Poor citizens of Sierra Leone’s capital, Freetown, are running out of space to construct their homes because they are squeezed between the Atlantic Ocean and mountain peaks.
They are building homes on ground that has been “reclaimed” from the sea out of desperation, a practise known as “banking” there.
On the water’s edge, they create their homes by piling up layers of tyres, trash, and earthen bags. Then they cover the ballast with mud.
According to estimates, one-third of the capital’s 1.5 million inhabitants currently reside in slums as the city’s population rises.
“It’s here I’ve built my shack house because I don’t have the opportunity to buy and build one elsewhere. It’s here I’m managing my life with no problem,” said Lamrana Bah, a resident of Cockle Bay.
A community-based organisation called the Federation of Urban and Rural Poor (FEDURP) estimates that its beachfront communities are home to some 198,000 individuals.
Yet, the risky construction techniques they are employing should be avoided.
“We’ve witnessed over 15 fire incidents leading to the loss of lives and houses burnt down. And the flooding occurs during the rains, and during the dry season most of the drainage canals are blocked with garbage,” said Nancy Sesay, a resident of Susan’s Bay.
These unapproved dwellings also have other issues, such as inadequate sewage and water systems and poor access roads that make it difficult for emergency vehicles like ambulances or fire trucks to get there.
During the ten-year civil war, when Freetown was viewed as a safe haven, its population exploded.
“So most people migrated from the rural areas to Freetown and over time the population increased. And that’s actually had a whole lot of increased demand for housing and that resulted in people inhabiting some of those coastal settlements,” said Braima Koroma, the director of research at Sierra Leone’s Urban Research Centre.
But, Freetown’s mayor argues the solution is to establish more economically appealing places for people outside of the city because rising sea levels due to climate change are anticipated to force millions of people to move further inland.
