Sierra Leone Urban Research Centre

Sierra Leone Urban Research Centre SLURC is a globally connected research centre based in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

It produces evidence and builds capacities of urban stakeholders to enable fairer and more sustainable responses to critical development challenges facing urban Sierra Leone.

Director and Co-Authors Win 2026 Best Paper Award from Area Development and PolicyBraima Koroma, Director of Resear...
18/09/2026

Director and Co-Authors Win 2026 Best Paper Award from Area Development and Policy

Braima Koroma, Director of Research and Training at the Sierra Leone Urban Research Centre (SLURC), has accepted the 2026 Best Paper Area Development and Policy Award from the Regional Studies Association (RSA) .
In his remarks, Braima expressed gratitude: I am truly honoured to accept this award alongside my esteemed colleagues on the Transitions to Sustainable Urban Mobility in Sub-Saharan Africa (T-SUM) . This recognition affirms the importance of research that reflects the lived realities of the communities we worked with in as well as in , where the challenges of everyday mobility are inseparable from their dignity, equity, and opportunity,"
He added: "I am particularly grateful to my co-authors and the journal for supporting in the Global South. "We remain committed to advancing knowledge that transforms disadvantage into , and contributes to cities that are inclusive, equitable, and humane,"
The award was presented by Weishi Chen, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Area Development and Policy, who praised the paper ‘Accessibility, (dis)advantage and everyday mobility practices and experiences: the cases of Maputo and Freetown’," as an excellent contribution to urban mobility scholarship.
This paper was co-authored by Daniel Oviedo and Alexandria Chong, both of the Bartlett Development Planning Unit at UCL; Clémence Cavoli and Yasmina Yusuf, both of the Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering at UCL; Joaquín Romero de Tejada of the Mozambique Transport and Mobility Observatory; and Braima Koroma of the Sierra Leone Urban Research Centre,". . " to the entire team on this outstanding achievement.

18/09/2026

"Across If Cities Could Speak’s twenty one research sites, two questions sit alongside the data collection and field histories: how do we tell these stories well? And how do we make sure they reach the people and institutions that need them?

Storylines builds archives of narrative — written, visual, audio — that make the research legible beyond academic audiences. Impact and Change develops the strategies to carry findings across scales: to communities, urban practitioners, health systems, and policymakers.

Both are embedded in the project from the beginning. Because the work of research doesn’t end at publication.

[link]https://ifcitiescouldspeak.com/our-work/storylines/?utm_source=slurc&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=ifcitiescouldspeak&utm_content=14-storylines-&-impact-and-change

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Kounkuey Design Initiative Kenya Sierra Leone Urban Research Centre African Centre for Cities Institute of Development Studies International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS)

In the hillside community of , east of Freetown, is one of the most common . "Every rainy season, people die, and p...
15/09/2026

In the hillside community of , east of Freetown, is one of the most common . "Every rainy season, people die, and properties worth thousands of leones are destroyed," says the community chairman, during the Sierra Leone Urban Research Centre's capacity building workshop for the Drainage Management Committee. One of the major causing the destruction of lives and property is the drainage condition. "Poor drainage is a death trap," he continued, requesting that the Urban TRACS project support the drainage management committee to take up a community-led action for the cleaning, clearing, and construction of .

The idea of community-led has been introduced by the Urban TRACS research project in the community. As part of this approach, the project has worked with the community to form a Drainage Management Committee to map all flood-prone areas and put measures in place to address the , even without government and external development support. During the capacity building session, the community acknowledged the importance of maintaining these drainages and requested tools and materials to lead the cleaning process. "The tools and materials, such as shovels, pickaxes, wheelbarrows, gloves, safety and rain boots, enable us to fully engage in the activity," the coordinator of the Drainage Committee acknowledged.

In his presentation, Ansumana Tarawally, a Research Officer and Urban TRACS’ project lead at the Sierra Leone Urban Research Centre, presented on all flood-prone areas in the community and the unique hazard in each specific community section, informed by earlier research. "We are validating the data because we want to be sure that the data reflect community decision," he said, adding that the data also informed the management committee of where drainage problems have been identified for each location, what could be done, and who is responsible. "This can better inform decision making," he said, continuing that drainage management is connected to safe roads, safe business, safe property, and life savings.

As part of the session, the committee engaged in group work, where they validated the drainage issues mentioned for each community and identified the priority level for fixing each problem. The committee validated the data with minor changes and also called on government and development partners to support the group.

