Wata Na Life

Dates

2021 - Ongoing
Author

Ngadi Smart
Location Sierra Leone, Sierra Leone
Recognition

An Exhibition at Noorderlicht Photofestival - PhMuseum 2022 Women Photographers Grant

Wata Na Life (Krio for ‘Water is Life’), is a phrase I heard time and again in Sierra Leone, a country where water is very much a currency. Commissioned by Wateraid and British Journal of Photography, I spent three months in the country of my heritage exploring the link between water and our changing climate. What I found were communities adapting as best they could to the fall-out from a climate-exacerbated water crisis, amidst corruption and lack of governmental planning. The project is a marked rejection of the “dehumanising” way developing African nations have historically been portrayed by Western media — I counter tropes of “poverty porn” with vibrant collage; celebrating the essence and identities of the people and places of Sierra Leone, blending each location's scenery, portraits, and objects I photographed to form a more authentic representation than I felt any single photo could convey. I want Sierra Leoneans to look at this work and feel proud. That's the most important thing.

Having also photographed another environmental issue (Coastal Erosion) affecting the West African Coast in my series “C’est Pas Fini” (It’s Not over) I would hope to win the Prix Virginia so that I may continue to highlight how the effects of Global Warming are affecting West African countries in various ways.

© Ngadi Smart - Image from the Wata Na Life photography project

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Ja Kingdom was directly impacted by the mudslide of 2017. Many bodies were found here, dragged from miles away. Before, the community had a much bigger water source in the form of a river, but this source is now mostly filled in by thick mud and debris. After the tragedy, they could no longer use water from the smaller remaining stream for months, as it was tainted with blood, body parts and bone fragments. Now the community have a borehole, but they need a structure around it to make sure they can use it at all times, as it gets dirty during the rain season, meaning they may not be able to use it for days at a time. These mudslides are caused by a combination of sudden intense rainfall, and the deforestation and overpopulation in Freetown exacerbate this. Sisters Gladys, 16, and Kadijah Sankoh, 18, pose together. They recall how many body parts were found on the night of the mudslide . A baby was miraculously found alive, saved from suffocating because his fingers were up his nose.

© Ngadi Smart - Image from the Wata Na Life photography project

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The Guma Dam to the west of Freetown is one of two main dams that supply water to the capital city. This photograph from early July shows it less than a quarter full. By this time of year, the dam should be full. Changing weather patterns mean the rainy season that would usually start between May and June now begins in July, and lasts until October. From December to March, the water in the dam dwindles until the next rainy season. The city’s population of 1.5 million people needs around 35 million gallons of water a day, but the company that supplies water only has the capacity to pump 23 million gallons. 4 million gallons of that water services the east of the city, where most of the population lives. The water system is outdated and ill-suited to the dense overpopulation of the city, built in the 60s for around 100,000 people.

© Ngadi Smart - Image from the Wata Na Life photography project

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Kroo Bay is an informal housing settlement on the coastline of central Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone. In 2009, it had an estimated population of 10,989 people. Residents of Kroo Bay lack adequate access to sanitation and health services. Despite this, the community is thriving and the residents of Kroo Bay cherish the community that they consider as their home. Kadiatou Kamarra, 25, a resident of Kroo Bay for eight years, stands for a portrait by her home. The textures used for the collage come from the polluted sea water that surrounds the community which, during the rainy season, floods parts of Kroo Bay.

© Ngadi Smart - Image from the Wata Na Life photography project

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Although Kroo Bay is an informal housing settlement, the community have found ways to organise and use the waste and debris that washes up on the shores, constructing barriers for areas that easily flood. They also use some of the waste to map out the foundations for new allotments for new residents to build their corrugated iron house on.

