Drug dependency among young people in Sierra Leone is alarming and “Kush” has become a dangerous escape for those caught between pressure and hopelessness. But beneath the crisis is a deeper story about mental health, limited opportunity, and a generation trying to survive.
In this episode of Honestly Speaking, Antonia Howard sits down with Dr. Abdul Jalloh, Consultant Psychiatrist and Director of Mental Health and Noncommunicable Diseases at the Ministry of Health, to unpack Sierra Leone’s addiction crisis.
What is fueling youth addiction and what will it take to stop it?
Together, they unpack the psychology of addiction, and the solutions needed to build a future where coping doesn’t mean self-destruction.
#HonestlySpeakingwithAntoniaHoward #Kush #SierraLeone #HonestlySpeakingSL
In Sierra Leone, the role of the journalist has never been more complex or more necessary. The fight for truth is happening in an environment where access to information is limited, resources are shrinking, and public trust in the media is fading.
In this episode of Honestly Speaking, journalist and host Antonia Howard sits down with her longtime colleague Lamrana Bah, one of Sierra Leone’s most respected investigative reporters, to reflect on the state of journalism today. Together, they explore the pressures of reporting truth in a polarized society, the economics of media survival, and what happens when truth itself becomes negotiable.
Can journalism still hold power accountable? And can it help rebuild the public trust that keeps democracy alive?
This episode is a real conversation between two journalists who’ve lived the struggle, and still believe in the work.
Leadership in Sierra Leone is often discussed through titles, politics, and power, but what if true leadership has less to do with authority and more to do with values, competence, and followership?
In this episode of Honestly Speaking, Antonia Howard sits down with Dr. Modupe Taylor-Pearce, leadership expert and founder of the Africa Leadership Group, to explore what it means to lead with integrity and purpose in today’s Sierra Leone. Together, they unpack the crisis of followership, the culture of dependency, and how young people can develop the mindset and discipline required to lead effectively.
What kind of leaders do we need to build the Sierra Leone we imagine? And what will it take to redefine leadership for a new generation?
For years, farming in Sierra Leone has been seen as a last resort — something for survival, not success. But what if agriculture could be reimagined as innovation, opportunity, and national pride?
In this episode of Honestly Speaking, Antonia Howard sits down with Lachaeveh Alberta Caizarine Davies, Miss Sierra Leone 2025 and Miss World Top 8 finalist, to discuss how her Dynamo Project (“Feeding Dreams, Rebranding Farming”) is challenging outdated views of agriculture. From tackling hunger and youth unemployment to redefining sustainability, Lachaeveh shares her vision for a future where farming is not only smart and modern but also a key driver of Sierra Leone’s development.
This is a conversation about purpose, mindset, and the power of young people to redefine what progress looks like.
In Sierra Leone, conversations about sex and sexuality remain taboo. In our homes, schools, communities, and even in policy, sexual and reproductive health is rarely named or discussed openly. But this silence comes at a heavy cost: high rates of teenage pregnancy, preventable infections, unsafe terminations, and futures cut short before they begin.
In this episode of Honestly Speaking, Antonia Howard sits down with Leanne Mahota Rizk, Country Director at the Mama-Pikin Foundation, to explore why sexual health must be at the center of Sierra Leone’s development. Together, they unpack the stigma, myths, and cultural barriers that shape how young people learn about their bodies, the gaps in our education and health systems, and what it would take to build a future where every young Sierra Leonean has the knowledge, access, and dignity they deserve.
In Part 1, we celebrated Sierra Leone’s UNESCO recognition of Tiwai Island and the Gola Rainforest with environmentalist Tommy Garnett.
In Part 2, host Antonia Howard speaks with Bala Amarasekaran, founder of the Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary, about what it truly takes to build a culture of conservation. From rethinking mindsets to linking eco-tourism, education, and national pride, Bala shares why protecting nature is not a side issue but central to Sierra Leone’s future, even as Tacugama itself faces challenges that show just how fragile conservation gains remain.
Sierra Leone just celebrated its first World Heritage recognition with Tiwai Island and the Gola Rainforest — a milestone decades in the making. But beyond the pride lies a deeper question: can we truly build a future if environmental protection remains on the margins of our development agenda?
