The World Bank Board of Executive Directors has approved the Sierra Leone Water Security and WASH Access Improvement Project, a $40 million International Development Association (IDA) grant that will provide clean water and sanitation services to five million people.
Focusing initially on the Western Area, the project is the first phase of a 10-year, $180 million Multiphase Programmatic Approach to improve water security, strengthen sanitation infrastructure, and build climate resilience across Sierra Leone.
“This project represents a critical step forward for Sierra Leone in addressing its pressing water security and sanitation challenges,” said Abdu Muwonge, World Bank Country Manager for Sierra Leone. “It enhances public health and environmental sustainability while laying the foundation for resilient economic growth and human development.”
The initiative comes at a critical time, as only 63% of Sierra Leone’s population currently has access to basic water services, 23% to improved drinking water on premises, and just 32% to basic sanitation. Poor infrastructure, weak institutions, inadequate financing, and vulnerability to climate change continue to hinder progress in the sector.
To address these gaps, the project will:
• Strengthen the institutional capacity of the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation and other key agencies.
• Upgrade water supply infrastructure, particularly through the Guma Valley Water Company.
• Improve sanitation and hygiene in schools and health facilities.
• Expand faecal sludge treatment capacity and launch a nationwide campaign to end open defecation.
• Develop a national water resources masterplan and create mechanisms to pool sector financing.
The project is expected to benefit around five million Sierra Leoneans, including 2.5 million women and 1.5 million youth. About 400,000 people in the Western Area will gain improved water access, while 1.3 million will benefit from better sanitation and hygiene, including 80,000 with upgraded facilities in schools and health centres.
It will also generate an estimated 1,400 direct jobs, build the capacity of 600 sector professionals, and expand faecal sludge treatment to 50,000 cubic meters annually.
World Bank Lead Water Specialist Xavier Chauvot De Beauchene described the initiative as the first step in a long-term partnership to transform Sierra Leone’s water and sanitation sector, making it more sustainable, efficient, and climate-resilient.
Source:Africa Publicity
