By: Aminata Sesay
In a bold move to shift the climate change narrative from policy discussions to the people most affected, the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change on 5th June 2025 officially launched the Sierra Leone Coastal Resilience Project (SLCRP) a $26.8 million community-led initiative focused on empowering coastal populations to lead the fight against climate impacts.
Held at the Lumley Atlantic Hotel in Freetown, the launch event brought together traditional leaders, community-based organizations, local councils, civil society groups, and donor partners, reflecting the project’s deeply inclusive and grassroots-focused approach.
Funded primarily by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and other international partners, the five-year project will be implemented in five of Sierra Leone’s most climate-vulnerable coastal districts: Kambia, Bonthe, Pujehun, Port Loko, and Moyamba.
Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, Jiwoh Abdulai, emphasized that the project puts community ownership and participation at its core.
“This is not just another climate project,” he stated. “It’s a people-first initiative aimed at restoring hope, livelihoods, and dignity in the face of sea-level rise, coastal erosion, and saltwater intrusion.”
The project is set to directly support 75 coastal communities, benefitting over 1,500 individuals including women, youth, and community leaders with an anticipated reach of more than one million people nationwide.
Key implementing partners include: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Save the Children, Concern Worldwide, Environmental Foundation for Africa (EFA), Conservation Society of Sierra Leone (CSSL), Kambia District Development and Rehabilitation Organization (KADRA)
At the heart of the SLCRP is a strategy to empower local actors, with a focus on: Building climate-resilient WASH facilities, promoting climate-smart agriculture, conserving 1,500 hectares of mangrove forests, integrating climate priorities into local governance, strengthening early warning systems for extreme weather events
“We must redefine resilience as something that starts in the community and grows outward,” said Minister Abdulai. “Our coastal citizens are not victims they are agents of change who, when supported, can protect our ecosystems and build a future free from climate-induced crises.”
He also reaffirmed his ministry’s commitment to transparent coordination, technical leadership, and ensuring that every dollar invested delivers tangible benefits to the communities involved.
With the launch of the SLCRP, Sierra Leone is sending a strong message: True climate resilience is locally led, community-owned, and globally supported. The project is expected to serve as a model for inclusive, bottom-up climate adaptation across West Africa and beyond.