The Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs under the stewardship of Dr. Memunatu Pratt has made tremendous strides in positioning the sector.
Key among the gains made under the Minister’s leadership is the empowerment of women in tourism and capacitating them with innovative and alternative livelihood skills.
The Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Dr. Memunatu Pratt is pioneering a team that is led by strong and resilient women at the helm of affairs at the various agencies of the Ministry, a landmark that is not only changing the tourism narrative but also projecting women at the forefront of its its activities. Joining the rest of the world in celebrating women and their pivotal role in nation building and economic development, the Ministry of Tourism used the day to highlight the successes achieved in empowering women in the sector.
Since 2018, the Ministry has succeeded in developing the entrepreneurship skills of over 2,000 women in coastal communities and also assisted them with start-up kits. Many of these women are now in the tourism value chain and occupied the centre stage in tourism jobs and businesses.
600 women in in six target communities (Lakka, Conakry-Dee, Tombo, Hamilton, Shenge and Chepo in Turtle Island) were trained on climate change risk, costs and benefit of different adaptation options, gender and climate change. This training has increased coastal communities’ resilience on climate change.
In its women in tourism programme, the Ministry with support from the World Bank, Sierra Leone Economic Diversification project (SLEDP) has launched the “Women in Tourism Entrepreneurship and handicraft which will be done by Azelia and Madam Wokie respectively. This training will empower women and provide them with unique job opportunities in the tourism sector.
On the celebration of International Women’s day, the Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Dr. Memunatu Pratt, the General Manager of the National Tourist Board, Fatmata Hamid Carew, the Administrative Manager of the Monument and Relics Commission, Ann-Marie Kamara and the Marketing Manager of the National Tourist Board, Lucinda Kargbo joined a host of strong women in Tourism from across the world at the ITB Berlin 2023.
In her short statement, Dr. Pratt expressed delight for celebrating the International Women’s day during the ITB Tourism Exhibition in Berlin.
She appreciated the UNWTO and also President Bio for passing the Gender Act that gives women the legitimacy of 30% and the entire unsung heroine across the world.
The Minister and team were in Germany to participate in the 2023 edition of the world’s largest travel and tourism trade fair in Berlin.
Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to Germany H E M’baimba Lamin Baryoh welcomed the Tourism delegation to Germany and provided them the necessary assistance throughout their stay in Germany.