Musa Ansumana Soko

In the early years of 2002, when an end to the Sierra Leonean war was officially declared, Musa founded the Youth Partnership for Peace and Development after volunteering with the NGO, Peacelinks Sierra Leone as President of the Young Generation; program dealing with young people and communities. He continued developing innovative and inspiring post-conflict approaches and projects that help young people to cope with the effects of war through overcoming societal reconciliation with former child/youth combatants in conflict and conflict-free zones.

Today, his Sustainable Youth Livelihood and Empowerment (StYLE) Program is one of the most effective projects that was brought to UN-HABITAT's attention for support as a way of consolidating the country's hard-earned peace through meaningful engagement of not only e4x-combatants, but other young victims as well.

After being awarded multiple prestigious scholarships and fellowships, Musa is a great example of a peacemaker and change agent because of his character of peace, his relentless efforts to redeem youth from the horrors of war and his dedication to using education and training as a tool to create peacemakers for the future.

SOME BASIC FACT ABOUT HIM

Musa Ansumana Soko is youth development activist and social entrepreneur based in Sierra Leone. As he serves in various capacities in post-war Sierra Leone, Musa is the founder and Executive Coordinator of the national youth-led organization; the Youth Partnership for Peace and Development - an organization that was born after the decade-long civil war in Sierra Leone.

He currently occupies key leadership positions as founder of the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Network of Sierra Leone for which he serves as Founder and Chair of the Executive Board.

Having represented his fellow young people at various levels, he is the African Youth Representative to the Youth Advisory Board of UN-HABITAT since his election during the 4th World Urban Forum in China 2008. He was further nominated in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil to represent the World's young people on the Advisory Group of the 5th World Urban Forum which comprised of Heads of States, Ministers, Councilors, Secretaries of States and Most importantly, NGOs and Youth Leaders.

His devotion to the rights of marginalized people Musa is an Awardee of the 2011 National Youth Award as "an Outstanding Activist of the Year and in 2007 from CFN