By Sahr Ibrahim Komba
A bold new community empowerment initiative aimed at promoting environmental sustainability and economic independence for women and youth was launched in Funkia last weekend by the local NGO, Craving for Development.
The “Gender-Anchored, Climate Resilient Growth Program” is a six-month pilot project scheduled to begin in June. It seeks to equip 100 selected participants with practical, climate-smart skills, including plastic-to-product gardening, solar fish drying, tailoring, baking, and tie-dyeing (gara), along with civic education and financial literacy.
At the official launch, Executive Chairperson Madam Aminata emphasized that the program is rooted in community-led transformation.
“This initiative isn’t about bringing in outsiders to ‘fix’ the community,” she said. “It’s about unlocking the incredible potential that already exists in Funkia. We believe the next President of Sierra Leone could come from here.”
She further noted that the project’s goal is to “turn waste into beauty” by recycling plastics, beautifying local streets through art, and using organic waste to support sustainable gardening.
A key feature of the program is its ripple-effect training model: each participant will be required to train five others, amplifying the program’s reach and impact.
“This isn’t a cash handout,” Madam Aminata stressed. “It’s a skill-building, mindset-shifting movement that supports healthy livelihoods and long-term community growth.”
Craving for Development Program Officer, Madam Memunatu Bah, provided an overview of the training modules and reiterated the organization’s commitment to both capacity building and environmental protection.
“Our curriculum goes beyond skills—we’re teaching civic responsibility, environmental stewardship, and financial independence,” she said, noting that the program includes a river-cleaning campaign to address ongoing sanitation concerns.
The launch attracted key government and community stakeholders who expressed strong support for the initiative.
Speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs, Director Madam Marian Goodie Sowonie described the project as “timely and transformative.”
“This is about putting women at the heart of community development,” she said. “It will enhance fish preservation, improve food quality, and uplift household incomes. The inclusion of an enterprise lab will also nurture entrepreneurship.”
Local representative Mr. Mohamed Bangura pledged community support, while a spokesperson from the Local Content Directorate committed to backing the program institutionally, praising its alignment with national development goals.
Community members, however, raised pressing concerns. Madam Fatu Kamara appealed for urgent government intervention to address the lack of clean water and rising poverty.
“There is no pipe-borne water here,” she said. “Teenage pregnancy is increasing, and poverty is overwhelming us. This project brings hope, but we need more help.”
Youth leader Sheku Daboh welcomed the initiative but stressed the need for waste management infrastructure to make the environmental components sustainable.
“We can’t clean the river without a designated dumping site,” he explained. “Construction along the riverbanks is damaging the ecosystem. We need proper planning.”
The launch of the Gender-Anchored, Climate Resilient Growth Program signals a new chapter in Funkia’s journey toward inclusive development, community empowerment, and environmental sustainability.
Craving for Development hopes the program would serve as a scalable model for other communities across Sierra Leone.
