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How to turn your dissatisfaction into action | Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr

Visit to get our entire library of TED Talks, transcripts, translations, personalized talk recommendations and more. After the devastating rebel invasion of Freetown in 1999 and the Ebola epidemic in 2014, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, mayor of the city, refused to be paralyzed by her frustration with the status quo. Instead, she used her anger as a…

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Visit to get our entire library of TED Talks, transcripts, translations, personalized talk recommendations and more.

After the devastating rebel invasion of Freetown in 1999 and the Ebola epidemic in 2014, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, mayor of the city, refused to be paralyzed by her frustration with the status quo. Instead, she used her anger as a catalyst for action. In this inspiring talk, she shares how she transformed her city by taking the risks necessary to bring about dramatic change — and shows how you can find power in your dissatisfaction.

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62 Comments

  1. Panya Rerksakunchai

    July 2, 2020 at 8:08 pm

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  2. Nanotechpill

    July 2, 2020 at 8:10 pm

    Tebatusaasula cheku kwaden siwiba yubi.

  3. Share Of Money - Make Money Online

    July 2, 2020 at 8:11 pm

    What a story. Whenever we are faced with adversity, we can turn it into an opportunity to go towards greatness.

  4. D Incredible

    July 2, 2020 at 8:13 pm

    🔥🔥🔥🔥

  5. Panya Rerksakunchai

    July 2, 2020 at 8:15 pm

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  6. Aditya Bagdi

    July 2, 2020 at 8:16 pm

    This video kinda left satisfying

  7. RudiG

    July 2, 2020 at 8:19 pm

    Great thought 💭

  8. Lydia Gachuhi

    July 2, 2020 at 8:19 pm

    We need to talk with people and not at people! Yes👏🏾Might I add – listen to understand & not just to respond.

  9. 6936665

    July 2, 2020 at 8:33 pm

    What an annoying voice and I could not humanly possibly care less about random personal tragedies & achievements. Booooah!

    • Soar 232

      July 3, 2020 at 1:06 am

      You sound very intelligent. You must be a treat to talk to

  10. Noble Phantazm

    July 2, 2020 at 8:41 pm

    Let me guess, blame white people for our problems and cry racism? Oh wait it’s not racism when your not white. Sorry! I forgot about the double standards and hypocrisy

  11. Kathleen Dauz

    July 2, 2020 at 8:43 pm

    Can I say that I love that the microphone is the exact shade of her skin 🧡

  12. Muhammed Battle

    July 2, 2020 at 8:43 pm

    My favorite video 😎😎

  13. J b

    July 2, 2020 at 8:52 pm

    my action has an acceptable Status Quo
    i hope this is no dissatisfaction my gift to this ugly world !!

  14. Fozia Khan

    July 2, 2020 at 9:14 pm

    Lovely lady with a very strong set of ideas.

  15. Oscar Kay

    July 2, 2020 at 9:14 pm

    What an inspirational lady! And a great talk!

  16. Janusha

    July 2, 2020 at 9:26 pm

    REALLY ?? ANOTHER TED TALK ABOUT AFRICAN INEQUALITY? Is this what TED has become now? I mean… 50% of TED talks are THIS topic now. This is not what TED was supposed to be about. There is no science, innovation or world-changing ideas in this.

    • Soar 232

      July 3, 2020 at 1:07 am

      Why ? Does Africa not have a voice as well?

  17. Gheb odne

    July 2, 2020 at 9:42 pm

    Как обычно нет русского, что за дискриминация?

    • Elena Komleva

      July 2, 2020 at 10:33 pm

      В смысле, а где он должен быть?

  18. Erica Bailey

    July 2, 2020 at 9:58 pm

    World: *in chaos and nobody does anything*

    Speaker: alright then lemme fix it myself

  19. cherish efobi

    July 2, 2020 at 10:11 pm

    Her outfit is so beautiful. Such a wonderful speech.

  20. TOY BOX BRAIN

    July 2, 2020 at 10:25 pm

    So…how to be a Karen?

  21. Spam Mail

    July 2, 2020 at 11:15 pm

    I thought this was going to be good. What a shame. Time to unsubscribe

  22. Senesie Koroma

    July 2, 2020 at 11:24 pm

    That’s my Mayor.

  23. Som Thing

    July 3, 2020 at 1:11 am

    Yvonne, you are like a wonderful giant Moth, all beautiful and capable!
    A magical Fairy godmother. Greatly inspiring. Thank you!

  24. Som Thing

    July 3, 2020 at 1:17 am

    Can you imagine there are people EVIL enough to dislike this talk?
    No wonder she’s fighting!

