In the bustling town of Lunsar, Port Loko, Alimamy Bangura co-founder of Bokatala Investment. a business rooted in a simple yet powerful idea: buying and selling organic vegetables. This journey began when Alimamy attended a training organized by an NGO on preparing liquid organic manure. Inspired by the possibilities of sustainable agriculture, he saw an opportunity to start a business producing liquid organic fertilizers.
At first, Alimamy and his team faced a major challenge — preserving fresh vegetables to maintain quality for their customers. But with the timely support of the ILO’s Opportunity Salone Programme, everything changed. They were provided with a preservation center equipped with solar power systems, ensuring their produce stayed fresh longer and reducing losses significantly.
Alongside this, Alimamy benefited from targeted training, coaching, and mentorship from Aurora Foundation, which helped him sharpen his business skills and build resilience. Through these partnerships, the business successfully digitized its administrative processes, boosting efficiency and professionalism
Today, Alimamy’s business is thriving. They’ve created four new jobs, helping to strengthen the local economy. A new market linkage with a mining operation has also expanded their customer base by an impressive 2,550 clients. What started as an informal venture has now transformed into a formalized, revenue-generating enterprise
Alimamy’s story is a shining example of how practical training, essential resources, and ongoing support can empower local entrepreneurs to build sustainable businesses — benefiting not just themselves but their communities too.
We’re proud to showcase this journey, a testament to the impact of the ILO Opportunity Salone Programme and Aurora Foundation’s commitment to nurturing Sierra Leone’s SME ecosystem.
