Ibrahim is a youth leader and advocate for sustainable development in Sierra Leone, focusing on educational challenges in rural communities. As a Research and Teaching Assistant at Central University and through his involvement with organisations like YESDe-SL, Ibrahim uses photography, writing, and public speaking to raise awareness about barriers to education, including lack of resources and unsafe journeys to school. He works with geospatial data to improve local infrastructure and schools and advocates for sustainable, green cities that enhance educational opportunities and children’s well-being.

“This is not merely about a collapsed bridge. It is about safety, justice and the right to learn without risking one’s life. Every day, pupils from Katic Wallah walk miles and face the terrifying prospect of crossing a dangerous river. They dream of becoming doctors, lawyers, entrepreneurs and changemakers. But how can they achieve this when the road to school is a gamble with death?

This bridge is not just wood and nails; it represents connection between families, between present and future, between dreams and reality.

It is not just the children. Parents, farmers, traders and workers cross this bridge daily to sustain their families. Their safety and livelihoods matter too.

As someone born and raised in this community, I know this path. I have crossed that bridge. Today, I speak as both a son of the soil and an advocate. The resilience shown by this community must now be met with action. Together, school authorities, pupils, community leaders and residents of Katic and Gbainty Wallah call on: Local District Council and Chiefdom Administration, government ministries and agencies, international development partners, NGOs and civil society organisations, philanthropists and private sector actors.

We urgently call for the immediate construction of a safe, permanent, modern bridge. One that supports access to education, safeguards livelihoods and honours the aspirations of this forgotten but determined community.

Let this not be a story remembered only in tragedy. Let it be a turning point. Let us build this bridge with urgency, compassion and resolve.”