By Sia Lucy Kannah

The Orange Foundation Sierra Leone has awarded three winning schools €2,500 each for their exceptional performance in the 2025 Wiki Challenge for African Schools. The award ceremony was held on 14 August 2025 at the ODC Event Center on Hill Station.

The Wiki Challenge for African Schools is a multi-national writing competition designed for pupils aged 8–15. It encourages them to write and publish articles on Vikidia, the children’s version of Wikipedia, focusing on locally relevant topics that promote both creativity and learning.

Finnah Mariama Steven, Head of Coding at Orange Foundation, explained that this is the second edition of the competition in Sierra Leone. She noted that the country became the first English-speaking nation to participate internationally in 2024, gaining recognition for its contributions. “This year, seven schools took part and participation requires schools to first receive Orange digital school kits,” she said.

One of the winners, Dele Preparatory School, which also emerged as the 2024 international champion, expressed appreciation for the initiative. Speaking on behalf of the school, Philicia J. Samu said: “Winning this competition has motivated us to do more. The prize money will be used to purchase a school bus.”

In his remarks, Orange Sierra Leone CEO, Sekou Amadou Bah, commended the creativity of the pupils and the wider impact of the Foundation’s programs. “Over the past years, Orange Foundation has donated 39 digital school kits, reaching more than 39,000 pupils nationwide,” he stated. He emphasized that the challenge empowers children to tell stories about their culture, history and communities through digital platforms.

Delivering the keynote address, the Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Conrad Sackey, congratulated the winners and encouraged them to continue striving for excellence. “Your hard work, dedication and passion for learning have brought you this far. Each essay reflects not just individual talent but also the collective hope and potential of our future leaders. The future is bright and it is in your hands,” he said. He also praised Orange Sierra Leone for its exemplary role in corporate social responsibility.

The ceremony ended with the presentation of certificates, the awarding of cheques to the winning schools and group photographs to mark the occasion. https://thecalabashnewspaper.com/orange-foundation-awards-winning-schools-in-wiki-challenge-for-african-schools/