Empower Sierra Leone Foundation Expands International Economic Development Initiatives Across West Africa and the Caribbean

Los Angeles, CA, June 29, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Empower Sierra Leone Foundation announced the expansion of its international economic development initiatives through new workforce development, entrepreneurship, and diaspora capital engagement efforts across West Africa and the Caribbean. The expansion follows a series of strategic engagements led by the foundation's founder, Ursula Garrett, with government and institutional stakeholders in Bermuda and West Africa during late 2025 and early 2026 to advance cross-border workforce mobility, enterprise development, and long-term economic resilience.

Credit: Top Left – Garrett pictured with a Chief in Sierra Leone; top right – Garrett pictured with the Premier of Bermuda; bottom – Garrett pictured with the President of Burkina Faso and delegates. Photo courtesy of Empower Sierra Leone Foundation.

In the final quarter of 2025, entrepreneur, CPA, and diaspora development strategist Ursula Garrett engaged in strategic discussions with senior government and institutional leaders across Bermuda and West Africa focused on workforce mobility, diaspora capital alignment, and youth-driven economic systems.

The engagements reflect a broader global shift in how diaspora leaders, policymakers, and private-sector operators are approaching emerging markets, moving beyond episodic philanthropy toward scalable frameworks centered on enterprise development, workforce infrastructure, and long-term economic resilience.

Based in Southern California, Garrett has built a cross-sector platform spanning tax strategy through Garrett & Associates CPA and philanthropic, entrepreneurship, and international economic development initiatives through the Empower Sierra Leone Foundation. Her work increasingly focuses on connecting diaspora capital and operational expertise with emerging market development initiatives across Africa and the Caribbean.

At the center of her approach is a consistent thesis: sustainable economies are built through systems that enable people to develop skills, create enterprises, and participate in scalable economic structures.

Bermuda: Workforce Mobility & Human Capital Alignment

In Bermuda, Garrett engaged with Premier of Bermuda Hon. E. David Burt, JP, MP, during Two Weeks of Magic, the island’s flagship forum for innovation, finance, and culture.

Invited as a panelist, Garrett contributed to discussions surrounding workforce development, international labor alignment, and cross-border collaboration through her ongoing work with Empower Sierra Leone Foundation.

“My work involves training youth, supporting entrepreneurs, and developing skilled labor systems,” Garrett said. “Bermuda can benefit from structured international workforce partnerships that create opportunity on both sides.”

The discussions explored how diaspora-connected talent pipelines and workforce training systems could potentially align with Bermuda’s evolving labor and economic development priorities.

Burkina Faso: Sovereignty & Structured Diaspora Investment

Garrett’s engagement in Burkina Faso followed broader international calls for diaspora participation in national economic renewal and sovereignty-driven development initiatives.

During her visit, she observed housing developments, agricultural systems, and community infrastructure projects tied to long-term domestic productivity and economic resilience.

“These conversations are ultimately about building systems that support productivity, independence, and long-term sustainability,” Garrett noted.

Through Empower Sierra Leone Foundation, Garrett has already implemented early-stage models integrating hospitality training, entrepreneurship development, and operational enterprise systems designed for replication across emerging markets.

In April 2026, she advanced two new business initiatives in Burkina Faso tied to workforce development and enterprise incubation, signaling the beginning of a longer-term regional expansion strategy.

Continental Dialogue: Youth, Capital & Economic Resilience

Garrett also participated in strategic discussions through the African Diaspora Development Institute focused on youth entrepreneurship, demographic growth, and long-term economic resilience across the African continent.

The conversations emphasized the importance of converting Africa’s rapidly growing youth population into sustainable economic productivity through scalable training systems, capital access, and enterprise development infrastructure.

Observers note that these discussions increasingly reflect a larger continental movement toward structured diaspora participation in economic development rather than fragmented or informal engagement models.

Sierra Leone: Building an Operational Blueprint

A major component of Garrett’s broader framework is currently being implemented through Empower Sierra Leone Foundation.

Throughout Q1 2026, Garrett conducted multiple field engagements with public and private-sector stakeholders to strengthen long-term workforce and enterprise systems.

One milestone includes the launch of a foundation-led restaurant operating within the organization’s entrepreneur hub. The initiative functions both as a revenue-generating enterprise and a hospitality training pipeline, integrating workforce development with operational business infrastructure.

The Sierra Leone initiative now serves as a working prototype for future expansion models across additional emerging markets.

A New Development Framework

Across Bermuda, Burkina Faso, and broader African diaspora engagement efforts, a consistent model is beginning to emerge: one centered on workforce development, enterprise incubation, structured capital alignment, and scalable operational systems.

Rather than isolated initiatives, these engagements increasingly represent interconnected frameworks linking governance, human capital, entrepreneurship, and diaspora investment into long-term development ecosystems.

From the Caribbean to West Africa, the work reflects a growing recognition that capital, governance, and human development are no longer separate conversations, but interconnected systems shaping the future of emerging markets.

Join the Movement

For more information on how to get involved with Empower Sierra Leone Foundation visit www.empowerherslf.org.

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