The Lions’ Den Educational Forum will provide all Salone Rising grant and business loan recipients with training and mentoring experiences. Micro grant recipients will receive a nine hour training over the course of three days, and complete a simple business plan. Small business loan recipients will receive a 36-hour, four week business training course on marketing, pricing, cost analysis, bookkeeping, goal setting, and banking. Medium business loan recipients will receive all of the above; they are also matched with qualified, experienced business owners selected by Salone Rising whose relevant skills and success will help guide the participant’s goals for his/her own business. Salone Rising will hire educators from within Sierra Leone to develop and present these trainings and establish mentorships.

Business experts from outside the country will be encouraged to visit Sierra Leone to provide their unique perspectives at forums and other events, and/or via webinar and other media. As Salone Rising develops, universities with related programs geared toward fostering entrepreneurship will be invited to develop additional mentorship, research and evaluation opportunities. Plans are in development to provide training and mentoring opportunities for the wider community of small business entrepreneurs in Sierra Leone.