With expected outcomes of informing stakeholders, strategic and informed engagements and to secure available land for boreholes, the Sierra Leone Water Company (SALWACO) has successfully completed a nationwide stakeholder engagement on the Saudi program’s Drilling of Wells and Rural Development in Africa, Phase V – Sierra Leone. The sessions which started in Port Loko on Monday June 2nd, 2025 ended in Kenema and Kailahun on Saturday June 7th, 2025. The SALWACO teams held meeting and valuable engagements in Makeni, Kabala, Magburaka, Mattru Jong, Moyamba, Bo, Pujehun, Falaba, Magburaka, Kono, Kambia and Bath-Kanu.
The project’s background captured that the Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL), in alignment with its “Big 5” Agenda, Medium-Term Development Plan, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), aims to provide safe and sustainable water supply services in rural communities. With a grant from the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD), this project targets 100 communities across 78 chiefdoms, to benefit an estimated 250,000 people. One of the main objectives of the project is to raise the living standard of the rural population by long-term provision of a safe drinking water supply. When fully completed and or implemented, each community borehole will have a solar pumping system, a 10,000-litre storage tank, and distribution up to 1 km; with stand posts and taps.
SALWACO is to provide overall supervision, technical support, and monitoring of the project while the selected community is to provide land, help identify focal persons, protect the infrastructure, management of facilities (after project completion and handing over) and report issues accordingly and promptly. The District Councils are to facilitate community mobilization, assist with local approvals, ensure inclusiveness, and address local issues. The Contractor (EMT) is to carry out drilling, construction, system installation and training of operators, in line with specifications. The media will be utilized to share accurate project information, and support sensitization and CSOs/CBOs will be engaged to participate actively in engagement sessions and to provide valuable community inputs.
During the engagements at the Port Loko and Kambia District Councils, the SALWACO team which comprised Sheku Putka Kamara, SALWACO’s National Senior Communications Officer and Ing. John Hallowel, who’s a Senior Project Engineer attached to the SALWACO Directorate of Project Management were joined by the Port Loko Station Manager, Ing. Hamid Alpha Kamara (Ag. Regional Manager) and the SALWACO Monitoring and Evaluation Manager, Mohamed Sankoh.
In Port Loko, the Chairman of the Council raised salient directives, urging SALWACO to do things with precision and to deliver accordingly. He assured of council’s commitment to support the full implementation of the project and to see that the best possible results are achieved.
Ing. Hamid touched on the value of the project and the need for people to fully own same. Ing. Hallowel highlighted some essential virtues that are needed to make the project successful.
In Kambia, the District Council Chairperson asked for the full involvement of council in making sure that the project becomes a reality. Similar sentiments were established by others present.
For both locations, people asked and looked forward to proper planning, implementation and monitoring. They also urged SALWACO to be able to do the much-needed maintenance on the facilities when constructed. They also discussed the durability of the project and the suitability of proposed project sites.
SALWACO made it clearer that on the project terms and conditions, flexibility would be applied where appropriate. The team also urged stakeholders to take fully ownership of the facilities, adding that the water would be of high standard and quality. In Kambia, Station Manager, Ing. Claude and Finance Officer, Alim Bangura were also in attendance and made valuable inputs.
For both locations, the SALWACO Monitoring and Evaluation Manager, Mohamed Sankoh gave a succinct overview of the project, suggesting its significance and the need for communities to show leadership and ownership.
The South-East sensitization campaign for the Saudi-funded 100 solar-powered borehole projects officially commenced in Bo District with a stakeholder engagement session held at the Bo District Council Hall. The initiative is part of the Saudi Program for the Drilling of Wells and Rural Development in Africa (Phase V – Sierra Leone), facilitated by the Sierra Leone Water Company (SALWACO).
Speaking at the session, Apostle Dr. Albert Harrison Harvey, Deputy Managing Director and Acting Managing Director of SALWACO, emphasized that the project aligns with the Government of Sierra Leone’s Big Five Agenda, the Medium-Term National Development Plan, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With support from the Saudi Fund for Development, the project aims to provide safe and sustainable water supply services in rural communities.
According to Dr. Harvey, the project will benefit 100 communities across 78 chiefdoms, targeting an estimated 250,000 people. Bo District is slated to receive 11 wells, with one allocated per town. He further disclosed that EMT, an international contractor, has been selected to implement the works.
Dr. Harvey called on district stakeholders to assist in establishing local focal teams, securing suitable land for drilling, and ensuring the selected sites are safe and free from contamination.
Host Paramount Chief Mohamed Tshomee Kargbo II welcomed the SALWACO team and expressed his gratitude for the initiative, noting that clean water access has long been a pressing need in many communities.
