Media trailblazer, development strategist, and fearless advocate for truth, Lolo Yeama Sarah Thompson-Oguamah, widely known as Yeama Sarah Thompson, was honoured with the Outstanding Media Achiever Award by Heroes Media Group on May 10, 2025. The award was presented during a ceremony held under the theme: “Building a Community of Progressive People through Media Viability.”
The accolade recognises Thompson’s transformative role in redefining media as a tool for progress, accountability, and empowerment, particularly for women, youth, and marginalised communities in Sierra Leone and across West Africa.
A Lifelong Commitment to Purpose-Driven Media
With over 25 years of professional experience spanning journalism, governance, advocacy, and media development, Lolo Yeama Sarah Thompson-Oguamah has earned respect both nationally and internationally. Her career began in war reporting and evolved into strategic leadership roles across institutions critical to Sierra Leone’s democratic and media infrastructure.
As Founder of Initiatives for Media Development (IMdev) and Spectrum Newspaper, and current Managing Director of the Sierra Leone News Agency (SLENA), Yeama Sarah Thompson has led numerous national initiatives on media viability, press freedom, open data governance, gender-responsive journalism, and civic education. She has collaborated with global institutions, including the UN Women, UNICEF, UNESCO, the World Bank, USAID, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, the European Union and the Carter Centre.
She was also the country’s first Commissioner responsible for Open Data and Proactive Disclosure under the Right to Access Information Commission, where she played a pivotal role in promoting government transparency and citizen participation.
Media Viability Advocate and Gender Champion
A cornerstone of Yeama Sarah Thompson’s legacy is her pioneering work in promoting media sustainability and gender-sensitive journalism. She led Sierra Leone’s participation in the Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP) and has served as a Gender Media Consultant for several United Nations initiatives, advancing ethical and empowering portrayals of women in the media.
Currently serving as Chair of the Technical Advisory Committee of the National Fund for Public Interest Media (NAFPIM), she has also supported over 30 regional consultancy projects, ranging from civic education and election messaging to fact-checking and training on disinformation response.
Her leadership during the national COVID-19 and MPOX communication campaigns further underscores her commitment to building innovative and inclusive public communication systems in Sierra Leone.
A Mentor, Strategist, and Thought Leader
Yeama Sarah Thompson is not only a builder of systems but a builder of people. She has mentored hundreds of journalists, civic educators, and public sector communicators in media ethics, policy communication, and rights-based reporting. A recipient of prestigious fellowships—including with IREX, the Open Data Institute, and the U.S. State Department’s Edward R. Murrow Program—she continues to influence global conversations on data openness, media governance, and inclusive communication.
In her acceptance remarks, Thompson stated:
“Media viability is about survival, but also about imagination. We must build resilient, inclusive, and ethically grounded media ecosystems that give voice to our people and dignity to our democracy.”
Her recognition as an Outstanding Media Achiever is not only a personal milestone but also a national affirmation of the critical role women leaders play in shaping the future of media, democracy, and development in Sierra Leone.
