Sierra Leone is a Least Developed Country, and one of the 10 poorest countries in the world, with a GDP per capita of $431, that is $1.30 per day (UNCTAD 2021). 57 % of the population live in rural communities and are dependent on subsistence agriculture to survive. Over 95% of the rural population still cook on wood fueled traditional 3 stone fires, often indoors (Sierra Leone Ministry of Energy). This has devastating consequences for the environment, nature and for the health of women and children in particular, who cook and tend the fire and so suffer the most from household air pollution (HAP). Whilst there is free primary and secondary education provision, one in five children in Sierra Leone leaves the education system at the end of primary school. In rural areas this is exacerbated: there is very poor attendance because of children’s wood gathering, cooking and other duties: given the extreme poverty of rural households, child labour is often essential for survival and girls are especially disadvantaged: only 5% of the poorest rural girls will complete their education (Unicef Sierra Leone Education Analysis 2020).

Sierra Leone’s landscape includes a flat coastal region fringed with mangrove swamps, where the  first Livɛ Fyn distributions will be taking place. There are wooded hills inland and an interior plateau with rainforest covered mountains in the East. The impact of intensive wood fuel harvesting including that of mangroves is devastating for the environment. Mangroves are highly effective carbon sinks, locking away large quantities of carbon, they provide a natural defence against flooding as well as being biodiversity hotspots with very productive, biologically rich ecosystems. 

The Livɛ Fyn programme is addressing these critical climate, health, education and gender inequality challenges faced by Sierra Leone by providing the rural population free access to modern energy efficient cooking combined with education and support. They have previously been denied clean cooking because of lack of affordability. Most of the rural population live well below the poverty line, on a dollar a day or less. Once living essentials are paid, a stove is completely unaffordable, even with a subsidy.