Our first year: the FKF Annual Report 2023
Six scholarships, three programmes and a year of work across Freetown and New York — the foundation's founding year.
The Francis Koroma Foundation was established in 2023 as a U.S.-based non-profit set up to support the next generation of global leaders and changemakers, providing the academic support young people need through their transition from students into adults. Our first annual report — prepared by Francis Koroma, Olivia Kabeya and Chisom Onukaogu — sets out what that founding year actually consisted of.
The scholarship programme was established to award high-achieving students in high school and college who carry financial burdens, helping them cover books and some of their tuition on a need-based basis. Six scholarships were awarded in 2023. At secondary level they went to Tennyson Kamara, a science student; Reuben Bidwell, an art student; and Alhaji K Bangura, from the graduating class. At university level they went to Alex Charles Marculey in his first year, Fatmata Swadu Jalloh in her third, and Prince Kevin Ogoo in his second.
Alongside the scholarships, the foundation ran three programmes. The FKF College Admission Program offers a three-to-six-month mentorship guiding students through the early stages of the college application process. Community service took members into their own neighbourhoods, with engagements organised across different parts of the world over the course of the year. And the Opportunity Hub began collecting the conferences, fellowships and training programmes that young people could apply to.
The year's highlights ranged from Freetown to New York. In March the foundation awarded top-performing pupils at the Prince of Wales 98th Annual Speech Day. In April Francis spoke at the United Nations on water for health and cooperation, addressing SDG 6. In August volunteers ran a donation drive in Harlem to mark International Youth Day. In September the foundation was at the Forbes 30 Under 30 Summit. Across the year it also took part in the Youth Connect Africa Summit in Kenya, World Interfaith Harmony Week, a college fair for NYC public school students, and the celebration of six years of the UN Youth Envoy.
The full report, including the year's financial summary, is published in its entirety at the link below.
Sources & further reading