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Beyond Basketball Launches in Sierra Leone with Focus on Youth, Basketball and Community Impact
On Wednesday, 6 May 2026, Beyond Basketball officially launched in Freetown, bringing together players, coaches, federation officials, educators, and supporters from across Sierra Leone’s basketball community. The initiative, founded by former Sierra Leone national player Oladipipo “Pipo” Robbin-Coker, aims to use basketball as a platform for youth development, mentorship, education, and community support. The launch event introduced the organisation’s long-term plans to improve access to the sport while creating opportunities for young people on and off the court. Held over the course of one hour and fifteen minutes, the programme combined formal presentations, stakeholder remarks, symbolic activities, and networking sessions that reflected both the growth of basketball in Sierra Leone and the…
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The Red Flags We Romanticised: How Emotional Illiteracy Taught Us to Call Pain Love
There is a particular kind of heartbreak that does not arrive through betrayal or abandonment. It arrives quietly, through awareness. It is the moment you realise that what you defended, excused, prayed through, and labelled love was in fact a series of emotional compromises: sanctioned by culture, reinforced by faith, and normalised by generations who were never taught emotional literacy. Many of us did not overlook red flags. We romanticised them. Not because we lacked intelligence or discernment, but because we were never given the language to name emotional harm. Especially when it appeared respectable, spiritual, or culturally endorsed. What Red Flags, Actually Are? The phrase red flag originates from warning systems. Simply…
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Gen Z Isn’t Quitting Goals-They Are Redefining Ambition For Mental Health
Change is often described as the only constant phenomenon, and nowhere is this more evident than in how success and ambition are defined across generations. In the past, success was measured by how hard one hustled long hours, relentless pressure, and visible sacrifice were worn as badges of honour. As generations evolve and societal values shift, a new narrative is emerging. Today, Generation Z is rewriting the rules and reshaping what ambition truly means. Generation Z those born roughly between 1997 and 2012 is not abandoning ambition. Instead, they are redefining it. For this generation, goals are no longer just milestones on a ladder toward financial success or social status.…
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UNiTE to End Digital Violence Against Women & Girls: 2025 Action Guide
The goal to eradicate violence against women and girls is unquestionably worthy. Yet, the notion that 16 days of activism could be enough to curb such a deeply rooted issue invites honest reflection. Is 16 days truly necessary? The answer is yes! but only as a catalyst. The campaign is relevant for raising awareness, building solidarity, amplifying voices, and mobilizing political will. However, it is only a beginning, not a solution on its own. Digital violence against women and girls is widespread, evolving, and often devastating. Ending it requires far more than a moment it demands sustained action. According to research, as unsettling as it may be, violence in digital…
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40 Things I’ve Learned at 40: A Mini Masterclass in Growth, Purpose & Becoming
Turning forty is often framed as a milestone of arrival. For me, it is something far more sacred: a milestone I was not always certain I would reach. My early years were marked by significant personal trials: near-death accidents, a season of facial paralysis, complex reproductive health battles including fibroids, adenomyosis and endometriosis, the private grief of infertility, business disappointments, personal failures and seasons of immense loss. There were moments when the future felt uncertain, when long-term planning felt aspirational rather than guaranteed. Longevity was never something I took for granted. Yet surviving is not the same as living. Somewhere between hospital rooms, boardrooms, classrooms and prayer closets, a shift…
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THE NEED FOR SOCIAL WORK IN SIERRA LEONE.
The need for social work in Sierra Leone. The social welfare of our people in Sierra Leone has been on a steady decline. The young people are frustrated with the lack of opportunities and the older generation are overburdened. One thing is clear, both groups are UNHAPPY. Ariana Diaries enjoys promoting habits that would develop into a healthy lifestyle. We are always looking for ways we can contribute to an improved holistic wellness in communities. As against the backdrop of the recently concluded celebrations we thought it fit to chat with someone who is trained to develop ways of working with people for better lives. Ms. Memuna Stevens is a…
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HEALING TRANSFORMATIONS
If you were to select a motto or make a statement that is truer to the heart. This must be it; I will stay true to myself. Recently I thought it was about time to have hair again. I spent 5 hours getting the most beautiful crochet twist braids done. I loved it but my body rejected it. My body reminded me that i needed to stay true to myself. For this reason I chose to share this story! Since 2016 I have enjoyed my many hair transformations. Annoying many, thrilling a few and of course I shone on the spotlight for being ‘crazy and reckless’ Poor me i never…
