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The Youth Empowerment Program (YEP) in Sierra Leone aims to cultivate democratic understanding and ac-tive citizenship among students, given the various social, economic, and political challenges the young gener-ation faces. Through educational initiatives, particularly Peer Educator Groups and democratic debate compe-titions, YEP addresses critical issues including sexual education, basic human rights, and drug awareness. By empowering students to discuss, reflect, and acquire knowledge on these topics, the program seeks to foster democratic engagement, encourage participation in societal debates, and ultimately cultivate a generation of active citizens committed to civil society involvement. Additionally, a vital part of the strategy in YEP is to influence the authorities in the country, creating support for further activities in schools that address the is-sues in YEP and use the democratic debate format.