“We love the work because these trees help us a lot. So, I love to be in this job. I like to be planting trees because we, the people, are doing this for the safety of our nation, Sierra Leone.”
The second program that me and Stuti are tasked with evaluating this summer is Freetown the Treetown. Freetown the Treetown is among the initiatives put into action by Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr to respond to the massive deforestation taking place in and around Freetown and its devastating consequences, including increased risk of flooding and mudslides, and threats to the city’s water reserves. The program’s ambitious goals include planting one million trees in Freetown before 2022 and increasing vegetation cover by 50 percent.
Our focus is on examining how the program has impacted the female beneficiaries of it, including the women who plant, grow, and track the trees.
Over the last few weeks, we have conducted a series of interviews with women involved with the program on different levels, including growers in the field, team leaders, and community administrators.
Picture taken in a visit with the City Council to the Moyiba Area in Eastern Freetown. The area is at high risk of flooding and mudslides.
Through the interviews, we try to gauge the gendered dynamics and impacts of the program, by inquiring into processes of decision making, potential gendered barriers for participation, opportunities for advancement, challenges faced, and the overall perceptions of the program.
A strong theme of a passion for the goals of Freetown the Treetown has emerged in the interviews. Although the salary is crucial to the women and their families, their dedication to Freetown the Treetown extends far outside the paycheck. Repeatedly, they have told us how happy they are to work against the environmental destruction taking place in Freetown and to contribute to their community.
Through an emphasis on community involvement and ownership, the City Council’s has managed to foster a strong sense of pride and responsibility among the participants. In the words of one woman we interviewed:
„I am proud to be a grower and I would love to continue being a grower, as long as the project continues. Because it is going to have a positive impact in my community if the project is successful. We will no longer have that massive flooding like we used to have.“
So far, we have only interviewed female participants. Interviews with men are scheduled for next week, and it will be interesting to see what, if any, different themes emerge.
Rapid urbanization has led to the emergence of neighbourhoods in the steep hills surrounding Freetown, including the Moyiba Area. Trees are typically cut down to make room for houses. Many homes in the area are at high risk of collapsing due to erosion, flooding and mudslides.