A single mother turned business coach: Mary Alpha’s journey in Sierra Leone

KENEMA, SIERRA LEONE (ILO News) - Mary Alpha never expected that she would one day be leading a team of 16, coaching over 1,200 entrepreneurs, and running her own consultancy across five districts in Sierra Leone. A few years ago, she was a single mother of two, looking for a way to turn her education into a livelihood.

I’m a single mum of two. Becoming a certified trainer and coach has shifted my life. I’ve gained financial independence.

Mary Alpha

Her journey began in 2022, when she joined a business coaching initiative delivered by the ILO’s Opportunity Salone Programme, part of the EU-funded "Jobs and Growth" programme aimed at equipping women with practical tools and knowledge. What she found was more than training, it was a turning point. The opportunity helped her clarify her vision, build confidence, and carve a path forward.

© Mary Alpha / Farm Tok

© Mary Alpha / Farm Tok

Thanks to this opportunity, I was able to figure out what people need. That makes me happy. I can take care of my boys. I’m still being coached, but I’m also coaching others now. I’m the breadwinner of my family.

Mary Alpha

After receiving her certification from the ILO, Mary started supporting other entrepreneurs. Under her mentorship, five businesses received grants to grow in the cassava, palm oil, and seasonal produce value chains, creating new employment opportunities for women, youth and persons with disabilities. Building on this success, she founded Farm Tok Consultancy in 2024, an agricultural development initiative focused on training, capacity-building and radio advocacy, with a strong focus on empowering rural SMEs, women, youth, and persons with disabilities.

Since launching, Farm Tok has provided support to more than 1,200 entrepreneurs in partnership with local organizations, including the Sierra Leone Chamber for Agribusiness Development, African Seeds, and the ILO Water for Women and Peace Project.

But Mary’s vision goes far beyond this.

Mary and her team recently launched HER THRIVE, a rural project rooted in her lived experience and her desire to support other young mothers. Blending entrepreneurship, agriculture, and mental wellness, the initiative recognizes the holistic support women need to succeed.

Currently being piloted in three villages in Sierra Leone’s Kenema district, Mary plans to expand the initiative using radio programming to engage rural farmers and small businesses, addressing everyday challenges and helping close critical gaps.

I know what it’s like to be neglected or excluded. This project is deeply personal. It brings young women together, helps them heal, and gives them the tools to build something of their own.

Mary Alpha

© Mary Alpha / Farm Tok

© Mary Alpha / Farm Tok

Mary and her team have already registered 50 women’s groups in Kenema. Their next step: supporting those groups with seedlings, launching baby food micro-enterprises, and continuing to grow sustainable local businesses.

Her message to other aspiring women entrepreneurs?

With the right mindset, we women can be the solution. Agriculture holds endless opportunities - there is always value, even in the mud!

Mary Alpha