By Josephine Sesay
Adama Finda Borway, an inspiring young leader from Sierra Leone, has been named among the top 50 Global finalists for the prestigious 2025 Chegg.org Global student prize. Selected from thousands of applicants worldwide, she is one of only 13 young Africans to earn a place on this year’s shortlist bringing global attention to youth empowerment and resilience in the region.
The Chegg.org Global Student Prize, presented in partnership with the Varkey Foundation, is a $100,000 annual award that recognizes one exceptional student making a significant impact through education, leadership, and social action.
Born and raised in Kono District, Eastern Sierra Leone, Adama’s story is one of perseverance in the face of hardship. Raised by a single mother who survived child marriage and domestic abuse, she suffered a life-altering loss when her mother passed away during her final year of secondary school. Despite these challenges, Adama remained committed to her education and began to emerge as a powerful voice for change.
At just 18, she founded the She-Empowerment League (SEL) a grassroots initiative that equips girls and young women in rural Sierra Leone with leadership training, vocational skills, and mental health support. To date, SEL has impacted over 500 girls across 14 communities, offering programs in tailoring, digital literacy, menstrual hygiene, and small business development. Many beneficiaries have since launched their own enterprises, creating ripple effects of empowerment across their communities.
In addition to her grassroots activism, Adama serves as Sierra Leone’s Global Girls and Young Women Representative on the She Leads Boarda role in which she has been instrumental in advocating for girls’ rights and legislative change. Notably, she played a part in supporting the passage of Sierra Leone’s landmark Prohibition of Child Marriage Act.
Now 22, Adama dreams of establishing a Skills and Leadership Center in Kono District to train more than 500 girls annually. Winning the Global Student Prize would bring her vision one step closer to reality.
This recognition is not just about me, Adama said. It’s about every girl who was told she couldn’t who is now discovering that she can. I want to create a space where girls in Sierra Leone can dream boldly and access the tools they need to succeed.”
Adama’s recognition has not only brought pride to Sierra Leone but has also underscored the transformative power of education, particularly in advancing gender equity and community development.
The final winner of the 2025 Chegg.org Global Student Prize will be announced later this year, with the recipient set to receive a life-changing $100,000 to further their education and expand their impact.
Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Friday,1st August 2025 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
