All Works of Life (AWOL) has relaunched its National Achievement Awards and unveiled the committee that will oversee the 2026 edition, ending a hiatus since the last ceremony in 2019. The launch took place on Thursday, 24 September 2026, at Roof Garden on Aberdeen in Freetown. The awards will recognize individuals and institutions whose work has made a meaningful contribution to Sierra Leone. The National Achievement Awards Committee (NAAC) is chaired by Dr. Fatu Taqi and includes Professor Joe A.D. Alie and representatives from the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists, 50/50 Group, Budget Advocacy Network, Sierra Leone Bar Association, National Youth Commission and Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion.
Ahmed Sahid Nasralla, Chairman, All Works of Life (AWOL) said “After a period away, the National Achievement Awards are back.” Present were AWOL members, committee representatives and journalists. He said the relaunch formed part of the organisation’s efforts to rebuild, reconnect and increase its impact.
The Chairman underscored that achievement should be recognized across all walks of life. He cited the contributions of petty traders, teachers, nurses, farmers, journalists, security personnel, civil servants, business leaders and public officials, alongside organisations working for national development.
“The National Achievement Awards have always been about one fundamental idea: recognizing people and institutions or organisations that are making a difference,” he said.
He described the awards as one part of AWOL’s wider commitment to putting Sierra Leone first and giving back to society. Recalling the organisation’s support for Connaught Hospital, he said AWOL had donated an X-ray machine and a generator for the hospital’s X-ray department during a period of electricity challenges. Members had also volunteered to clean and paint the department.
“That is the AWOL spirit,” Ahmed Sahid Nasralla said. “It is not about waiting for somebody else to solve every problem. It is about asking what we can contribute and then doing it.”
He said the newly unveiled National Achievement Awards Committee (NAAC) would be central to protecting the credibility of the selection process. Its members, drawn from a range of professions and institutions, would help ensure that achievements are assessed fairly and that recipients and the public can have confidence in the results.
Ahmed Sahid Nasralla said the 2026 programme would reflect the importance of peace, national cohesion and a shared sense of purpose. Although details of the awards programme have yet to be formally announced, he urged Sierra Leoneans to look beyond political and other differences.
“We have had our differences as a nation,” he said. “But there must always be something very important and dearer than our differences. That is our Sierra Leone.”
The 2026 awards will also commemorate the 10th anniversary of the late Ambassador Moseray Fadika, a former AWOL Chairman whom Ahmed Sahid Nasralla described as an important figure in the organisation’s history.
He said AWOL intends to make this year’s ceremony shorter and better organized than previous editions, some of which continued late into the night. The organisation would work with the committee to deliver an event that is relevant and meaningful to the public.
The relaunch follows AWOL’s second Annual General Meeting in December 2025, held under the theme: “Reigniting the AWOL Spirit: Rebuilding, Reconnecting and Repositioning for Impact.” According to Ahmed Sahid Nasralla, Chapters at that meeting adopted a new AWOL Global Constitution and reforms aimed at improving governance, transparency, accountability and unity.
He also pointed to AWOL’s work in education and charity, including its annual School Feeding and Awards Programme, which he said is expected to resume in 2027. Ahmed Sahid Nasralla thanked AWOL members, the media and former leaders for sustaining the organisation’s vision, acknowledging the contribution of former Chairman Ambassador Anthony Navo Jnr. and his team.
Dr. Fatu Taqi, Chairperson, National Achievement Awards Committee (NAAC), pledged to oversee the awards with independence, integrity and fairness. She said Committee members had volunteered their time and expertise for a demanding process that would involve nominations, voting and final decisions.
She also cautioned that members could face pressure from nominees, supporters and others with preferences about the outcome. The Chairperson urged them to judge candidates on their contributions and to protect the credibility of both the Committee and the institutions they represent.
“You should stand with the conscience and serve with the integrity that is expected of you,” she told Committee members.
Dr. Fatu Taqi said the awards should also bring attention to people whose work often goes unnoticed. Public nominations, she explained, would give Sierra Leoneans an opportunity to identify individuals and institutions deserving recognition before the Committee assesses their contributions.
She stressed that social class, region, religion, education, gender, skin colour and other aspects of a nominee’s background should not determine the outcome. “It’s about the work that you have done,” she said.
While acknowledging the growing number of awards programmes, Dr. Fatu Taqi said the National Achievement Awards could distinguish themselves through credible decisions and a consistent focus on service. She pledged that the Committee would approach its work with professionalism and creativity.
The Committee includes representatives from the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists, 50/50 Group Sierra Leone, Anti-Corruption Commission, Sierra Leone Medical and Dental Association, Potent Network Advocacy, Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion, National Youth Commission, National Commission for Persons with Disabilities and Sierra Leone Bar Association. Cultural figure Professor Joey D. Ali also serves on the Committee.
Yvonne Heroe, Director of Monitoring and Evaluation at the Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion, said the celebration of achievement should reinforce peace and reconciliation. Progress in education, community service and other fields, she said, depends on a stable environment in which people can work and contribute. “National achievement can only be realized in the soil of peace,” Yvonne Heroe said.
She urged those involved in the 2026 awards to use the occasion to encourage unity, respect and national responsibility. Recognizing outstanding work, she said, should inspire more Sierra Leoneans to serve their communities while strengthening the cohesion needed for lasting development.
