Mayor Aki-Sawyerr Updates Women for Water and Peace Project Progress
By: Edward Dictionary Caulker
In a recent social media post, Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr highlighted the ongoing efforts of the Freetown City Council (FCC) and its partners in implementing the Women for Water and Peace Project (W4WP). Funded by the UN Peacebuilding Fund, this initiative aims to tackle water scarcity and promote peace across several communities in Freetown.
Mayor Aki-Sawyerr emphasized the collaborative nature of the project, involving partnerships with UNCDF, ILO, ILRAJ, WANEP, and FEDURP. Together, they are overseeing the construction of 25 solar-powered boreholes in areas like Aberdeen, Dworkaz, Lumley, Mayenkineh, and Rokupar—communities identified as hotspots for water resource conflicts and gender-based violence.
The project not only provides clean drinking water but also empowers local women to manage and operate these boreholes. Mayor Aki-Sawyerr underscored the importance of this empowerment, highlighting the installation of kiosks for safe water sales, equipped with filters and solar lighting to enhance security.
Recently, Mayor Aki-Sawyerr visited one of the borehole sites in Mayenkineh with German Ambassador Jens Kraus-Massé, showcasing the project’s impact firsthand. She expressed gratitude for Germany’s significant contribution to the UN Peacebuilding Fund, which supports initiatives like W4WP.
The project has created 200 direct jobs for women, offering them entrepreneurship training and building their confidence while educating them about their rights. Mayor Aki-Sawyerr shared a powerful example of community impact, where project-trained women intervened to report and prosecute a sexual assault case.
With the goal of providing clean water to approximately 75,000 Freetown residents, Mayor Aki-Sawyerr affirmed the project’s alignment with community priorities identified during the Transform Freetown-Transforming Lives Development Agenda consultations.
“We are committed to continuing this journey,” Mayor Aki-Sawyerr concluded, highlighting the ongoing efforts to transform lives through improved water access and community empowerment initiatives.
