DEC 10: Investing in Sierra Leone
Turning Heritage into Shared Success 
19:00–20:30 GMT | 14:00–15:30 EST | 11:00–12:30 PST 

Mahawa Kamara is a British-Sierra Leonean creative consultant, entrepreneur, and the founder of Connoisseur Consults, a business-development agency that helps entrepreneurs and organizations build sustainable, purpose-driven enterprises.

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Mahawa’s entrepreneurial journey grew from a period of profound personal change. At 24, she returned to London as a divorced mother without employment and faced the challenge of rebuilding her life. Guided by faith, resilience, and a determination to create a secure future for herself and her daughter, she embraced entrepreneurship as a pathway forward.

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In 2015, after creating a bar of soap to soothe her daughter’s dry skin, Mahawa launched The Soap Connoisseur. She transformed that simple solution into a growing business while developing practical expertise in product creation, branding, business management, and organizational growth.

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With a professional background in social work and community development, as well as qualifications as a beauty specialist, Mahawa brings creativity and compassion to her work. Her passion is helping others recognize their potential, develop sustainable businesses, and pursue opportunities that honor God and serve people. For Mahawa, entrepreneurship is more than a career—it is her calling and God-given purpose.

Born and educated in Moyamba District, Dr. Sandy has combined deep national roots with international expertise to advance institutional capacity, private-sector confidence, and economic development. His leadership contributed to Sierra Leone’s National Trade Strategy and reforms involving cooperatives, agro-processing, consumer protection, industrial development, and special economic zones.

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Edward Hinga Sandy holds a B.Sc. with Honours in Chemistry from Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone, and master’s and doctoral degrees in Environmental Science and Engineering from the China University of Geosciences. He was a Research Fellow in Yale University’s Department of Geology. An experienced science educator, he has taught in schools and served as a Senior Lecturer at the University of Sierra Leone. An accomplished researcher and consultant, he has expertise across a broad range of environmental issues.

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Dr. Sandy was appointed Deputy Minister of Water Resources, Republic of Sierra Leone (2018-2019), where he led critical policy and institutional reforms.  In 2019, he was appointed Minister of Trade and Industry, where he has engineered industry development as a boost to the country's national economic development agenda. In this capacity, Dr. Sandy has forged dynamic relations with the Private Sector, led policy, legislative and institutional reforms that have incorporated emerging functions, and streamlined the management structure of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, enhanced service delivery, improved ease of doing business, advanced export promotion, pushed the drive for import substitution, and contributed to enhanced revenue generation. Under his leadership, the National Trade Strategy, the Cooperative and Agroprocessing policies, the Consumer Protection legislation, the Industry and Special Economic Zone Policies and legislation have either been developed, passed into law, or are in the process of development.  Dr. Sandy is a farmer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist.

Dr Unisa Dizo-Conteh ("Dizo") is the Founder and Director of Dizo Global, a UK-based consultancy focused on diaspora investment, trade and development, with a particular interest in Sierra Leone and Africa. His work bridges research, policy and practice, exploring how diaspora capital, expertise, networks and market connections can contribute to business growth and sustainable development.

His doctoral research, published in the Journal of International Management, examined the role of diaspora networks in the internationalisation of businesses, including how diaspora connections facilitate knowledge exchange, market access and cross-border trade. He has also contributed to international and diaspora-focused initiatives, including work with the African Development Bank and as an international expert with the International Centre for Migration Policy Development.

Dr. Conteh is working with the African Foundation for Development (AFFORD) on an Invest Salone-supported initiative engaging Sierra Leonean diaspora entrepreneurs and investors to understand barriers to investment and business growth and to co-create practical solutions. He is particularly interested in turning diaspora interest into credible investment, trade and partnership opportunities.

TO BE ANNOUNCED