The Waste Management Project has now blossomed in to one that is Sierra Leone wide. Derek Greedy reports on the Bo project that was initiated with OWL involvement more than ten years ago.

Although Glenn Fleet and myself have not been actively involved for sometime now we are kept up to date via a WhatsApp group.  The principles that were adopted for Bo of Recycling, Composting and Landfill have generally been rolled out firstly to Makeni and Kenema and latterly to Koidu.  The work continues to be project management led by (Welthungerhilfe) WHH with Dr John Williams as the Project Head.  Much of the efforts recently have centred around Koidu and Kenema with an extensive campaign to collect plastics for recycling by offering rice for plastics. This initiative follows on from the successful campaigns in both Makeni and Bo.  Although there is not much news regarding Bo itself it seems the waste management department is still active and remains with Samuel Hinga Navo at the helm.

The Sierra Leonean Government has now recognised the success of the initiative to date and has invited WHH to work with them to form a Public Private Partnership on Waste Management at the National Level. So encouraging to see those little beginnings blossoming in this way.  Bockarie Bawoh Director of the National Monitoring and Evaluation Department (NaMED) says his dream is ” the establishment of a successful private partnership with WHH which would see Government’s Waste Management assets and infrastructure taken over by the partnership for effective management using a workable business model”.  He assured WHH that there is now the political will and commitment to see the venture through whilst recognising that this had not been the case in the past.

 Despite us not being actively involved now I think that OWL can pat itself on the back as those early efforts are now bearing fruit.

Late update: We have now heard through our WhatsApp group that WHH have met with the Vice Chancellor of the University of Sierra Leone at the Fourah Bay College (FBC) campus in Freetown to finalise the curriculum for a Certificate Course in Municipal Solid Waste Management. The course is expected to commence in October 2023 at FBC following approval at the University Level. OWL support has been promised.