Beam Talks

My name is Mariama Kamara and I am originally from Sierra Leone and moved to the United Kingdom at the age of 9. I have always been interested in development issues especially on poverty, energy, education, sexual and reproductive health and HIV issues relating to women and young people.My background is in Development with a MSc in Development Studies and first degree in Psychology with extensive experience in the field particularly within HIV and sexual health issues relating to women and young girls. I have worked on different HIV, advocacy and campaigning projects at local, national and international level with organisations such asSciDev.Net, African Health Policy Network, VSO, and African Development Association for Progress,Restless DevelopmentandAfrica UKin contributing towards the development of Africa.In 2011, I spent 3 months in Sierra Leone on a placement withRestless Developmentas a SRH Curriculum Development Technical Assistant. I developed a comprehensive Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) graded curriculum for delivery by volunteers in the Youth Empowerment Programme. During my stay, I learnt a lot about access to energy and that the majority of young people I was working with were using kerosene lamps to study. Personal experiences also underscore my understanding of the importance of energy. When I was a young girl growing up in Sierra Leone, I also studied by a kerosene lamp at night. The affect that this had has stayed with me throughout my life. I was also really surprised that this was still happening, when we now have access to clean, affordable, reliable solar products.I started reading, learning, doing research on the solar sector and partnering with different energy and corporate companies. In 2013, I attended theSchool for Social Entrepreneursin London and set up Smiling Through Light which was all an idea but now a reality. I believe in the importance of sustainable energy and the need to work in collaboration with different organisations to ensure that individuals have the opportunity to access relevant energy sources particularly solar.Smiling Though Light ‘Igniting Potential Through Solar’

Mariama Kamara

Are you interested in learning about Sierra Leone, the community in the UK and looking to get inspiration? If so, you need to be at #BeamTalks on the 29/06/2017. 
In 1991 a brutal civil war broke out in Sierra Leone, a country on the west coast of Africa. Since the war the narratives around the country has always been negative and often linked to the civil war, blood diamonds, child soldiers, amputations, sex slaves and the recent Ebola epidemic. The war left an indelible mark in our hearts and minds. Just as in other conflict regions, women in Sierra Leone bore the brunt of the atrocities committed. All the positive work amongst the community in the diaspora are often not spoken about or highlighted. Beam Talks is creating a platform in the UK to change this and share inspiring stories. 
Beam Talks is Smiling Through Light’s UK initiative which showcases the diverse career routes taken by Sierra Leonean women living in the UK. The event will provides a space where role models can discuss their achievements, experiences and challenges with a new generation of change-makers.
This interactive panel discussion will take place on Thursday 29th June 2017 at Lloyds TSB, 25 Gresham Street, London, EC2V 7HN at 6pm. 
The discussion will cover:
<UL>
<LI>Mindset for success in challenging times.</LI>
<LI>Achievements, experiences and challenges with a new generation of change-makers.</LI>
<LI>Contributions of the Sierra Leonean community in the UK.</LI>
<LI>Update on Smiling Through Light's activities - access to clean energy in Sierra Leone. </LI>
</UL>
Confirmed Speakers List:
<UL>
<LI>Mariama Kamara, Founder & Director, Smiling Through Light</LI>
<LI>Muriel Lamin, Head of Commercial & Operations, BBC</LI>
<LI>Lyande Kaikai, Director, My African Passport</LI>
<LI>Siana Bangura, Freelance, Writer/Publisher & Producer</LI>
</UL>
Who should attend:
<UL>
<LI>Senior officials from African government bodies</LI>
<LI>Renewable Energy companies</LI>
<LI>Members of the African Diaspora</LI>
<LI>Entrepreneurs</LI>
<LI>Bloggers </LI>
</UL>
If you would like to sponsor the event, please contact Mariama Kamara at mariama@smilingthroughlight.org 
Due to the venue, you must REGISTER to attend this event. To avoid disappointment please register here: http://bit.ly/beamtalksjune

Ground Floor - MRG 1/2

Our {communityGuidelinesLink} describe the sort of content we prohibit on Eventbrite. If you suspect an event may be in violation, you can report it to us so we can investigate.

To report other categories of prohibited or illegal content, submit {link}

Beam Talks

More events from Mariama Kamara

Discover more events from Mariama Kamara, from Business to other experiences you might love.

Still looking for the right event?

Explore all events in London and filter by date, category, and more to find the perfect fit.

Beam Talks

More events from Mariama Kamara

Discover more events from Mariama Kamara, from Business to other experiences you might love.

More Business events

Browse more Business events with different dates, prices, and formats to find your next great experience.

Still looking for the right event?

Explore all events in London and filter by date, category, and more to find the perfect fit.