The Sierra Leone Water Company (SALWACO) has successfully concluded a weeklong nationwide stakeholder engagement on the Saudi Program for the Drilling of Wells and Rural Development in Africa, Phase V – Sierra Leone. The initiative, aimed at securing land and informing key stakeholders about the project, took place between June 2 and June 7, 2025, covering multiple districts across the country.
Project Scope and Impact
The Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL), in alignment with its Big Five Agenda, Medium-Term National Development Plan, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), is committed to providing safe and sustainable water supply services in rural communities.
Funded through a grant from the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD), the project targets 100 communities across 78 chiefdoms, benefiting an estimated 250,000 people. Each borehole, when fully implemented, will feature:
• Solar-powered pumping system
• 10,000-litre storage tank
• Up to 1 km of water distribution with standpipes and taps
SALWACO is responsible for technical oversight, supervision, and monitoring, while communities will provide land, infrastructure security, and post-handover management. District Councils will facilitate community mobilization and approvals, ensuring inclusivity, while EMT, the contracted firm, will handle drilling, construction, system installation, and training of local operators.
The stakeholder engagement sessions commenced in Port Loko and extended to Makeni, Kabala, Magburaka, Mattru Jong, Moyamba, Bo, Pujehun, Falaba, Kono, Kambia, Bath-Kanu, Kenema, and Kailahun.
In Port Loko, the District Council Chairman emphasized the need for precision and effective delivery, pledging council support for successful implementation. SALWACO’s Project Engineer, Ing. John Hallowel, highlighted key virtues essential for project success, while Ing. Hamid Alpha Kamara reiterated the importance of community ownership.
Similar discussions unfolded in Kambia, where stakeholders demanded proper planning, implementation, and maintenance of facilities. The District Council Chairperson called for full council involvement, ensuring the project’s success.
Throughout the engagements, SALWACO assured flexibility in project execution while urging communities to take ownership of the boreholes, emphasizing that the water quality would meet high standards.
South-East Sensitization Campaign Commences in Bo District
The South-East stakeholder engagements formally launched in Bo District at a session held at the Bo District Council Hall, marking the beginning of the Saudi-funded initiative in the region.
Apostle Dr. Albert Harrison Harvey, Acting Managing Director of SALWACO, reiterated the project’s alignment with national development priorities and global sustainability goals. He confirmed that Bo District will receive 11 wells, with one allocated per town.
Dr. Harvey also urged district stakeholders to assist in establishing local focal teams, securing land, and ensuring water sources are contamination-free. He announced that EMT, an international contractor, has been selected to implement the works.
Looking Ahead
The Saudi-funded borehole project stands as a transformative initiative, promising to improve rural livelihoods across Sierra Leone. SALWACO has reinforced its commitment to oversight, sustainability, and effective implementation, ensuring that communities, councils, and stakeholders play active roles in securing long-term water accessibility.
As construction progresses, stakeholders remain engaged, ensuring the project delivers lasting benefits to thousands of Sierra Leoneans.
SALWACO’s Regional Manager South, Edmond M.A. Kabu, outlined the core objectives: improving rural living standards by ensuring reliable clean water access. Each borehole will feature:
• Solar-powered pumping system
• 10,000-litre storage tank
• Up to 1 km distribution network with standpipes and taps
SALWACO Station Manager Ing. Alex P. Musa provided a technical breakdown, emphasizing oversight, monitoring, and community participation, including land provision, infrastructure protection, and long-term management.
Director of Commercial Services Mohamed Aziz Waggay confirmed that the project has a two-year implementation timeline, with Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) signed between SALWACO and landowners, witnessed by local councils to prevent disputes.
Expanding Engagement Across Regions
Following the successful sensitization in Bo, Moyamba, Pujehun, and Mattru Jong, the campaign concluded in Kenema and Kailahun.
Led by SALWACO’s Capital Development Manager, Ing. Marilyn George, discussions focused on community ownership, including forming local WASH Committees, with a majority representation of women to manage boreholes sustainably.
In his keynote address, Dr. Albert Harrison Harvey, Acting Managing Director of SALWACO, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to expanding safe water access to benefit over 250,000 people across 81 communities in 78 chiefdoms.
The Kenema and Kailahun sessions marked critical milestones in the broader national sensitization campaign, reinforcing transparency and technical awareness. The initiative also strengthened partnerships between SALWACO, local authorities, and beneficiary communities in 14 districts (excluding Freetown).
SALWACO’s Regional Manager – East, Mr. Brima Alieu, praised the enthusiastic stakeholder participation, emphasizing continued collaboration during project implementation.
Senior SALWACO staff, including Ing. Mana-Nika Silla, Ing. John Hallowell, Sarah Kamara, and Communications Officer Victoria Saffa, played key roles in the nationwide engagement tour, ensuring alignment with community expectations.
As the project moves into the construction phase, SALWACO is urging communities to secure lands, participate in monitoring efforts, and support local water governance.
Similar mobilization efforts across Port Loko, Makeni, Kabala, Kambia, and Bath-Kanu were led by Ing. Hamid Alpha Kamara (Ag. Regional Manager), Mohamed Sankoh (Monitoring & Evaluation Manager), and Sheku Putka Kamara (Senior Communications Officer).
With stakeholder endorsement and strong government backing, SALWACO is confident that the two-year water infrastructure project will transform rural water access in Sierra Leone.
Credit – SALWACO Communications Unit