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Reading: Meet Daniel Konteh: The First Sierra Leonean NBA Agent
Reading: Meet Daniel Konteh: The First Sierra Leonean NBA Agent

Meet Daniel Konteh: The First Sierra Leonean NBA Agent

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Sallu Kamuskay
By Sallu Kamuskay 626 Views 7 Min Read
7 Min Read
Sierra Leonean First NBA Agent

“Not growing up in Sierra Leone nor attended school there motivated me to assist those in need and drop any knowledge I have to help my country” Daniel Konteh III, 28-year-old

Daniel Konteh was blessed with the opportunity to learn about sports and business in the USA where basketball is a big-time sport. He still faced challenges though he was in the United States. Some of those challenges were coming from a poor background, trying to become the first to go to college, and just overall not having the upper hand and having to make many sacrifices. Despite all the opportunities he had growing up in the United States Of America where he had some opportunities, Daniel never forgot the root of his parents, and anytime he watches or read news about where he came from, He becomes saddened by the fact that most of the news that comes up is about war, Ebola, poverty, and much more negative news. Realizing these odds, Daniel wanted to make a change positively. At a very tender age, he fell in love with playing Basketball and later realized he could use it to change the narrative on how our stories are been told.  Born in the United States of America, on October 4th, 1992, Daniel Konteh is a 28-year-old Sierra Leonean-American, founder of The Soup Foundation, and the first Sierra Leonean BasketBall Agent. Growing up in the United States of America, Daniel was fondly called  Soup which gave birth to his foundation named The Soup Foundation which he founded to support vulnerable children and girls by provided educational support for them.

Daniel founded The Soup Foundation to support vulnerable children and girls by provided educational support for them.

Daniel Konteh attended Centenary University in New Jersey in the United States of America. There he studied business but focused on sports management. This was where his dream began to help recognize the game of basketball in his country.

Growing up in a big family, His mother did not further her education, and his parents being immigrants was tough. Things weren’t easy and he quickly adapted to having an understanding mind and appreciating everything around him. Daniel’s parents wanted the best for them so his parents pushed them to focus on school and how being in the states would give them the life they never had. He remembered all the advice his mother and father used to give him. “Don’t be a follower, instead be a leader” this served as his greatest motivation. Growing up not with the upper hand and having a large family was tough. They had to manage and be very understanding.

Daniel Konteh played basketball until high school and finally realized that he wanted to be on the business side of basketball.  He had always love business. As a kid, he always dreams of becoming an NBA sports agent after becoming a basketball player. His goal then becomes to promote the game in Sierra Leone. “I know a lot of kids watch it and play it but we just don’t have the right resources. I taught my little brother how to play basketball which he now plays in various countries. “ Daniel Told us at Salone Messenger during an interview.

Like many young people, Daniel’s mother and love for his country served as his greatest inspiration throughout his journey, his mother helped her realized and pushed for him to realize his greatest potentials

“My mother has got to be my greatest inspiration. Even if she didn’t understand what I wanted to do she will ask questions and push me to reach that level. After that, I would say my love for Sierra Leone. I think if a lot of Sierra Leoneans would give their knowledge back to the country we can gain so much.” He told Salone Messenger.

 

Growing up, Daniel had never imagined becoming an NBA agent anytime soon, despite all the efforts he had put in and the sacrifices he made, he thought he needed more time, becoming an NBA agent at age 28 was a surprise to him, but he it was something he was prepared for.

“I didn’t think I would be the first Sierra Leone 🇸🇱 agent. When I think about it sometimes it can be a little scary. I know a lot of people will look up to me and I’m up for the challenge. It has been a dream to give back to my country. Not growing up in Sierra Leone nor attending school there motivated me to assist those in need and drop any knowledge I have to help my country.”

 

When asked by Salone Messenger about his message to young people, he said, “My advice is to be confident, play with all your efforts, don’t give up on your dreams and to network and connect. Basketball will grow in Sierra Leone. I am open to talking to anyone about the agent life or seeing how I can assist. I can even provide my number and email. I am also always in Sierra Leone 🇸🇱 a lot.”

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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.