© Ngadi Smart - Image from the Wata Na Life photography project

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(Left to right) David Moingeh, Aioh Mbayoh, Alimamy Nehemiah Kargbo and Amarra Samura, captured from a hole in the wall. On the upper far left is part of the entrance to a well. They spent almost 6 months digging a 30-foot well for the Dwarzack community. When we met them, they were testing the well’s efficiency - noting the intervals at which the connected 5000-litre water container to fill up. Alimamy Nehemiah Kargbo is chairman of the Dwarzack Police Partnership Board. His father was the chief of Dwarzack for 30 years and helped install a water tap, local roads and electricity supplies for the community. Alimamy hopes to continue his father’s legacy and got together with the other three men to dig the well. The YMCA provided 5 million leones to help build the well, with which they were able to dig and concrete it. The machine that pumps the water from the well was bought with the men’s own funds, and they hope to buy another to continue,

© Ngadi Smart - Image from the Wata Na Life photography project

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Aioh Mbayoh is one of four men who spent almost six months digging a 30-foot well for the Dwarzack community. The visual elements used for this collage come from the cement bags used to fortify the well.

© Ngadi Smart - Image from the Wata Na Life photography project

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A portrait of Fanta Sesay near the Goderich waterfront where the women attempt to collect water. The women are sometimes forced to use seawater because of dwindling supplies from the public pump. Mabinti says, “water is life” and they need it for everything from cooking to washing their children’s clothes when they return from school. The price of water has increased from 2500 leones to 3000 leones. It now costs as much as 5000 leones, with an extra 4000 leones to cover transportation. They have tried to contact the Guma Valley Water Company, who supply water to the capital, but with no results. Instead, they collect rainwater during the rainy season, and occasionally they are able to access water from private wells owned by members of the community. Thieves are common in the area, however, so those who own private wells often limit access to others.The women worry about how they will manage with the upcoming dry season.

© Ngadi Smart - Image from the Wata Na Life photography project

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Abubakarr Kamara, 19, is a carpenter who buys water to wash cars in a wayside garage with his brother. It’s the most reliable way for him to make a living. The East End ward of Freetown is heavily populated and receives less water than the western part of the city. As the cost of water rises, work like Abubakarr’s will become increasingly difficult. Children from the hilly areas of Freetown, where water supplies do not reach, travel and sleep near by the garage in order to be first in line to collect water in the morning. As a result, many of them are unable to attend school, and unexpected pregnancies sometimes occur as a result.

© Ngadi Smart - Image from the Wata Na Life photography project

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The Pewama community in Pujehun District farms palm nuts in order to survive, as well as farming vegetable and fruits and fishing. Kadi, a member of the community holds a cassava leaf, a crop used for food and to sell at nearby markets. Pewama had a water well installed years ago, but it does not provide enough water to service the growing community. They now need another well to sustain themselves and their farming. With global warming, the community has noticed that their water source dries up much faster - even more so in the dry season as temperatures rise. Kadi, a member of the Pewama community, holds a cassava leaf, a crop used for food and to sell at nearby markets.

© Ngadi Smart - Image from the Wata Na Life photography project

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The Pewama community in Pujehun District farms palm nuts in order to survive, as well as farming vegetable and fruits and fishing. Kadi, a member of the community holds a cassava leaf, a crop used for food and to sell at nearby markets. Pewama had a water well installed years ago, but it does not provide enough water to service the growing community. They now need another well to sustain themselves and their farming. With global warming, the community has noticed that their water source dries up much faster - even more so in the dry season as temperatures rise. A portrait of Pewama community member Fatmata Koroma, who brought her fishing net on the day of our shoot. Each community member was keen to share the skills that contribute to the prosperity and wellbeing of Pewama.

© Ngadi Smart - Image from the Wata Na Life photography project

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Mustapha Kamara, a representative of the Pejawama community Youth group, regularly contributes to the management and maintenance of the community’s water well. Here he is pictured holding his basket of Palm Kernels, which he and his community farms, then turns into

© Ngadi Smart - Image from the Wata Na Life photography project

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The Taninawahun community in Kailahun District, in the Eastern Province of Sierra Leone, is a community that relies on farming to sustain themselves, in particular cocoa and banana. They received WASH service (water, sanitation and hygiene assistance) from Wateraid between 1987 to 1989: Wateraid provided them with a gravitational water system which the community continues to use today. However, since this implementation, the community’s population has grown and needs another well. They have noticed increasingly low amounts of water during the dry season, which disrupts their farming production. Wateraid plans to upgrade the water system so it can serve the growing community. Moina Jaward (left) and Islai Kamara (right) live in Taninawahun where they attend high school. Their hats, made of cocoa leaves, celebrate the community’s most important export: cocoa. Their glasses are made of palm leaves.

