Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, Mayor of Freetown is amongst the personalities listed on TIME 2021 Next 100 Most Influential People in the World.

I got to witness Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr’s energy firsthand when I met her on my first visit to #Freetown, Sierra Leone’s capital city, in 2019. I’m a son of the soil, and during my stay, she gave me a lot of time and a lot of information about her work and vision as the mayor of Freetown. I was taking notes because, you know, Yvonne has plans.

Yvonne is the first female mayor to lead the city in decades, elected in 2018 after more than 25 years working in the public and private sectors.

In January 2019, she launched the Transform Freetown initiative, a three-year, multi-pronged plan for the city’s development. Whether it’s in her efforts to clean up the streets, fix its drainage systems, plant a million trees or implement property tax reform…

BY IDRIS ELBA, actor and producer.

“I am overjoyed to see that Amujae Leader @yakisawyerr has been named on @TIME’s 2021 #TIME100Next list as one of 100 emerging leaders who are shaping the future. I couldn’t agree with @idriselba more—Yvonne and her work are truly inspiring”

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.