Vice President of Sierra Leone, Dr Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, has announced micro-grants for women in sand-mining communities on the Sussex Peninsula, aiming to curb destructive sand-mining practices that have severely damaged coastal ecosystems and put local children at risk.
The support, unveiled Saturday, 29 November 2025, seeks to steer vulnerable families away from sand extraction by offering alternative, safer livelihood opportunities.
Sand-mining along Sierra Leone’s coast — including on the Freetown peninsula at Sussex, Hamilton, Lakka and nearby communities — has been shown to fuel coastal erosion, undermine biodiversity, swell vulnerability to storms and flooding, and erode livelihoods tied to fishing and tourism. 
Unregulated mining has also exposed children to hazardous work.
The micro-grant initiative is part of broader efforts to restore environmental balance and protect vulnerable populations in affected areas.
