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ARISE in Cockle Bay, Sierra Leone

In Sierra Leone, central Freetown, nested on the bank of Aberdeen Creek lined with mangroves, is the informal settlement of Cockle Bay. It has been growing ever since the 1940s.  During the 1990s, Cockle Bay’s population increased rapidly, when people from rural areas fled civil conflict in search of security, employment, and affordable housing within the capital. Since then, the community has been expanding not only in geography due to the reclaiming of land from the sea through mud and stick banking, but also in the population leading to the emergence of four new sub settlements as Hilet view, J-mata, Kola tik and Mafengbeh.  This photo story represents a snapshot of what daily life is like for residents of Cockle Bay and was gathered during our recent field work activities. 

 

Isometric view of Cockle Bay in context
Isometric view of Cockle Bay in context

The community benefits from its location on the sea as a port importing goods, such as palm oil, from rural parts of Sierra Leone. 

Boat transporting goods to Freetown through Cockle Bay and fish processing
Boat transporting goods to Freetown through Cockle Bay and fish processing
Locals engage in petty trade and fishing.
Locals engage in petty trade and fishing.
Youth engaged in social games
Youth engaged in social games
It is a vibrant community, with several initiatives, including youth clubs and cinemas that shows European leagues
It is a vibrant community, with several initiatives, including youth clubs and cinemas that shows European leagues

However, the residents face a variety of challenges, including lack of space and access to on-grid services. The settlement is only 0-1 meter above the sea level, and people increase the inhabitable area by “banking” – creating more land by using tyres, sand and rubbish and building new houses on them. This way the Cockle Bay community has grown by over hundred metres into the sea in the past 16 years. While this is a resourceful way of increasing the habitable area, these houses are not linked to any on-grid services and are vulnerable to flooding, especially in the rainy season. Banking in this way also damages the natural environment, particularly mangroves and wildlife, which is contributing to the overall environmental degradation of Freetown which presents further risks to the residents of Cockle Bay. 

However, the residents face a variety of challenges, including lack of space and access to on-grid services. The settlement is only 0-1 meter above the sea level, and people increase the inhabitable area by “banking” – creating more land by using tyres, sand and rubbish and building new houses on them. This way the Cockle Bay community has grown by over hundred metres into the sea in the past 16 years. While this is a resourceful way of increasing the habitable area, these houses are not linked to any on-grid services and are vulnerable to flooding, especially in the rainy season. Banking in this way also damages the natural environment, particularly mangroves and wildlife, which is contributing to the overall environmental degradation of Freetown which presents further risks to the residents of Cockle Bay. 

Google Earth images from 2005, 2011 and 2021 showing the growth of Cockle Bay informal settlement. 

Figure 4- The banking process 3
Figure 4 The banking process 2
Figure 4- The banking process 1
Corridor of foot path
Corridor of foot path
Hanging toilet
Hanging toilet
Children playing
Children playing

The community don’t have enough safe spaces for children, and so they play close to hanging toilets, presenting health risks as a result of contact with human waste.  

Buckets of water to be carried by resident women and girls to their homes
Buckets of water to be carried by resident women and girls to their homes

Fetching water is a daily chore for all in Cockle Bay and this presents a particular risk to teenage girls who are often exposed to sexual- and gender-based violence at sites of water collection.        

The ARISE project is working with communities as co-researchers to analyze their situation and start conversations on how they can better address their well-being needs by building on their own strengths and capabilities. The project also builds capacity of some of the residents who take part in the project as co-researchers. The challenges and aspects of everyday life highlighted above are those that the co-researchers felt are particularly important to share, and were emphasized throughout data collection.  

Researchers, co-researchers and a group of community women working together on analysis.1
Researchers, co-researchers and a group of community women working together on analysis.3

Researchers, co-researchers and a group of community women working together on analysis. 

Researchers, co-researchers and a group of community women working together on analysis.2

In this Venn diagram workshop, community women – assisted by ARISE researchers and co-researchers -looked at what institutions there are and how they operate in the community.  The purpose of this activity was to identify formal and informal governance structures and how they interact with each other and how far or close they are to the community. ARISE will work with community residents to identify strategies to communicate their needs and priorities similar with the multiple governance structures operational within informal settlements. 

Notes: The photos in this piece were taken by Zuzana Hrdličková and the text was developed by the ARISE team in Sierra Leone.