Meet the 2023 UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour winners: Ecovironment, Sierra Leone

Nairobi, 20 September 2023 — Founded by a local – Foday David Kamara, of the Bumeh Slum – Ecovironment has fast forged a name for itself for providing jobs for underprivileged youths and women and creating resilient communities in Sierra Leone.

Under the motto “Changing the lives of slum dwellers in Sierra Leone, one plastic brick at a time,” Ecovironment is operating in a country whose economy is yet to recover from the war.

Data from the World Bank shows that Sierra Leone’s population of about 8.3 million continues to grow at an unprecedented rate. This rapid urbanization has driven consumption up and called for ever more ever resources, exerting pressure on the environment.

In August 2017, after days of torrential rain, a flood carried nearby slum settlers in Freetown, killing over 1,000 people – including Foday David Kamara's close relatives. The flooding opened the eyes of then-17-year-old Foday David Kamara to the environmental issues faced by his community.

Foday David Kamara founded Ecovironment in 2020 to tackle the issue of plastic pollution and its detrimental impact on urban environments. Ecovironment transforms plastic waste into eco-friendly bricks and paving tiles through its innovative indigenous chemical-free plastic extrusion technology.

The products created by Ecovironment serve as an alternative to conventional construction materials, significantly reducing plastic pollution while promoting climate resilience in the construction sector in Sierra Leone. The initiative addresses environmental concerns and empowers underprivileged youth and women from underserved communities by providing over 60 green job opportunities.

In January 2023, Ecovironment established a new recycling firm in Freetown to further share knowledge, advance collaboration with stakeholders, and enhance the project's transferability and scalability. The Community-Based Organization has also forged partnerships to facilitate the implementation of sustainable waste management practices and amplify its impact, for instance with local governments such as the Makeni City Council, NGOs like such as Welthungerhilfe (WHH), and community organizations.

By promoting sustainable construction practices, reducing plastic pollution, and creating green job opportunities, Ecovironment helps build resilient and inclusive communities that enhance economic growth and recovery – linking closely with the theme of World Habitat Day 2023.