Centre of Dialogue on Human Settlement and Poverty Alleviation

27/07/2026

We strongly believe that a meal shouldn’t just feed a family - it should protect them ,too. Our latest milestone brings us one step closer to a healthier,greener, and more equitable future by focusing on providing a clean method of cooking ,to aid public health ,environmental protection,economic empowerment,and energy equity.

On the 17th July ,2026, the Freetown City Council (FCC) team ,together with the Center of Dialogue on Human Settlements and Poverty Alleviation (CODOHSAPA), and Federation of Urban and Rural Poor (FEDURP) team engaged in the distribution of forty (40) briquettes stoves to beneficiaries of the Congo Town ,Banana Water Community.

Below are pictorial evidence of the distribution,capturing the various expressions of beneficiaries as they were receiving the briquettes stoves ,to use it for the purpose for which it was given .

22/07/2026

21/07/2026

Over the weekend, Our Knowledge entrepreneurs under the Impact Innovation Initiative conducted an in-depth review of the recently concluded Settlement Profiling Data. Together they drew initial analyses to identify critical gaps and uncover opportunities for innovation in service delivery, infrastructure planning, and community resilience.

16/07/2026

WORKSHOP HIGHLIGHTS | Advocacy & Communications Training
The CODOHSAPA Advocacy & Communications team successfully completed a three-day Advocacy and Communications Training Workshop - 14th to 16th July 2026 organized by Catholic Relief Services (CRS).
Throughout the workshop, participants strengthened their knowledge and practical skills in advocacy, strategic communications, influencing, stakeholder engagement, and evidence-based storytelling.
Day 1: sessions explored the link between advocacy, communication, influence and sustainable impact, advocacy strategy development, power dynamics, and influencing donors and decision-makers.
Day 2: sessions featured a highly engaging and interactive group exercise, where participants were divided into groups according to their respective organizations, and were asked to develop a compelling advocacy message, by identifying problems, supporting them with evidence and human stories, proposing solutions, and crafting a clear call to action. The training also highlighted the critical role of Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) in generating evidence to support advocacy and communication for greater influence.
Day 3: the final day, participants explored the power of social media as a tool for advocacy and public engagement, while also gaining practical insights into donor pitching and effective communication with development partners.
For CODOHSAPA, this training has enhanced our capacity to communicate strategically, amplify community voices, and advocate more effectively for inclusive urban development and sustainable change.
We extend our sincere appreciation to Catholic Relief Services (CRS) for facilitating this valuable learning opportunity.

16/07/2026

By Chinedu Azuara, Donald S.C. Sombie, Gassimu Musa, Mamie Ruth Kamara, Ngozi Blessing Azuara and Tenneh ContehWe are young SDI federation members from Bo Town in Sierra Leone who have been grounded intensively over the past six months on training programs under the SDI Impact Innovation Initiative....

15/07/2026

WORKSHOP UPDATE ‼️‼️‼️‼️

CODOHSAPA’s Advocacy & Communications Team, participated today in a training workshop organized by the Catholic Relief Service (CRS) ,which will span for three (3) days ,undisturbed .

Day (1) of the workshop was quite engaging,as key topics around advocacy & communication were dissected, such as :

• The connection between Advocacy,Communication,and Influencing
• ⁠Why Advocacy,Influencing,and Communications matters for Sustainable Impact ?
• ⁠Advocacy and Influencing Continuum
• ⁠The Practical ways Local Partners influence Donors
• ⁠Power Dynamics and Stakeholders Influence
• ⁠Risks in Power Engagement
• ⁠Core Components of an Advocacy Strategy
• ⁠Advocacy Principles in Practice etc.

As the communications assistant (for CODOHSAPA) ,this training was very essential because ,it teaches me how to connect everyday communication tasks to advocacy goals. It gives me the core frameworks, strategies, and influencing principles i need to help drive sustainable impacts,and how to communicate with the right audiences.

The team is grateful for the platform,and we are looking forward to the subsequent impactful sessions.

&communications

13/07/2026