© Ngadi Smart - Image from the Wata Na Life photography project

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Mme Bindu Kamara is an elder in the Taninawahun community and is part of the water management community. She is wearing palm leaves on her head and a cocoa leaf on her mouth. Members of the community created masks out of leaves, a reflection of life during the pandemic.

© Ngadi Smart - Image from the Wata Na Life photography project

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(Left to right) Makenen Lahi, Adama Joe, Mme Musu Jaward and Sata Kanneh are elders within the community and pose in front of the farming garden where they grow okra. They are wearing a mixture of cocoa, banana and palm leaves to symbolise the most important farming assets to their community.

© Ngadi Smart - Image from the Wata Na Life photography project

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Mme Amie Murray, from Konima community in Bo District, carries wood that will be burned into charcoal. The shortage of water in the area has led the Konima community to increasingly rely on charcoal production as a main source of income, despite its considerable environmental impact: The community is known for producing and selling bags, baskets and furniture, but the wicker and bamboo they use for this has to be soaked in water pre-fabrication. The community currently has no functioning well, so have to travel further to collect water. During the dry season, they have to travel even further as natural water sources, like streams, are becoming increasingly scarce as temperatures rise.

© Ngadi Smart - Image from the Wata Na Life photography project

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Uma James poses with brooms made from palm. The community also grows, makes and sells palm brooms as a way to sustain themselves.

© Ngadi Smart - Image from the Wata Na Life photography project

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The Mabettor community, in Karine District, part of the North West Province of Sierra Leone, is a community of 250 people who sustain themselves by making and selling clay pots, vases, candle stands and many more. They have a small clay factory set up by a german organisation many years ago, from which they run their fabrication. They need water for their process. Water used to make the pots is sourced from a nearby swamp, which often dries up during the dry season - halting the production of their wares. When this happens, the community borrows or buys water for 1000 leones per container from nearby villages with better water supplies. Abuji Sankoh makes his livelihood as a potter. He used to go to school, but started work under the mentorship of his father. After his father’s death, he continued working with pottery and has become the father figure within the community. His older brother, wife and mother help sell the wares they make in order to live and survive.

© Ngadi Smart - Image from the Wata Na Life photography project

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(Left to right) co-workers Ibrahim B Conteh, and brothers Abuji and Mohamed Sankoh, pose with their products in the swamp that provides water for making clay goods. Ibrahim was taught how to be a pot-maker by this mother 17 years ago. Though he did not finish school himself, the money he earns goes towards his child’s studies. Ibrahim says that they need water in order to make products with clay. Though The Mabettor community has a well, they lack the tools needed to dig further to gain access to more water. During the dry season, they find it hard to do their work as the increasingly hotter weather dries up all the water sourced around them, forcing them to travel long distances.

© Ngadi Smart - Image from the Wata Na Life photography project

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The Tombotima community relies on cattle rearing and farming vegetables and cashew nuts. They have no well and have to travel long distances to get water that isn’t clean. The men are responsible for collecting water, as it is considered too dangerous for women, especially when they are pregnant. The community states politicians have come to the area to campaign about the lack of clean water, but they have never helped. They have noticed that rainfall is not as frequent, or fast, as it used to be, which affects their ability to farm. Kadiatou H. Kamarra (L) Maa Kanu (Middle) and Mariatu Kanu (R) are farmers, mothers and wives. All 3 ladies have noticed drastic changes in rainfall and water retention, and all 3 stopped education early due to the absence or premature deaths of their parents, requiring them to get married for support. They stand under the community’s cashew nut tree, wearing cashew nut branches on their heads.

© Ngadi Smart - Image from the Wata Na Life photography project

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Lamine Kamarra, a farmer who mainly plants rice and cassava, is pictured with a palm nut kernel. After Lamine’s mother died in 2015, he was unable to complete school. Over the past two years, he has noticed that water sources dry out faster during the dry season, and the rain does not come as often in the rainy season, which ruins his crops. Lamine chops wood for charcoal as an alternative way to sustain himself when he does not make money from farming. He would love to build a well, or at least get the materials to build one. The community’s water supply is far away and the water is dirty and an ashy, white colour. Lamine says that, sometimes, even lambs die in the community because they can not get enough water.