LocationsHuman Security Approach Strengthens Community Resilience in Sierra Leone’s Kono District
September 1, 2025
Augustine Sahr Sheku, Chairperson of Kono District Council (from left), Hon. Tamba Lamina, Minister of Local Government and Community Affairs , and Gbessay Kargbo, the representative of UN Resident Coordinator’s Office
At the close of a national workshop in Freetown, UNDP Sierra Leone, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the Government of Sierra Leone celebrated the achievements of a joint initiative that has been transforming lives in Kono District through the Human Security Project.
The workshop brought together Paramount Chiefs, Village Development Committees, Peace Mothers, local leaders, and development officers, alongside UNDP and FAO, to reflect on the project’s impact. Participants also explored how the human security approach can be embedded into Sierra Leone’s decentralization process through the Wan Fambul Framework (WFF).
For the past four years, the project has supported communities in Soa, Gbense, and Kamara chiefdoms to address food insecurity, poverty, environmental pressures, and conflict. Funded by the UN Human Security Trust Fund, the initiative placed people at the center of development, ensuring that communities themselves are shaping their future.
Delivering the keynote statement, the Minister of Local Government and Community Affairs, Hon. Tamba Lamina, reminded participants that human security goes beyond the absence of war. “It is about the everyday challenges that affect people’s lives, including food, health, livelihoods, and peaceful coexistence,” he said, commending the project for bringing hope and opportunity to one of Sierra Leone’s most remote and fragile regions.
Hon. Tamba Lamina , Minister of Local Government and Community Affairs addressing the workshop.
The UN Resident Coordinator’s Office, represented by Gbessay Kargbo, also applauded the people of Kono for their vision and resilience, noting that community-led structures such as the Chiefdom Coordination Group are ensuring the sustainability of results.
Mr Gbassey Kargbo , a representative of the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office addressing the workshop.
Lasting Results for Communities
The project’s achievements have been wide-ranging:
- More than 400 young people are now organized into three youth-led cooperatives with 12 skills groups.
- 30 Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) have expanded financial inclusion for marginalized communities.
- Women and youth received training in entrepreneurship and livelihood skills, boosting income generation.
- Investments in water, sanitation, and farmer-based organizations have improved health and food security.
- Communities report reduced domestic violence, greater economic independence for vulnerable groups, and improved safety through the establishment of Police Partnership Board offices.
According to Minister Lamina, what sets this project apart is the sense of ownership it has fostered. “Local leaders, women, and youth are no longer just recipients of development; they are its drivers,” he said. “This participatory approach is exactly what our 2020 Decentralization Policy envisioned, communities identifying their priorities and leading their own development.”
Implemented by UNDP and FAO, in partnership with SEND Sierra Leone, NMJD, and Fambul Tok, the project has demonstrated how government, civil society, and development partners can collaborate to strengthen resilience and leave no one behind.
A Model for the Future
Both UNDP and FAO emphasized that the experience in Kono provides a model for scaling up nationwide. By building trust, empowering women, and supporting local entrepreneurship, the project has shown how human security can translate into sustainable, community-led development.
As the initiative concludes, stakeholders agreed that the foundations laid in Kono must be expanded. With more resources and partnerships, the progress already achieved can spread to other communities, helping realize Sierra Leone’s vision of inclusive, people-centered development.
A market woman at the Hill Station Market in Kono renovated by the Human Security Project
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