In this episode of Honestly Speaking, Antonia Howard speaks with environmentalist Tommy Garnett about what the UNESCO recognition means, the everyday costs of neglecting nature, and why protecting the environment is not just about forests and wildlife, but about Sierra Leone’s survival, justice, and progress.
Sierra Leone’s past is full of lessons ,but are we paying attention to the ones that matter for our future?
In this episode of Honestly Speaking, Antonia Howard sits down with veteran educator Mrs. Cassandra Garber, whose decades of teaching and leadership give her a unique perspective on how far the country has come, what has been lost along the way, and what values we need to carry forward.
The conversation reflects on how education shaped generations, the cultural values that once held communities together, and the shifts — both good and bad — that mark today’s Sierra Leone. Most importantly, it asks: what lessons from our past can help us build a stronger, more cohesive society going forward?
We often say we have forgiven and forgotten the past, but have we really? In Sierra Leone, forgetting doesn’t erase trauma; it lingers, shaping our identity and our future in ways we rarely admit.
In this episode of Honestly Speaking, Antonia Howard sits down with writer, historian, and human rights lawyer and advocate Joseph Ben Kaifala to explore the dangers of forgetting. From colonial legacies to the civil war and its aftermath, we ask: what happens when a nation chooses silence over memory? And what are the consequences of building a future on stories half-told, or not told at all?
If we forget our past, are we destined to repeat it?
Democracy is not just about elections, it is also about citizens' participation. But how engaged are Sierra Leoneans in shaping the future of the country?
In this episode of Honestly Speaking, Antonia Howard sits down with Valnora Edwin, a leading civil society leader and governance advocate, to unpack the state of citizenship in Sierra Leone. From political literacy and participation to fear, apathy, and systemic barriers, we explore why many citizens remain on the sidelines and what it would take to build a culture of accountability and everyday engagement.
We discuss:
What active citizenship really means beyond voting
Why some Sierra Leoneans remain silent, disengaged, or disillusioned
How citizens can move from being spectators to powerful drivers of democracy
The big question: Are we truly engaged citizens, or are we still waiting for change to come from above?
#HonestlySpeakingSL #Podcast #AfricanLeadership
In this episode of Honestly Speaking, Antonia Howard sits down with youth advocate Mariama Sahid to explore the state of youth engagement, leadership, and service in Sierra Leone. From political spaces to grassroots movements, we unpack the opportunities and barriers facing young people who want to lead.
We’ll discuss how mentorship, intergenerational cooperation, and skills development can prepare young leaders for real impact, and what needs to change for the next generation to step confidently into positions of power.
#ARFICANYOUTH #YOUTHLEADERSHIP #SIERRALEONE #HONESTLYSPEAKINGSL
Speaking truth to power sounds noble, but in Sierra Leone, it can come with a heavy price.
In this episode of Honestly Speaking, Antonia Howard sits down with journalist Umaru Fofana to unpack what it really means to challenge authority in a country where truth can be dangerous — and sometimes, even for sale.
From political backlash and personal risk to the quiet pressures of survival in a fragile media landscape, we explore how power responds when questioned, and why truth itself can become a commodity.
What does it cost to stand against corruption, inequality, and injustice?
Who pays the price? And who benefits from silence?
And what role do ordinary citizens play in defending (or undermining) the truth?
#HonestlySpeakingSL #Journalism #SierraLeone
Sierra Leone’s classrooms are full, but not always inclusive.
In this episode of Honestly Speaking, Antonia Howard sits down with a specialist teacher trainer working to support children with special needs to unpack the hidden crisis of exclusion in our education system. From undiagnosed learning disabilities to outdated teaching methods, we explore how many children are being labelled as “dull,” “difficult,” or “disruptive” when in reality, they simply learn differently.
What does inclusion really mean in practice?
Are teachers equipped to identify and support children with learning challenges?
And what kind of system are we building? One that works for all, or only for some?
Sierra Leone has survived war, disease, economic instability, and natural disaster, but what has it done to our minds?
In this episode of Honestly Speaking, Antonia Howard sits down with mental health advocate Dr. Carol Labor to explore how unspoken trauma, cultural stigma, and the absence of support systems continue to affect the nation’s emotional health.