Presenting on behalf of his group, the coordinator of the Drainage Management Committee called for support. "The Committee has agreed to engage in this difficult and intensive clearing venture," he said. "We cannot do it barehanded, hence we are asking for support with gloves and protective boots." The committee is also working with community leaders to the community on solid waste management, including the introduction of bye-laws and their enforcement. "We are also calling on the community chairman to liaise with Freetown City Council for either a tricycle or truck for the transportation of waste during our routine cleaning exercises," he ended.

CLARE is a flagship research programme on climate adaptation and resilience, funded mostly (about 90%) by UK Aid through the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), and co-funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada. CLARE bridges critical gaps between science and action by championing Southern leadership to enable socially inclusive and sustainable action to build resilience to climate change and natural hazards.

Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine - LSTM IDRC West and Central Africa
Environment Protection Agency Sierra Leone Freetown City Council Centre of Dialogue on Human Settlement and Poverty Alleviation UK in Sierra Leone Institute of Gender and Children's Health Research

02/09/2026

The Sierra Leone Urban Research Centre (SLURC) handed over four upgraded houses on 20th August 2026, in the of Moyiba, eastern Freetown. The houses upgraded were either or built from scratch, depending on the assessment report for each selected house. One of the houses was constructed from the foundation up, while the other three were retrofitted.

The four pilot houses are part of the research project (Transformative Research for Adaptation to Climate Change in Informal Settlements), and demonstrate that low-budget climate-resilient construction is achievable in resource-constrained communities. Techniques such as raised foundations, floodwall barriers, and improved airflow design help protect against both and . The upgraded houses preserve the existing character of the homes, while also addressing the twin challenges of heat stress and flooding.

include the following:
: Perforated bricks allow more air and daylight in while maintaining privacy and reducing the need for artificial lighting during the day.
-cement bricks: These are stronger than traditional mud bricks and more affordable than conventional cement bricks.
: These admit more air and light, enhance privacy, and cut daytime lighting costs.

“If you look at the global report, is cited as one of the countries most to . That makes addressing climate change both urgent and necessary,” said Dr. Joseph Macarthy, Executive Director of SLURC. “The pilot project demonstrates innovative ideas that support the argument that it is possible to build climate-resilient houses even on a low budget,” he continued. He added that the houses were cheaper and more resilient to .

One of the upgraded houses shared: "When it rains, my children and I used to huddle in a tiny corner of the house because the roof leaked everywhere. Even then, we would still get soaked. It was very challenging for us. When my mother died, it became even harder as a of two."

said: "I used to fear that the wind would take my home away. When the wind blew, we would physically hold the roof down to keep it from flying off. I was even more worried that if the wind destroyed my home, the roof might land on my neighbours' houses, forcing me to pay for repairs. I don't have the money to repair both my house and the neighbour(s) neither the skill to manage that kind of conflict. I am grateful to for repairing my home. I truly appreciate the team for improving my living conditions."

CLARE is a flagship research programme on climate adaptation and resilience, funded mostly (about 90%) by UK Aid through the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), and co-funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada. CLARE bridges critical gaps between science and action by championing Southern leadership to enable socially inclusive and sustainable action to build resilience to climate change and natural hazards.

Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine - LSTM IDRC West and Central Africa
Environment Protection Agency Sierra Leone Freetown City Council Centre of Dialogue on Human Settlement and Poverty Alleviation UK in Sierra Leone

"One of the four approaches at the core of If Cities Could Speak is health histories—household ethnographies that ask ho...
24/08/2026

"One of the four approaches at the core of If Cities Could Speak is health histories—household ethnographies that ask how residents of vulnerable settlements understand and experience climate change’s effects on their health. Not what instruments measure. What people know, feel, name, and carry.

Across our twenty one sites, researchers are sitting with families across seasons, tracing the connections between climate hazards, health, housing, livelihoods, and the daily decisions people make to cope. This is where much of the richest material in our blogs comes from.

More on this work → (link) https://ifcitiescouldspeak.com/our-work/health-histories/?utm_source=slurc&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=ifcitiescouldspeak&utm_content=10-health-histories---why-this-matters



Kounkuey Design Initiative Sierra Leone Urban Research Centre African Centre for Cities Institute of Development Studies Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS) International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED)

The Sierra Leone Urban Research Centre has handed over four pilot-upgraded homes to beneficiaries in the hillside comm...
21/08/2026

The Sierra Leone Urban Research Centre has handed over four pilot-upgraded homes to beneficiaries in the hillside community of , located in eastern Freetown. These four houses are part of a broader study involving 39 homes in the community, conducted under the URBAN TRACS project (Transformative Research for Adaptation to Climate Change in Informal Settlements). The housing upgrades demonstrate that it is possible to create climate-resilient homes in low-resource informal communities like that address hazards and vulnerability.

