Operation Noah

In August 2019, flash flooding hit the capital of Sierra Leone, Freetown, leaving six people reported dead and washing away the homes of thousands. The informal settlement of Kroo Bay, thought to be home to between 9,000 – 11,000 people, was hardest hit, with poor sanitation and lack of access to clean water threatening disease outbreak.

RE:ACT responded to the urgent needs in Kroo Bay by supplying water purification equipment. In a flooding emergency, this portable kit can be mobilised quickly to the worst-affected areas. The units purify existing water sources, providing an immediate supply of safe drinking water for the affected population, and buying much needed time to clean water sources and public spaces to prevent disease. Between them, the eight units RE:ACT donated can supply an amazing 98.8 litres of life-saving clean water per minute.

In early 2022, as soon as the Covid-19 pandemic allowed us to return to Sierra Leone, we visited Freetown to deliver expert training on using the units. RE:ACT Responders trained thirteen Freetown colleagues, who hold disaster response roles, to use the purification units safely and effectively. As well as establishing a relationship with the manufacturers for the provision of spare parts.

Watch this video to learn more about Operation Noah and our work with the wonderful people of Freetown.

We’re proud to leave Freetown City Council with the capability to provide clean drinking water to the people of the city when local sources are compromised, and we’re continuing our partnership into 2022 by providing incident management training.

We’d like to thank our partners at Concern Worldwide, Freetown City Council, The Waterloo Foundation, Airlink, Brussels Airlines, NOAH Waters Systems, Garmin, Inmarsat, MSR, 511, and Aku, for making this deployment possible.