Fishing for Empowerment in Sierra Leone

Project presentation

Media Matters for Women (MMW) has built and developed several fish ponds over two years in Kamalenka, a remote and highly impoverished village in northwest Sierra Leone. This beneficiary-led project has created livelihood opportunities for local women, improved understanding of basic rights, and provided access to a new protein source. The lack of protein in Kamalenka is the leading cause of malnutrition. This community-based fish farm project was designed and implemented by MMW with technical support from the Foundation for Rural Development and funding from the World Bank. The involvement of key local stakeholders, government ministers, and traditional and religious leaders has been critical to sustainability. Local women led the training, administration and procurement activities. The project concluded this year with 3 working fish ponds and 35 trained female fish farmers.

Organization presentation

Media Matters for Women is a non-profit organization working in Sierra Leone to empower women and girls in “last-mile” rural communities. They build relationships and collaborate closely with local female leaders, CSOs and NGOs, traditional and religious leaders, and local authorities. Together, they identify local needs and priorities for sustainable projects that can address needed changes in the lives of women and their rural communities.

Impact

“Fish farming has helped the community improve health and develop new skills. I can now boast of being a fish farmer.”

Amie Turay, a beneficiary from Kamalenka Village, one of the 35 villages where women are trained as fish farmers.