unbearable blackouts while citizens demand answers: Where is Karpowership? Despite millions spent and repeated government assurances, Sierra Leoneans say they are seeing more darkness than electricity. Businesses are collapsing, students study under candles, and frustration is boiling across the country as the much-promised power supply appears to have vanished into thin air.