Report: Improving Access to Water Services in Sierra Leone

Nonso Jideofor
In 2017, we partnered with Code for Sierra Leone through our Matchbox Program to collaborate on a project that aimed to improve access to water in Sierra Leone through information and communication technologies (ICTs). Last month, we shared a blogpost detailing opportunities we identified, and highlighted the need to build upon existing local solutions. This phase of our work with Code for Sierra Leone has drawn to a close, but we would love for our research to be built upon and used by other groups. If you’re interested in doing so, read on. Together with Code for Sierra Leone, we compiled our research in the download below. You might be interested in it if you are:
  • Working on water-related issues in Sierra Leone or in the region (e.g. water provision, hygiene, sanitation and health issues)
  • Seeking entry points to using data and technology to improve public services

⬇ Download the report here [PDF]

Our research led us to three opportunity areas, summarised below. If you want to learn more about them, or want to keep working on them with Code for Sierra Leone, we invite you to reach out to us!
  • Freetown Water Providers Support: A support programme for unofficial water providers. The envisioned programme would consist of a catalogue of providers, communication channels to request support from them, and a process for prioritising requests.
  • WataMita: A system that enables communities to periodically score their representatives’ and responsible agencies’ performance related to water service delivery.
  • Packed Water for All: A new collaboration model through which customers who can afford to pay extra for packed water do so. This extra amount is then used to donate packed water to communities in need.
To get in touch, reach out to Nonso at nonso[at]theengineroom.org. You can also hear Nonso speak about the research at TICTec on 19 April in Lisbon.

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