By: Aminata Sesay
A community-based environmental programme launched in Fungiya to address flooding and waste management has expanded into a regional initiative targeting climate resilience, green jobs and sustainable livelihoods for women and young people across West Africa.
The development follows the launch of the Coastal Future Initiative Project in Freetown on September 15. The project will be implemented in Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia, Ghana and Senegal.
The initiative builds on a pilot programme implemented by Craving 4 Development (C4D) in Fungiya, where 100 women and young people were trained in waste management and flood mitigation. Of the 100 participants, 71 completed the programme.
The pilot later gained international recognition after being showcased by the African Governance Institute as a best-practice approach to addressing environmental challenges in vulnerable coastal communities.
The experience has subsequently been promoted as the “Sierra Leone Model,” demonstrating how locally developed solutions could be adapted and replicated in other coastal communities facing similar environmental challenges.
Under the new regional initiative, 800 women and young people from coastal communities are expected to undergo six months of training in climate adaptation, waste management, circular economy practices, green entrepreneurship and sustainable livelihood development.
Participants will also receive practical training on converting waste into marketable products and fashion items, producing compost from organic materials and applying climate-smart agricultural practices.
Following the initial training, 100 participants will be selected for advanced mentorship, while 40 will eventually enter an incubation programme designed to help them transform their ideas into viable and sustainable enterprises.
Speaking at the launch, organisers encouraged participants to use local knowledge and creativity to develop practical solutions to environmental challenges, noting that impactful ideas do not always require large financial investments.
Government representatives also highlighted the broader development opportunities associated with the initiative.
Representing the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Tamba Sheiku Bundor said improved management of coastal environments could help promote tourism, attract investment, create employment opportunities and strengthen cultural development.
He also commended the Freetown Innovation Lab for sustaining momentum from earlier circular economy initiatives.
The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change encouraged participants to promote environmental stewardship through activities such as tree planting and climate-smart agriculture, while the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs emphasized the importance of gender equality and inclusive participation in development programmes.
Stakeholders said the initiative could help reduce environmental degradation while creating opportunities for green entrepreneurship and strengthening the capacity of coastal communities to respond to climate-related challenges.
The expansion marks a shift from the Fungiya pilot to a broader West African programme, with organizers seeking to demonstrate how community-led environmental solutions can be developed into sustainable livelihoods and replicated across coastal communities in the region.