As climate-driven risks such as flooding, heat stress, and storms intensify in coastal and hillside informal settlements, the Urban TRACS project offers a replicable model for building resilience. This is a bottom-up approach - rooted in understanding risk and vulnerabilities from local voices through participatory research that recommends community-led climate adaptation for informal communities.

CLARE is a flagship research programme on climate adaptation and resilience, funded mostly (about 90%) by UK Aid through the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), and co-funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada. CLARE bridges critical gaps between science and action by championing Southern leadership to enable socially inclusive and sustainable action to build resilience to climate change and natural hazards.



Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine - LSTM UK in Sierra Leone Freetown City Council Environment Protection Agency Sierra Leone

"Garmee mein takleef kya hoti hai? — What troubles do you face in the heat?Researcher Ruchika Lall spent summer 2025 in ...
14/08/2026

"Garmee mein takleef kya hoti hai? — What troubles do you face in the heat?

Researcher Ruchika Lall spent summer 2025 in settlements in Patna and Delhi asking this question. One respondent laughed. Another connected a broken pipe to a skin infection to the universal human need for clean water—in the same breath. What this fieldwork is revealing is how heat stress settles into lives shaped by inadequate housing, insecure infrastructure, and layered social exclusions. Climate change adds to what is already there. Understanding that layering—rather than treating heat as a standalone hazard—is part of what If Cities Could Speak is working to document.

Read the full field reflection at the link.
https://ifcitiescouldspeak.com/heat-stress-and-health-housing-for-climate-justice-in-india/?utm_source=slurc&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=ifcitiescouldspeak&utm_content=9-patna-&-delhi---heat-stress


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Kounkuey Design Initiative Sierra Leone Urban Research Centre African Centre for Cities Institute of Development Studies Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS) International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED)

The Sierra Leone Urban Research Centre, Communities and City Stakeholders Co-design 5 Pathways to Community Land " " ( )...
12/08/2026

The Sierra Leone Urban Research Centre, Communities and City Stakeholders Co-design 5 Pathways to Community Land " " ( ) Process in Freetown

As part of its ongoing research project, the Sierra Leone Urban Research Centre (SLURC) has held a series of co-design and reflexivity sessions with the informal communities of Palmoronko and Thompson Bay, as well as city and national stakeholders, on "banking" (land reclamation) in the waterfront informal communities in Freetown.

During the reflexivity held with communities to share their perspectives on SLURC's research activities and voice pressing concerns about the research process, a key issue was raised by the Thompson Bay community regarding the practice of "banking" (land reclamation) and the persistent threat of eviction. Residents called on SLURC to between their community and city authorities, urging the government to halt reclamation activities while also guaranteeing that no evictions would take place.

In response, Dr Joseph Macarthy, the Executive Director, emphasised the Centre's role as a facilitator of rather than a direct arbiter. "We are researchers, you (Thompson Bay) are concerned, and the government is concerned about banking. Our role is to create a conversation around banking. While it is important to everyone, no one seems to have clear answers," he explained.
He further addressed the government's typical approach to informal settlements, noting: "Usually, when the hears about , the first thing they think about is eviction. But there are many other ways to address the challenges of informality. For the government to truly understand the needs and challenges of informal settlements, is essential. Eviction is not the only solution." The engagement was part of a larger, multi-year research initiative that seeks to generate actionable evidence for more governance.

The Research Project
The Urban Futures project, titled "Towards and Inclusive Governance and in African Informal Settlements," is being implemented by SLURC in partnership with the University of Waterloo (Canada) and the Institute of Development Studies (UK). The project investigates governance processes around "banking" (land reclamation) in informal waterfront communities in Freetown, identifying five process pathways.
As part of this research, SLURC is developing a Community Land Use and Governance System Map to better understand local practices and challenges. Citing historical research from SLURC, the Executive Director said that both and have lacked sufficient information to respond to development of informal settlements, often leading to reactive and punitive measures.

"The challenges observed in Thompson Bay are not unique; they mirror issues found in other informal settlements such as Dwarzack and Portee-Rokupor," he said. He noted that initiatives like the Urban Futures research project aim to generate evidence that helps government and design more informed, inclusive and sustainable interventions.

