By Joseph MomohDaily Scope Reporter
The Government of Sierra Leone, through the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, in partnership with GOAL Sierra Leone and with support from Charity: Water, has commissioned 112 water and sanitation facilities across Moyamba and Kenema Districts in a move set to benefit an estimated 35,000 people.
The 12-month project delivered 42 water points in Moyamba and 70 in Kenema. The facilities include boreholes, hand-dug wells, and solar-powered water reticulation systems. The handover also covered nine toilet blocks at three Peripheral Health Units and three schools, as well as five solar-powered piped water systems for selected institutions.
The intervention addresses critical gaps in the WASH sector. According to UNICEF’s WASH National Outcome Routine Mapping, only 62.6% of Sierra Leone’s population has access to basic water services, 13.6% to basic sanitation, while 25.1% still practice open defecation. In rural areas, access to basic drinking water rose from 38.2% in 2010 to 54% in 2022, but disparities persist.
Speaking at the ceremony, Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Dr. Sao-Kpato Hannah Isatta Macarthy, said government cannot address the WASH challenges alone and called for stronger collaboration among ministries, local councils, traditional authorities, development partners, NGOs, and communities. She noted that improved water access will also support agriculture, food production, small businesses, and reduce the burden on women and girls.
GOAL Sierra Leone, which has operated in the country since 1999, said the project reflects a shift from infrastructure delivery to building sustainable systems. Country Director James Rialc Mathians described the handover as a key milestone, while Programme Director Getu Debella said the initiative combined infrastructure with behavior change and capacity building.
Under the project, Water Management Committees, school and health facility management committees were trained. Pump mechanics and community technicians also received maintenance training. Village Savings and Lending Associations were established to support operations. Through Community-Led Total Sanitation activities in 69 communities, 30 were declared Open Defecation-Free. Ten private businesses were also engaged in a sanitation-marketing pilot to provide affordable sanitation options.
GOAL has reached more than 470,000 people with WASH programs nationwide in 2025. Its work in Kenema began in 2018 and now spans all 16 chiefdoms.
Chairman of the Southern Regional Council of Paramount Chiefs, PC Fayia S.B. Sovula, urged communities to take ownership of the facilities.
“Development partners will not remain permanently,” he said. “Communities must build the capacity to manage and maintain these facilities.”
The handover places responsibility on government, GOAL, local councils, traditional leaders, and communities to ensure the investment delivers lasting improvements in health, education, livelihoods, and resilience.
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