Issue
The Eastern Districts of Sierra Leone have been severely affected by climate change, unsustainable land use, deforestation, and land degradation which has adversely impacted community livelihoods through reduced agricultural productivity.
Project partners
How we are helping
This project aims to increase community resilience to climate change by promoting sustainable environmental practices and strengthening collaboration between communities, civil society and local government actors to address climate change in a gender-responsive way.
About the project
The Eastern Districts of Sierra Leone are rich in natural resources but have been severely affected by climate change, unsustainable land use, deforestation, and land degradation. These environmental challenges have led to loss of biodiversity and ecosystem destabilisation, impacting community livelihoods through reduced agricultural productivity.
Community awareness of climate change, environmental protection and nature-based solutions remains very low, and collaboration among communities, civil society, and local state actors to address these issues is currently weak and ineffective.
Project partner, Humanist Watch Salone, will work with the Movement for Resettlement and Rural Development to build community resilience and strengthen mechanisms to safeguard biodiversity.
This will be achieved by:
- facilitating 30 community awareness sessions for 4,500 participants on climate justice, followed by 30 engagements aimed at implementing community-led action plans
- developing a radio discussion guide and hosting a monthly ‘Climate Change Hour’ on community radio stations in Kenema and Kailahun districts
- producing 4 minute jingles in local languages on climate change action, to be aired twice a day on four community radio stations
- training 300 people from marginalised groups in disaster-prone communities on climate justice and supporting them to lead community engagement through peer education and advocacy
- training 200 community leaders on climate change, biodiversity protection, human rights, gender and land laws, followed by monthly coaching
- collaborating with Kenema and Kailahun District Councils to integrate climate action, particularly to address the needs of marginalised groups, into their climate change frameworks and local development plans, and facilitating biannual dialogues with each council to review progress and priorities
- organising and facilitating district level quarterly reflective and learning sessions for 40 participants per district to ensure the perspectives of marginalised populations are included in climate change actions.
As a result of this project, it is hoped that community awareness of climate change and environmental protection are improved, and that communities are better served by district development plans that are sensitive to local climate justice priorities.
Project Partners
HUWASAL is a human rights and development-based organisation committed to empowering marginalised groups, including women, youth, children, and persons with different abilities to determine their own choices, and their rights to influence social change. Established in 2003, HUWASAL explores a multisectoral approach in ensuring realisation of fundamental human rights for everyone, and the full potential of communities to influence change. The organisation focuses on human rights, governance, community health, and child protection, working through grassroots initiatives to promote equality and sustainable development for all.
The Movement for Resettlement and Rural Development (MoRRD) was established in 1996. MoRRD seeks to strengthen the relationship between state and non-state actors to promote pro-poor policies and development in Sierra Leone following the civil war. MoRRD assists the government and other development partners in promoting human development, governance, human rights, justice and security, and sustainable peace-building initiatives.
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