Sites of Work

FREETOWN

Exploring resilience across coastal, lowland, and hillside settlements.

Research Overview

Freetown, Sierra Leone’s coastal capital, sits between steep hills and the Atlantic Ocean. Its rapid growth has pushed communities into precarious spaces — crowded coastal edges, floodplains, and unstable hillsides. The sites of Cockle Bay, Colbot, and Moyiba capture these layered risks, showing how residents sustain livelihoods and daily life in settlements highly exposed to flooding, landslides, and coastal change.

Cockle Bay

Cockle Bay is located along Aberdeen Creek built on land reclaimed from mangroves and tidal flats, now densely occupied by informal housing. The settlement is located approximately 5.2 km from the city center and has an estimated population of 20,000. Residents rely on fishing, small-scale trading, and daily wage labour. Despite recurrent flooding and tidal surges, the settlement continues to expand along the waterfront.

Climate Hazards

Coastal flooding from sea-level rise and tidal surges

Heat

High tides

Fire incidents

Air pollution

Storms

👥 Social Determinants

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Banking and land reclamation along low-lying coastal areas intensify flood risk

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Insecure land tenure, especially for recent migrants, limits housing improvements and forces settlement development in high-risk zones

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Limited access to basic services such as water, sanitation, and healthcare

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Poor housing construction using corrugated iron sheets (pan bodies) and mud bricks increases exposure to flooding and heat

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Gender, age, and identity-based vulnerabilities compound exposure

Anticipated Health Outcomes

Increased incidence of waterborne diseases (e.g. cholera, diarrhoea) during flooding

Respiratory syndromes linked to poor air quality and housing conditions

Occupational health risks (such as cold) from sand mining and cockle picking

Heat stress and dehydration due to heat exposure

Physical injuries from flooding and tidal surges

Psychological stress and trauma related to financial insecurity and housing problems

📷 Media Gallery - Cockle Bay

Photo Documentation

Research Documents

Maps

Colbot

Colbot is a coastal community located in eastern Freetown near the Bomeh dumpsite. The community has a population of approximately 12,000 and is located 3.5 km from the city center. Built along swampy lowlands, the community is exposed to severe environmental and health hazards. Livelihoods include informal trade, fishing, scavenging, and wage labour. Seasonal flooding frequently disrupts homes and pathways, leading to displacement and property loss.

Climate Hazards

Flooding

Rockfalls

Heat and Fire incidents

Air pollution from waste burning

High tides and storm surges

Building/Structural collapse

👥 Social Determinants

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Stone mining as a primary livelihood exposes residents to occupational hazards

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Poor road networks limit access to essential services, including healthcare

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Inadequate access to clean drinking water and sanitation

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Environmental degradation due to deforestation and stone mining

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Fragile housing structures (e.g., pan-bodies and mudbricks) increased risk of collapse

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Minority groups face layered vulnerabilities due to socio-economic exclusion

Anticipated Health Outcomes

Respiratory conditions (e.g., cough, pneumonia) from smoke and dust exposure

Increased risk of waterborne (e.g., typhoid, diarrhoea) and vector borne diseases (e.g., malaria)

Fire-related injuries and structural collapse

Skin and eyesight issues linked to heat and pollution

Psychological stress and trauma related to financial, housing and health insecurity

Poor health outcomes across all age groups, especially children and the elderly

📷 Media Gallery - Colbot

Photo Documentation

Research Documents

Maps

Moyiba

Moyiba is a hillside community in eastern Freetown. The settlement has an estimated population of 18,000 and is located 4.6 km from the city center. Residents depend on stone mining, petty trading, and informal labour. Rapid population growth has driven housing expansion into unstable terrain, resulting in deforestation and increased susceptibility to landslides and erosion.

Climate Hazards

Flooding

Heat

Mudslides and Landslides

Air and dust pollution from stone mining and unpaved roads

Storms and fire incidents

Rockfalls and building collapse

👥 Social Determinants

●

Stone mining as a primary livelihood exposes residents to occupational hazards

●

Poor road networks limit access to essential services, including healthcare

●

Inadequate access to clean drinking water and sanitation

●

Environmental degradation due to deforestation and stone mining

●

Fragile housing structures (e.g., pan-bodies and mudbricks) increased risk of collapse

●

Minority groups face layered vulnerabilities due to socio-economic exclusion

Anticipated Health Outcomes

Increased risk of waterborne and vector-borne diseases (e.g., typhoid, diarrhoea, malaria)

Physical injuries and fatalities from landslides, mudslides, rockfalls, and building collapse

Heat-related conditions such as skin rashes and asthma

Psychological distress linked to financial instability, environmental hazards, and displacement

📷 Media Gallery - Moyiba

Photo Documentation

Research Documents

Maps