The 5 Pathways of and reclamation:

Even though water space is legally owned by the government, the process involves a complex web of local leaders, government agencies and informal actors. The duration of "banking" (land reclamation) takes between six and 36 months, depending on financial capacity and need.
1. Identification of Space
Actions: Requests are made to previous "bankers of the sea plot," chiefs or land grabbers.
: Early settlers, chiefs, CDMC heads, land grabbers/invaders and elders' council.
2. Space Acquisition
Action: Plot demarcation and price negotiation (sometimes free). Registration involves a symbolic payment of a token ("Borah") paid by new owners, with documents witnessed by a chief and the police partnership board member.
Action: New owners, contractors, early settlers, chiefs, CDMC heads, police partnership board chair, land grabbers/invaders and elders' council.
3. Initial Banking (The Filling Process)
Actions: Cutting and clearing mangroves; depositing mud, black sand, gravel and construction waste; using tyres and cement to stabilise edges.
Tools: Boats, cutlasses, hoes, shovels, wheelbarrows and head pans.
4. Land Stabilisation
Actions: Owners wait 6 – 36 months or more for soil to compact. They build temporary "Panbody" structures to test stability. In some instances, community chiefs oversee the process.
Usage: Plots are often used as playgrounds during this phase.
5. Permanent Construction & Settlement
Actions: Building permanent structures.
Result: The owner moves in with their family, and the community expands.
Beneficiaries of "banking" (reclamation) and Governance Process in Freetown

: Gain political capital and voting numbers during elections.
, Land & : Benefit from rent, land sales and banking fees.
Rental Agents & : Earn financial benefits from transport and housing.
Livelihood & Employment: Provides employment for youth in labour and for truck drivers working with sand miners.
Traders & Business People: Generate income from commercial spaces.
Community: Residents enjoy a vibrant, economically active waterfront environment.
Government & Services: Government agencies and the Freetown City Council (FCC) collect revenue, property rates and taxes.
Tenants: Gain access to housing and proximity to services.
The Costs: , and
Environmental & Health Hazards
Losses: Deforestation (mangrove loss), degradation of marine ecosystems and loss of livelihoods (fishing, sandmining).
Risks: Floods, erosion, heavy winds/storms, Health hazards (malaria, cholera, diarrhoea) and extreme heat.
Physical & Structural Risks
Loss of lives (drowning).
Structural collapse due to Poor banking materials Fire hazards due to congestion.
Vulnerabilities
Vulnerable Groups: Children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with disabilities, single parents, widows.
Economic Impact: Disruption to livelihoods such as labourers, sand miners, boat owners, housing agents .
Community Strain: Eviction threats, displacement and increased responsibilities for chiefs.
Government Burden: High costs for disaster response and loss of biodiversity.

University of Waterloo Institute of Development Studies Makerere University Sierra Leone Meteorological Agency Environment Protection Agency Sierra Leone Freetown City Council Centre of Dialogue on Human Settlement and Poverty Alleviation

"Climate risk in cities is not evenly distributed. It concentrates in settlements where housing is fragile, infrastructu...
07/08/2026

"Climate risk in cities is not evenly distributed. It concentrates in settlements where housing is fragile, infrastructure is inadequate, and healthcare is distant. One of the four approaches driving If Cities Could Speak is spatial: mapping how climate hazards, health outcomes, and vulnerability intersect across our twenty one sites in India, Kenya, Sierra Leone, and South Africa.

This kind of spatial evidence matters because it makes the abstract concrete—and because you can only address what you can see.
More at (link)
https://ifcitiescouldspeak.com/our-work/data-and-maps/?utm_source=slurc&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=ifcitiescouldspeak&utm_content=8-data-&-maps---why-this-matters

Kounkuey Design Initiative Sierra Leone Urban Research Centre African Centre for Cities Institute of Development Studies Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS) International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED)

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Read the latest of the Sierra Leone Urban Research Centre’s Newsletter (August 2026). ...
03/08/2026

Read the latest of the Sierra Leone Urban Research Centre’s Newsletter (August 2026).
In This
1. Rethinking urban data for our rapidly growing cities – A call for action
2. Hidden Injustice Revealed at the 5th World SSF Congress, Hua Hin (Thailand): Why Freetown’s Urban Fishing Communities Remain Invisible
3. SLURC Validates Findings from Land Use Practices and Climate Change Vulnerabilities in Informal Settlements
4. UNEP 2026: Sand - the Unrecognised Hero of Development and Ecological Balance

All these and our newsletter sign up here 👉 https://www.slurc.org/slurcnewsletter

Institute of Development Studies International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) UCL The Bartlett Development Planning Unit UCL
Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine - LSTM UK Research and Innovation African Centre for Cities Kounkuey Design Initiative Freetown City Council Environment Protection

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