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Aquaculture Company Provides 5,000 Fresh Fish To Over 100 Households In Bo: Meet The Founder.

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Last updated: 2021/09/25 at 12:24 AM

By Sallu Kamuskay Published September 25, 2021 490 Views 9 Min Read

9 Min Read

Aquaculture Company Provides 5,000 Fresh Fish To Over 100 Households In Bo: Meet The Founder.

5,000 Fresh Farmed Fish To Over 100 Householders In Bo And Its Environs: Meet The Founder

Aminata F Kandeh, founder and CEO of the first Sierra Leonean-owned Aquaculture company – Agro Fish Farm SL Ltd, talks about her company’s new Bo operation, the opportunities and challenges of founding a business, and how the aquaculture sector can help to revitalise fish market in Sierra Leone.

Born in Kenema, Aminata F Kandeh is a 32-year-old Sierra Leonean entrepreneur working in the agri-business sector Aquaculture and the founder of the first Sierra Leonean Aquaculture company in Sierra Leone. Agro Fish Farm Company SL Ltd aimed at advancing the fish farming business, producing freshwater table size tilapia and catfish. Their objective is to address the inadequate access to fresh and healthy fish in the Bo district. At age 12, Aminata F Kandeh started her entrepreneurship journey, during school holidays Aminata will sell plastic items like rubber buckets, rubber bowls, rubber cups, and proceeds made will be used for her schooling.

Growing up in Sierra Leone, Aminata F Kandeh started her education journey at the African women educationist (FAWE) in Freetown. In 2000 Aminata scored the highest aggregate since the opening of the school with 322. She continued her education at the Freetown secondary school, in 2010, Aminata enrolled at the Njala University Njala campus Moyambia district, where she studied Aquaculture and fisheries management. Aminata F Kandeh holds a Bsc Hons in Aquaculture and Fisheries Management, a diploma in National Adaptation Plans, Building climate Resilience in Agriculture, a certificate in Extension Services, and also a certificate in Entrepreneurship.

Growing up in Northern Sierra Leone, Aminata Fatmata Kandeh worked as a research assistant in an international, non-profit research organization that harnesses the potential of fisheries and aquaculture to reduce hunger and poverty.

Luck would smile on her when, in 2016, she had the opportunity to leave the desk for a field trip to a remote community, outside the capital. But what appeared to be an exciting journey became a sad tale on arrival.

Aminata represented Sierra Leone at the Young Africa Leader’s Initiative in Ghana 2017, South Africa in 2018 for the Obama Africa Leadership program, and Nigeria 2019 for Tech Build Point Entrepreneurship program. In 2016, whilst working in Tonkolili District (Nothern Region), as Agriculture/Aquaculture Research assistant at the World Fish Center traveling to remote communities and learning about wetland environment in the country, it was then she realized that people in rural communities find it very difficult to access fresh and healthy fish, due to poor infrastructures like poor road network, lack of storage facilities, and power supply. And as a result of this, most of the children under five years, pregnant women, and suckling mothers are malnourished in these communities.

Aminata has been able to provide 5,000 fresh farmed fish to over 100 householders in Bo and its environs at a very affordable price and as well provide a job for 20 youths and women in Bo town. She looks forward to increasing her deployment units (fish ponds) creating more jobs targeting an increase in production level from 5tons to 10tons making more fresh fish available in the rural market.

During our conversation with young change-makers, we caught with Aminata as she took us through her inspiring journey.

Sallu kamuskay

What do you do in your line of work?

Aminata F Kandeh

“I am an entrepreneur working in agribusiness sector Aquaculture to specific. My company is the first Sierra Leonean Aquaculture Company in Sierra Leone. The aquaculture sector is still at its incubation stage, but notwithstanding me and team are working restlessly to ensure we develop and grow this industry”

Sallu Kamuskay

You are the founder and Chief Executive Officer of (CEO) Agro Fish Farm company SL Ltd? What would you say enable you to set up this initiative?

Aminata F Kandeh

“BY the grace of God I am the founder of Agro Fish Farm Company SL Ltd, it never cross my mind to establish a company but one clear thing was that I want to contribute to food security and I want to be self-reliant which our mum instill in us. Well, I will say due to my educational background and also having the privilege to work in an international fish farming company called WorldFish Center. Where I was able to acquire the practical knowledge and get a feel of this noble field.”

Sallu Kamuskay

Tell us about the services the Agro Fish Farm company SL Ltd offer and where are your operation areas?

Aminata F Kandeh

“Agro Fish Farm is engaged in advance to fish farming business we produce freshwater table size tilapia and catfish. Our objective is to address the inadequate access to fresh and healthy fish in the Bo district. We are operating BO town and some of our products are life tilapia and catfish, partly processed tIlapia and catfish, and complete processed tilapia and catfish fish which help the customers spend less time in the kitchen. We also provide the following services skills and development Training in Aquaculture, consultancy, and extension services and we also provide Aquaculture input like fingerlings and fish feed”

Sallu Kamuskay

Before setting up these farms, where have you worked before and what position did you hold?

Aminata F Kandeh

“After university, I have worked and serve in different positions and institutions. Ministry of Education as support staff, West Africa Rice Company as farm manager. WorldFish Center as Research Assistants, BRAC as a loan officer and NEC as a presiding officer “

Sallu kamuskay

Reflecting on your childhood or early youthful age, what was/were the difficult things you did to survive, acquire education, or any of your dream?

Aminata F Kandeh

“life in university was hard being the first child of my mother to enter university, I have to sell recharge card, egg and other things to see myself through university I called Amie top up by colleagues and lectures but all that didn’t matter as long I was able to survive in university”

Sallu Kamuskay

How would you count on the impact of your work in fighting any of the Sustainable Development Goals?

