Yengema

Yengema, Sierra Leone
Country	Sierra Leone
Province	Eastern Province
District	Kono District
Population
• Total	13,358
Time zone	UTC-5 (GMT)

Yengema is a diamond mining town in Nimikoro Chiefdom, Kono District in the Eastern Province of Sierra Leone, lying approximately 30 miles (48 km) from Koidu Town (the largest city in Kono District), and about 260 miles (420 km) east of Freetown. The major industry in and around Yengema is diamond mining. The town is home to Yengema Airport, the main airport serving Kono District. A 2012 estimate of Yengema population was 13,358 people.

The population of Yengema is ethnically diverse, though the majority of its residents are ethnic Mandingo. The primary language of communication in Yengema is the Krio language, which is widely spoken in the town.

Yengema is a predominantly Muslim town, though with a significant Christian minority population In the town.

Yengema is home to the Yengema Secondary School (commonly known as YSS), and is among the most prominent secondary schools in Sierra Leone.

Before the civil war, Yengema was one of the most populous cities in Eastern Sierra Leone. During the Sierra Leone civil war, Yengema was heavily damaged and constantly fought over due to the rich diamond reserves in the area. This forced many of the residents to flee the city.

Religion

The majority of the population of Yengema are Muslims at about 70%; Christianity accounts for a large minority of the town population at about 29%. Muslim and Christian people in the town live peacefully together. Religious violence in the city is extremely rare.

Sport

Like the rest of Sierra Leone, football is the most popular sport in the town of Yengema. The town does not have a major football club; however, the Diamond Stars of Kono represent Yengema and the rest of the Kono District in the Sierra Leone National Premier League, the top football league in the country.

Notable people from Yengema

• Sia Koroma, First lady of Sierra Leone