  25. 罗谦锐

    July 3, 2020 at 1:19 am

    I’m just

  26. Mithun das

    July 3, 2020 at 4:31 am

    Good

  27. Help Me Reach 1k Subs With No Videos

    July 3, 2020 at 4:40 am

    Nobody:
    Not a single soul:
    Everyone: Trying to think of something funny because all of the comments are get likes.

  28. Help Me Reach 1k Subs With No Videos

    July 3, 2020 at 4:40 am

    *TED : Uploads*
    *Everyone : Goes straight to the comments section*

  29. Help Me Reach 1k Subs With No Videos

    July 3, 2020 at 4:42 am

    *Nobody*
    *TED: Making everyone happy during these hard times*

  30. Elon Misanthrope

    July 3, 2020 at 4:45 am

    Killin people i guess…

  31. Unapologeticmoi

    July 3, 2020 at 5:08 am

    Her mindset, and drive is so inspiring. ❤️

  32. Kateryna Petrovna

    July 3, 2020 at 5:10 am

    Does speaker have an Instagram?

  33. Pretty Prudent

    July 3, 2020 at 6:46 am

    The title spoke to me.

  34. Lisa Love Ministries

    July 3, 2020 at 6:56 am

    Seek truth of this world.
    John 14:6

  35. Ebony C

    July 3, 2020 at 7:35 am

    Amazing talk 👏

  36. Matodzi Thandavhathu

    July 3, 2020 at 10:30 am

    🙏🏾

  37. bravojr

    July 3, 2020 at 10:36 am

    yeah but how many millions of dollars do you have?

  38. Gidi

    July 3, 2020 at 10:44 am

    good action, bad understanding of the tools people have, “decision” is NOT one of them, that come like a wave, we create the ocean.
    I would advise people for whom there are options of creating change in an unsatisfactory state, to do so in response to the negative feeling.
    But, please learn more about what to expect from people – based on top research, NOT personal experience (you will find you ARE a special case)

  39. Austa Albright

    July 3, 2020 at 10:51 am

    Deserves a standing ovation!

  40. wolfie and Emma sister's

    July 3, 2020 at 10:58 am

    This could happen to us all

  41. TheMrmoc7

    July 3, 2020 at 11:08 am

    It is inspiring to see someone actively doing something to fix the continent instead of blaming someone else for not being competent enough to do it, which is the story of much of the older generation.

  42. Trainable Monkey

    July 3, 2020 at 12:10 pm

    “We need to meet under the mango tree”

  43. Domas A

    July 3, 2020 at 12:17 pm

    Virtue signalling.

  44. Simon France

    July 3, 2020 at 1:24 pm

    What an idiot she is.

  45. Sybers

    July 3, 2020 at 3:10 pm

    africa mama lmao

  46. Muhammad Zain

    July 3, 2020 at 4:22 pm

    Thanks! Needed this the most rn

  47. Mia Starks

    July 3, 2020 at 7:12 pm

    Must be nice.

    This is not a truth or my experience at my school during what I feel is equivalent to war.
    So many wonderful peoples – intelligent.

    I don’t get it.
    Honestly.

  48. ITouchTheSky 8GladysWorld8

    July 3, 2020 at 7:31 pm

    You are a very courageous woman. I admire you so much. Lovely watching and listening to you here on the top of the mountain of Italy.

  49. AnizyArt

    July 3, 2020 at 10:48 pm

    What a wonderful speech! Her actions and mindset are inspiring and amazing 💕

  50. huyền nguyễn

    July 4, 2020 at 12:56 am

    I listened to her speech at 7am in Vietnam. Her speech inspires me and motivate me to take risks and make a difference. ” Each of us have a thing in common. We all can take risks and make a difference. Doing something is better than doing nothing”.

  51. Loretta Heartilly

    July 4, 2020 at 8:47 am

    That’s a great story, but I was waiting more motivation about our daily life, I need that to be inspired…

  52. Samreen Shaikh

    July 4, 2020 at 1:07 pm

    What a powerful woman.

  53. Alisa Ritter

    July 4, 2020 at 1:30 pm

    Amazing video. I wish This channel makes it huge one day! Also, I want to be Youtube friends

  54. AshPosh Oh My Gosh

    July 4, 2020 at 8:10 pm

    Wow!! So beautiful!! 🤩🤩🤩

  55. Ozobia Davies

    July 5, 2020 at 4:56 am

    well done madam Mayor, very well articulated! inspired#

  56. asma zaib hasnain

    July 5, 2020 at 1:49 pm

    amazing

  57. Kimberly Miller

    July 6, 2020 at 12:54 am

    love the free town the tree town

  58. XxCell TeamxX

    July 7, 2020 at 4:25 am

    This needs to happen at a time like this..

  59. gigi

    July 8, 2020 at 2:49 am

    truly inspiring! loved to hear her story

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