Aminata F Kandeh

“My mission is to develop a food system that is inclusive and sustainable. My work is towards SDGs one, two, and three. I want to see my community, my country, my continent to free from food poverty irrespective of income status.”

Sallu Kamuskay

What would be your message to Sierra Leoneans?

Aminata F Kandeh

“I want all Sierra Leone to support small business in the most positive ways and also to we the small business owners let be creative and produce quality for our people. “

Sallu Kamuskay

What do you do for fun?

Aminata F Kandeh

“watch movies, visit new places”

Sallu Kamuskay

How can you be reached? Your social media platforms and website?

Facebook a Agro fish farm SL Ltd

Instagram Agro fish farm SL Ltd

whatsApp by +23276223439

TAGGED: Aminata F Kandeh, Aquaculture Company, Salone Messenger

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Sallu Kamuskay is a Sierra Leonean communication strategist, fixer, blogger, youth organiser, event manager, spokesperson, and public relations expert. His work has been regularly referenced and published by national and international media and public policy institutions. Sallu Kamuskay was a child during the brutal war in Sierra Leone. Growing up in the midst of conflict, Sallu witnessed unimaginable abuse of children and gross violations of human rights. The horrors he witnessed during the Civil War had a terrible impact on him at a very tender age. But despite the shock of the war, Sallu never lost hope. He started on a journey of recovery, studying, and working for a better future. At age 15, Sallu entered into the world of activism and advocacy. Sallu Kamuskay was the Vice President of the Young Leaders Organisation, a member of the National Youth Council. The Young Leaders is one of the oldest youth-led organisations in West Africa. The organisation was formed by a group of young leaders, and launched by the then Head of State/President of Sierra Leone. Sallu was part of the group of young leaders who participated in and contributed to the establishment of the National Youth Council. The Commonwealth supported the training for trainers programme with line ministries and youth stakeholders in which key, representatives of youth council, student union and civil society/private sector youth platforms were engaged and empowered in the effective engagement and inclusion of youth. Sallu is co-founder and Executive Director of the Salone Messenger, a global multimedia and public relations firm based In Sierra Leone. Sallu has worked on various developmental and policy issues such as Poverty, Climate Change, Human rights, Child Rights, Education, Health, Gender Equality, Civic Engagement, Government policies, Information Communication Technology for Development and the Sustainable Development Goals, and has also been contributing to various global events and advocacy campaigns. Sallu Kamuskay is the co-founder and Executive Director of the Salone Messenger, a global Multimedia and Public Relations Firm based in Sierra Leone with the latest news and information, on top stories, business, politics, entertainment, and more. Sallu is working with a leading technology company in Africa, Techfrica, that has recently developed and launched a social media, messaging Supfrica with over 150,000 downloads on the Google play store in less than 4 days. He is the Adviser and Media coordinator for the App to give people the platform to connect and communicate to help shape their future with a very fast internet that allows users that live in deprived and hard-to-reach areas with poor internet facility to be able to communicate as it allows and stronger on 2 and 3 G network reception. Sallu has over 9 years of experience in youth engagement, inclusion, and coordination both at local and global levels, giving voice to young people and engaging young people to build a better world. He has served as coordinator for the Wave Alliance which brought together youth-led organisations who attended an international training in South Africa organized by the International Organization – Waves for Change. Sallu is working with the MLT, Waves For Change, and the Government to develop safe spaces for young people, with a view to contributing to the overall development goals of young people including health, as well as to community rebuilding. Sallu is currently the Programme Director for the Wave Alliance, which is a coalition of youth-led and community-based organisations that have successfully introduced evidence-based Surf Therapy programs to young people in communities, with a focus on mental health, peace building and sustainable development. Sallu is currently the focal point and face of Africa’s Faces Social media platform which is a global Social media platform that brings together people from across the world to share their moments, connect, share videos, and interact with friends giving more preference to excluded continents like Africa. Sallu Kamuskay has devoted his time to working for or contributing to a number of national and international organizations and companies, including the Techfrica Technology Company, United Nations, ECOWAS, European Union, Commonwealth Africa Initiatives. This work has led him to travel to a number of countries to contribute to global youth platforms. Sallu is the lead Coordinator for Peace Tour programme, an initiative supported by the European Union, Africa Union, ECOWAS focusing on uniting and empowering young people and local communities. Over the years, Sallu Kamuskay has been using his Techno phone to be able to tell stories, the phone he used to tell the story of Gbessay during Ebola who was admitted at one of the Ebola treatment centers after rumors that she had Ebola when the actual sickness was ulcer, she was almost abandoned at the treatment canter with no medication provided to her. She could have died. Sallu told the story via social media and was able to secure funding from the United Sierra Leone to buy her medication and advocated for her. She was later discharged and taken home, He did the same to a patient that died and was abandoned in the street, Sallu Kamuskay used his phone and shared the message across, the corps was later taken and buried. It could have been more disaster without his voice. The story of late America Stress 3-year-old daughter. The hero’s daughter was abandon after his father's death. He shared her sad story and was able to get a sister who has taken the child as her own and is currently providing her with educational support. The article of America Stress can be read on the link below http://ayvnewspaper.com/index.php/k2-categories/item/7350-america-stress-a-hero-to-recognize. Sallu Kamuskay feels the stories of Gbessay, America stress and that of many others need to be told. The media house we have cannot better tell these stories, they are better reporters than telling human interest stories. He created the Salone Messenger platform and brought together passionate storytellers to be able to tell these compelling stories.