“If You Aim for the Sky, You’ll Fall on the Mountain”: The Journey of Seed Sierra Leone’s Country Director 

The final feature in our Country Director interview series spotlights Mustapha Sonnie of Sierra Leone. Learn more about his journey, his dreams for Seed’s work, and the values that shape his leadership. 

What did you dream of becoming when you were younger—and how does that dream show up in your life today?  

I wanted to be a medical doctor. In high school I did all the required sciences, passed all my exams, and prepared for that path but this was also during the war years in Sierra Leone in the mid 90s. Families were displaced including mine and life was challenging. 

 I couldn’t afford to pursue the medical degree, so I went to the University of Sierra Leone, Fourah Bay College, which is one of the best and oldest universities in sub-Saharan Africa and studied biology. The dream of going to medical school was still alive so I applied again in my final year of my degree, got admitted but I still had challenges with financing. 

I had just finished university, my family was displaced, and everyone expected me to start working and supporting them. Nobody could understand why I wanted to go back to school. I tried applying for a government grant-in-aid but didn’t get it, so eventually, I had to give up that dream. 

They however offered me a place to do a Master’s in Medical Physiology, which I pursued. One of my high school teachers used to tell us, “If you aim for the sky, you’ll fall on the mountain.” That’s how I see it, I didn’t become a doctor, but I landed somewhere close. I spent two years studying medical physiology with medical students, and that knowledge helped me a lot when I started working in 2002. 

My first job was in an HIV/AIDS program and later, I joined Helen Keller International, where I worked for about 17 years. That organization really shaped who I am today. I worked mainly on tropical diseases so even though I didn’t become a doctor, I ended up deeply involved in health and medicine. I still found a path that allows me to contribute to health and help people, which was really at the heart of why I wanted to be a doctor in the first place. 

Moreover, I am proud to say that although I could not fulfill my dream of becoming a medical doctor, my son is on his way to fulfilling that dream (In Sha Allah-God willing) as he is currently in medical school. 

What’s the biggest lesson you have learned in this role and if you could pass along one piece of wisdom to future health leaders, what would it be?  

Understand that leadership is not about position, it’s about responsibility and being someone people can look up to. For instance, as Country Director, you’re accountable for everything that happens, whether it goes right or wrong. When things go well, your team gets the credit, but when something goes wrong, you bear the responsibility. 

How you carry yourself, how you speak, make decisions, and represent the organization, really matters. Even you’re not in the room and you’re mentioned, people should know that you stand for integrity, professionalism, and commitment. 

What’s your hope for Seed’s work in your country over the next five to ten years?  

My hope for Seed’s work in Sierra Leone over the next five to ten years is to achieve the goals we’ve set in our five-year strategic plan. For example, one of our targets is to support the Ministry of Health to train 1,100 new midwives. This is a huge milestone for Seed to support government toachieve this within the time frame. This will greatly strengthen human capacity and help reduce maternal mortality, which is still high despite the remarkable achievement made in the last few years. 

So, my dream is not only to see these midwives trained but also absorbed into the health system, retained, and deployed to the places where they are needed most, especially in remote areas where women still deliver without skilled birth attendants. 

Beyond that, I hope Seed’s partnerships remain strong and sustainable, so that even if, ten years from now, Seed were to hand over or transition out, the systems and people we’ve worked with can continue the work independently. That’s the legacy I want to see. 

What’s a favorite food that brings back memories—and who do you think of when you eat it?  

 Cassava served with groundnut soup. We grew up on it because it was easy to grow and always available, even during the hunger season, you could just go to the farm, harvest it, and have food for days. Even now, when we have cassava at home, the taste takes me straight back to my village days. My children always ask, “Daddy, what is this?” and I tell them, “This was our food when growing up.” 

How do you like to spend your downtime outside of work?  

I like watching or reading the news and following politics and current affairs globally. 

I’m also very much a family person. I hardly go out, and my family sometimes jokes that they see me too often. But weekends are really my time with them, especially when the children are home from school. On weekends, after morning prayers, I attend Islamic lessons to continue building my religious knowledge. I’d say my downtime mostly revolves around family, faith, and following the news. 

When you think about your journey, what’s a moment that shaped the person you are today?  

It was my time at Helen Keller International. When I joined in April 2004 the war in Sierra Leone had just ended, and the Ministry of Health was starting from scratch. Four years later, we secured a major grant to support the control of neglected tropical diseases nationwide, and I was appointed program manager. It was a huge responsibility, running a national program from an NGO perspective, coordinating with the Ministry of Health and other partners. At the same time, I was pursuing my master’s degree in public health, so it was a demanding but deeply formative period. 

I was fortunate to work with a country director who was both technically strong and passionate about research and publication. Under her leadership, we started publishing our work, and before long, our team had about ten papers in reputable peer-reviewed journals. Our program gained international attention, and travel opportunities for meetings and presenting our work at conferences.  

That period exposed me to global public health at a higher level and helped build many of the professional relationships I still rely on today.  

How do you see local ownership and sustainability playing a role in navigating this global climate?  

This is a moment for governments and partners to rethink priorities. Many programs in our region have suffered or even closed due to heavy reliance on external funding, particularly from large donors like USAID. For instance, a critical national survey, the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS), has been delayed because it was almost entirely donor funded. 

We must focus on essential needs and reduce unnecessary expenditures. What’s needed now is stronger accountability and transparency in how these resources are managed. 

If we truly embrace local ownership, making better use of what we have, setting our priorities right, and holding our leaders accountable, we can sustain progress even amid declining global funding and growing climate challenges. 

What’s a book or story you’ve read that has stayed with you—and why?  

Chike and the River by Chinua Achebe is a book I read when I was a young boy in form one. It has remained vivid in my memory because I could deeply relate to the story. It tells the journey of a young boy who leaves his village to live with his uncle in the city so he can attend school. Before he leaves, his parents give him heartfelt advice, to study hard, listen to whatever his uncle says, and not to go near the river Niger because every year people drown in that river.  

That story mirrored my own experience. I grew up in a village and later left to live with my sister and brother-in-law so I could continue my education. I still remember carrying a small box on my head when I left home, just like Chike did in the story. The warnings, the excitement, and the innocence of that transition resonated so much with me. 

 I still think about that book, and I hope my children get a chance to read it too. It’s a simple but powerful story that speaks to anyone who has ever left home in search of a better opportunity. 

What’s one motto or phrase that guides your leadership style? 

I’m a deeply religious person, and I believe that whatever I do should reflect fairness, honesty, accountability, and my faith. I always put God first in everything I do. If something doesn’t feel right or just, I don’t get involved. 

My guiding principle is simple: put God first, work hard, and be fair and sincere in everything you do. 

How do you support your team to stay motivated? 

For any leader to succeed, the team must be willing, capable, and motivated to work alongside you. My door is always open, and anyone can walk in to share their views or even disagree with me. I also try to advocate for my team. If someone is struggling or feels undervalued, I do what I can to support them, whether that’s pushing for better pay, helping them move up a grade, or simply making sure they get the time off they need. I encourage flexibility and trust; if someone needs to come in late or take a break, that’s fine as long as the work gets done.