We unpack the long-term psychological effects of the civil war, even on those born after it, and examine how traditional and religious beliefs shape the way mental illness is understood and treated. From schools and homes to national policy, what does real support look like?
What role does mental health really play in a country’s development? And how do we move forward if we’re still carrying wounds we never named?
We talk about beauty all the time in Sierra Leone, but rarely do we stop to ask what beauty actually represents.
In this episode, Antonia is joined by Hawa Turay - pageant coach, entrepreneur and Sierra Leone's first representative to Miss Universe, to reflect on how beauty pageants shape society’s expectations of women. They discuss the perception of beauty as power, but also the drawbacks that may come with being in the spotlight.
Hawa also speaks candidly about her own journey and challenges us to think differently about what beauty means.
#HonestlySpeakingSL #BeautyPageants #SierraLeone #Women #ImageAndIdentity #AfricanPodcast #Africa
We talk about bad roads, corruption, poor education systems, but how often do we name patriarchy as a root cause of Sierra Leone’s slow progress?
In this powerful episode, lawyer and activist Nicky Spencer-Coker challenges us to rethink development through a gender lens. She argues that until we address gender-based oppression - at home, in schools, in parliament, in the court, we’ll continue building a nation that leaves half its population behind.
#HonestlySpeakingSL #GenderJustice #PatriarchyAndProgress #SierraLeone #WomenInLeadership
In this special solo episode, I’m taking a moment to pause and reflect. No guest, just me, Antonia, sharing the heart behind the podcast and what I hope it does for you, for us, for Sierra Leone.
This episode is about the why: The thoughts that sparked it. The love that fuels it. The honest conversations we desperately need but rarely have.
If this podcast has ever made you pause, laugh, nod, think, see something differently or feel slightly uncomfortable, that’s the point. And we’ve only just begun.
Let’s keep talking...
Follow the podcast channels:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/honestlyspeaking_sl/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Cesv4uin2/?mibextid=wwXIfr
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@honestlyspeaking_sl?_t=ZM-8xnwwTyoGiE&_r=1
#honestlyspeakingsl #podcast #mindsetshift #sierraleone
Feminism is a word that sparks debate — sometimes curiosity, sometimes backlash.
In this episode of Honestly Speaking, Antonia Howard and Dr. Aisha Fofana Ibrahim explore the meaning, the misconceptions, and the lived realities of feminism in Sierra Leone.
From cultural resistance to structural inequality, the conversation unpacks why some view feminism as threatening, how power and patriarchy shape daily life, and what it truly means to advocate for gender equity in a society still redefining its norms.
This episode is a reflection on identity, inclusion, and the systems that still determine who gets heard, who gets space and who gets left behind.
🎧 Now streaming on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & YouTube.
#HonestlySpeakingSL #FeminismInSierraLeone #GenderEquity #MindsetShift #Patriarchy #NewEpisode #africanhistory #podcast #sierraleone
From festivals to fashion shows, cultural events in Sierra Leone are doing more than just entertaining — they’re building identity, community, and pride.
In this episode of Honestly Speaking, Antonia sits down with educator and vibe curator Yeniva Sisay to explore how intentionally curated events help shape national consciousness, challenge social norms, and raise the standard for what progress can look like.
They discuss the power of storytelling, safe spaces, and shared experience in a country still redefining itself — and why events like Ma Dengn are far more than just moments of celebration.
🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & YouTube.
#HonestlySpeakingSL #CulturalEventsSL #MaDengn #BMT #NationBuilding #MindsetShift #NewEpisode
Why is poor service so widely accepted in Sierra Leone?
Is it a lack of training — or a deeper cultural mindset about what people deserve?
In this episode of Honestly Speaking, Antonia and guest, Edleen Elba, explore how customer service reveals more than just business practices — it reflects what we’ve come to tolerate as a society. From apologies to the absence of accountability, we break down how low expectations and cultural complacency have allowed bad service to thrive.
If we want better, we have to expect better — and demand a shift in both mindset and standards.
🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & watch on YouTube.
#HonestlySpeakingSL #CustomerServiceSL #MindsetShift #SierraLeone #CulturalStandards #NewEpisode