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Sia Mahawa Habiama Tommy
Sia Mahawa Habiama Tommy was born on June 25, 1995, in Foindu Gbane, Kono District, Sierra Leone. She is the daughter of Tamba Tandoequima Tommy and shares her father’s birthplace in Foindu Gbane. Her nationality is Sierra Leonean, and she is proficient in three languages: Kono, Krio, and English.

Early Life and Education
She started her education at St. Anthony Primary School in Syke Street Brookfields from 2000 to 2006. She then attended St. Joseph Junior Secondary School (Convent) from 2006 to 2009. Her senior secondary education was divided among three schools: Methodist Girls High School from 2009 to 2010, Koidu Secondary School (KSS) from 2010 to 2012, and Beacon High School from 2012 to 2014 where she sat for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

In 2019, she gained admission to the Institute of Public Administration and Management (IPAM) to read BSc. Public Sector Management. She has distinguished herself as an honours student and is set to graduate in 2024.

Career and Advocacy
Prior to her political career, Sia Mahawa Habiama Tommy worked in the private sector. She started as a Marketer at Digital Islam Company Limited in 2018. A year later, she was promoted to Head of Marketing Department, holding the position from 2019 to 2021. Her primary duties included budgeting, planning, and managing all marketing-related activities for the company.

Sia has also been deeply involved in social activism. She served as Deputy Country Coordinator for the African Women in Leadership Organization (AWLO) Youth Chapter and as Director of Welfare for Academic Ambassadors for Peace and Sustainable Development. In 2022, she became a member of the Youth Collective for Education Restless Development, where she played an instrumental role in policy creation and grant implementation.

Political Career
Fueled by a passion and a long-standing dream for political engagement, Sia Mahawa first dipped her toes into the arena during her time at Institute of Public Administration and Management (IPAM). Sia Mahawa first contested in the Faculty Elections for Leadership and Governance Society, vying for the position of Vice President, but was unsuccessful in the election. Undeterred, she later ran for Vice President in the IPAM Student Union elections but lost again, amid controversies surrounding the electoral process. Despite these setbacks, she was later appointed as the Female Representative at the National Union of Sierra Leone Students, marking her foray into student leadership.

As a focused and determined young woman, Sia took her political aspirations to the national stage in 2020 by becoming an ordinary member of the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP). She later elevated her membership to the level of patron and, eventually, chief patron. Guided by her unwavering commitment, Sia took the bold step of running in the Sierra Leone general elections on June 24, 2023, as a Member of Parliament. She campaigned under the banner of the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) and succeeded in becoming one of the youngest members of parliament through the District Proportional Representation system. Adding to her list of accomplishments, she also became the first hijabee to serve in the House of Parliament of the Republic of Sierra Leone.

Philanthropy
Immediately after her election to Parliament in 2023, she founded Mahawa Foundation. The foundation actively engages in a wide range of critical initiatives aimed at positively impacting our communities. Established on the principles of education, youth empowerment, community development, advocacy, girls’ empowerment, and providing essential support for orphaned children, the Mahawa Foundation strives to make a lasting difference in the lives of the people of Sierra Leone.

Conferences and Workshops
Sia has attended several professional development events, including:

1. Youth Empowerment Seminar on Youth Maximizing their Potentials, Freetown, 2020

2. Psychology of Winning, Freetown, 2020

3. Youth Empowerment Summit, Makeni, 2021

4. National Youth Leadership Summit, House of Parliament, Freetown

5. United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 78)

6. Young Women in Governance Network Port Loko District