Sierra Leone

Oxfam in Sierra Leone

Oxfam closes in Sierra Leone 
In March 2020, Oxfam’s Executive Board decided to phase out Oxfam activities in 18 countries of the world including Sierra Leone. This decision was made in order to adapt to the continuing financial impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Two years later, in March 2022, Oxfam in Sierra Leone closed most of its programs implementing activities in the country.

The only remaining projects implemented by Oxfam in Sierra Leone will run up to July 2023 and they aim at improving people’s food security through boosting crops and livestock production, a project funded by the European Union. In particular:

• We increase and diversify livestock production, processing and marketing, in order to improve the lives and income of people working in the whole livestock value chain.
• We help farmers to increase and diversify their crop production to improve their income and food security. 

Legacy of Oxfam in Sierra Leone

Oxfam started operations in Sierra Leone in 1998, with relief work focused on emergency water, sanitation and hygiene provision in the context of the civil war that was ongoing at the time. From 2004 to 2022, OXFAM shifted its program towards a more development-orientated approach working in both urban and rural areas of Sierra Leone. Oxfam’s work focused on good governance, gender equality, energy, food security and livelihoods, education, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH). Oxfam worked with partners and supported programming across Sierra Leone particularly in relation to our national influencing and policy work. In addition, OXFAM responded to emergency situations when they occured, such as the 2012 cholera outbreak, the 2014 Ebola Virus Disease outbreak, the 2017 mudslide disaster in Freetown and 2019 flash floods in Freetown.

Oxfam’s vision for Sierra Leone was “A just, inclusive and resilient Sierra Leone without poverty, in which citizens, particularly women and youth demand and acquire equal access to their rights and live a life of dignity.”

Addressing Inequalities in Sierra Leone Through Enhancing Access to Quality Essential Services

Oxfam and its partners addressed inequalities through enhancing access to quality essential services in education, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and renewable energy for poor and marginalized communities. Oxfam successfully led the Freetown WASH Consortium, within the Western Area Urban and Western Area Rural Districts, to support the Government of Sierra Leone to improve WASH access, within 44 wards in the Western Area.
We successfully piloted and scaled the Tiger Worm Toilets Project which contributed to the prevention of communicable diseases through improved sanitation and hygiene practices. This project addressed major concerns such as the absence of the sewerage system and unsafe human waste disposal.
Recently we implemented a rural WASH project in two districts; this project supported communal water points and promotion of household hygiene and sanitation in targeted communities.
We empowered girls, young women and youth through improved access to equitable, quality, affordable and sustainable education services for poor and marginalized communities.

Promoting Economic and Gender Justice

Throughout our interventions we were always committed to promoting the political, social and economic empowerment of women and youths at all levels. Oxfam has worked with Woman’s Rights Organization to support women to join elective politics. For example, Oxfam was leading the implementation of two grants focused on improving livelihoods of women and youth, and the diversification of crops and livestock production. We also empowered citizens especially youth and women to influence policy and structural changes including working towards ensuring that domestic resources (tax and extractive revenues) were increasingly managed transparently and redistributed equitably by the government.

Responding to humanitarian crises and saving lives

Sierra Leone has faced several humanitarian emergencies in the past. These include cholera, Ebola Virus disease outbreak, flooding and mudslide. Oxfam worked with the Government of Sierra Leone, peer organizations, civil society organizations and donor agencies to support the affected citizens by providing much needed relief, rehabilitation and recovery support.