New Boats

The village of Tombo has flourished in the Freetown Peninsula since pre-colonial times, its people harvesting from the sea, yet taking care of it so that it continues to feed future generations. But for decades now, this prosperity has been on the decline due to an influx of Asian trawlers, colloquially named chigie-chorga by the locals, overfishing on their shores with clandestine support from corrupt officials. The women of the village are also losing work as most of them earn a living processing the catch and selling at the market. Their husbands and sons are frequently forced to abandon fishing in Tombo and look for work in other countries. With outright corruption and neglect from the government the fish population on their shores are dwindling and their livelihoods are beginning to disappear. Sullay and Woodie work to unite their unravelling community, but will they succeed against these powerful odds?
Lansana Mansaray
Lansana Mansaray (Sierra Leone)
Tiny Mungwe (South Africa)
Arthur Pratt
Don Edkins (South Africa)
STEPS (Social Transformation and Empowerment Projects)
- Enable communities to understand the causes of fish scarcity and the threats to food security.
- Inspire communities to take ownership. Engage in a national discussion on the issues of climate change and illegal fishing. Ignite discussions around a sustainable future for the environment, conservation, biodiversity, marine and mangrove protection.
- Empower the Fishermen’s Union with the tools and skills to document and report illegal activities in our waters and also set up a mobile community cinema in the Union’s office, for further screenings, community outreach, education and campaign purposes.
- Help communities to understand some of the threats that climate poses on livelihoods. Understanding community adaptation and resilience mechanisms.
- Build conservation links between the Tombo community and international conservation groups.
- Conduct a series of community screenings and discussion events in communities around the Freetown area, provincial towns and cities countrywide in partnership with the network of community leaders and organisations.
- Host the Sierra Leone Environmental Film Summit bringing together various stakeholders to have a national conversation on the issues surrounding the film.
Adeniké Hamilton (Sierra Leone / United States)
Organisations
Generation Africa
STEPS
Sierra Leone Fishermen
Consortium
Sierra Leone Boat Owners
Association
Media
DW – Deutsche Welle
Organisations
Generation Africa
STEPS
Sierra Leone Fishermen
Consortium
Sierra Leone Boat Owners
Association
Media
DW – Deutsche Welle