Chairing the program, Bo District Council Chairman Mr. Victor Koseh Hindowa commended SALWACO and its partners for their efforts in delivering sustainable water infrastructure to underserved areas.
In his statement, SALWACO’s Regional Manager South, Edmond M.A. Kabu highlighted the project’s core objective: to raise the standard of living in rural communities through reliable access to clean drinking water. Each borehole, he explained, will be equipped with a solar-powered pumping system, a 10,000-litre storage tank, and a distribution network reaching up to one kilometre, including standpipes and taps.
Ing. Alex P. Musa, SALWACO’s Station Manager, Bo, presented a technical overview of the project. He stated that SALWACO will provide oversight, technical support, and continuous monitoring. He also underscored the importance of community participation, including land provision, focal person identification, infrastructure protection, and long-term facility management.
Also addressing the gathering, Director of Commercial Services Mr. Mohamed Aziz Waggay noted that the project has a two-year implementation timeline. He emphasized that community involvement is central to the project’s success. To prevent future disputes, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will be signed between SALWACO and identified landowners or donors, witnessed by local councils. The boreholes, he said, are intended for the benefit of all community members.
The sensitization campaign continued in Mattru Jong, followed by engagements in Moyamba and Pujehun Districts, and will conclude in Kailahun and Kenema Districts.
The stakeholder sensitization and social mobilization for the Kenema and Kailahun Solar-Powered Boreholes Project officially concluded, following a series of successful engagements held at the Kenema and Kailahun District Council Halls. The strategic initiative forms part of a nationwide campaign aimed at raising public awareness and fostering community participation in the implementation of the 100 Solar-Powered Boreholes Project, a transformative effort to expand access to safe and sustainable water in rural Sierra Leone.
Spearheaded by the Sierra Leone Water Company (SALWACO) under the Saudi Program for the Drilling of Wells and Rural Development in Africa (Phase V – Sierra Leone), the project entails the drilling and installation of 100 solar-powered boreholes across 81 communities in 78 chiefdoms within 14 districts (excluding Freetown). The project is fully funded by the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, through the Saudi Fund for Development, and implemented by EMT, an international construction firm with a strong track record in rural water infrastructure.
The Kenema and Kailahun sessions brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including traditional leaders, district council representatives, civil society organizations, and community members. SALWACO officials from both headquarters and regional stations delivered detailed technical presentations, addressed community concerns, and stressed the importance of inclusive stakeholder involvement.
Ing. Marilyn George, SALWACO’s Capital Development Manager who doubles as the Project Manager, emphasized the critical role of community ownership. She called for the establishment of local WASH Committees, with women comprising the majority, to ensure the effective management and long-term sustainability of the boreholes once operational.
In his keynote address, Dr. Albert Harrison Harvey, Deputy Managing Director and Acting Managing Director of SALWACO, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to improving water supply systems in underserved communities. He highlighted that the project, a grant from the Saudi Government, will span two years and is expected to benefit over 250,000 people across the country.
The Kenema and Kailahun outreach sessions represent key milestones in the ongoing national sensitization campaign, following earlier successful engagements in Bo, Moyamba, Pujehun, Mattru Jong, and Bonthe. These district-level meetings have been vital in promoting transparency, enhancing technical understanding, and fostering a strong sense of community ownership of the upcoming water infrastructure.
The nationwide sensitization and social mobilization campaign began in the North-West and Northern regions, and concluded in the South-East, strengthening collaboration among SALWACO, local authorities, and beneficiary communities across the 14 participating districts.
Mr. Brima Alieu, Regional Manager – East, expressed appreciation for the positive reception and participation from local stakeholders, noting that continued collaboration will be essential during the implementation phase.
Senior SALWACO staff, including Ing. Mana-Nika Silla, Ing. John Hallowell, Sarah Kamara, and Communications Officer Victoria Saffa, played key roles in delivering the national engagement tour, ensuring both technical integrity and alignment with community expectations at every level.
As the project transitions into the construction phase, communities are being encouraged to maintain their support by allocating land for borehole sites, participating in monitoring activities, and championing strong local water governance.
In other parts of the country, similar messages were spearheaded by Ing. Hamid Alpha Kamara, the Port Loko Station Manager and Ag. Regional Manager, Mohamed Sankoh, SALWACO’s Monitoring and Evaluation Manager and Sheku Putka Kamara, Senior Communications Officer.
Ing. LB Sawi, Regional Manager, Ing. Bayoh in Makeni (Station Manager), Ing. Claude in Kambia (Station Manager), Chrisa Koroma, Planning and Policy Manager, Mohamed Metzger Esq, Senior Communications Officer and other SALWACO staff played pivotal roles in strategically passing on the messages to the people.
SALWACO looks forward to securing community lands with no issues and to see that the project which has a two-year frame is successfully completed.
