HOW TO TURN NEGATIVISM AROUND ! YVONNE AKI-SAWYERR ! SIERRA LEONE !

GREAT TED TALKS !

After the devastating rebel invasion of Sierra Leone in 1999 and the Ebola epidemic in 2014, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, mayor of Freetown, refused to be paralyzed by her frustration with the status quo. Instead, she used her anger as a catalyst for action. In this inspiring talk, she shares how she transformed her city by taking the risks necessary to bring about dramatic change -- and shows how you can find power in your dissatisfaction.

Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, OBE is a Sierra Leonean politician, and the current mayor of Freetown, Sierra Leone

Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, OBE is a Sierra Leonean politician, and the current mayor of Freetown, Sierra Leone

Early life and education[edit]

She attended St. Joseph's Secondary School in Freetown where she was Head Girl and Loreto House Captain.^[2]

She graduated with honors from Fourah Bay College in 1988 where she earned bachelor's degree in Economics.^[1][2] At university, Aki-Sawyerr was active with AIESEC (the International Association of Students in Economics and Management) and she became the first African on AIESEC's Brussels-based International Exchange Committee in 1988.^[2]

She earned a master's degree in International Relations and Politics of the World Economy at the London School of Economics and Political Science.^[1][2] In 1993, she received her certification from the Institute of Charted Accountants in England and Wales.^[1][2]

Political career[edit]

Aki-Sawyerr was recognized for her work during Sierra Leone's Ebola crisis with an Ebola Gold Medal by Ernest Bai Koroma in December 2015.^[2] She was also made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth II in January 2016.^[2]

She became Mayor of Freetown in 2018, winning a total of 309,000 votes representing 59.92% of the community.^[1]