The challenges of the rainy season

During a few months in Sierra Leone, almost three times the UK's annual rainfall will happen. While this is essential for crops to grow, it has a negative impact on many people, especially in rural communities.

Heavy rain can make life uncomfortable for many people

The rainy season affects the country from May to October, reaching its peak in July and August. This tropical monsoon climate affects many aspects of life, often making routine activities difficult or impossible.

The patterns of weather have an impact on local economies in a number of ways: During the rainy season in the run up to harvests stockpiled goods are often depleted, at the same time as farmers’ investments, however meagre, in things such as seeds have yet to pay off. This results in people having less money to spend.

An average of 2,800-3,00mm falls in Kenema District through the season, on some days, downpours exceed 100m causing high risk of floods and landslides.

The water is necessary for crops to thrive which, in turn, also creates an income for those working as agricultural labourers. Many of Prosper’s programme participants are supported by farming to some extent.

The downpours also mean that off-season agriculture is possible as floods create swamps that slowly dry out, providing water for crops. Some people can have two harvests a year.

However, within a few days of the rain starting, roads become rivers, and paths are consumed by mud. People sometimes use rafts or wade waist-deep to get to farms or markets. Motorbike taxis and other forms of transport find it difficult to get through to remote villages. If schools stay open, children can struggle to make the journey, or if they get there, teachers can’t be heard above the sound of roaring rain.

At home, it’s common for roofs to leak and floors to become flooded, and for high winds to further damage buildings. The constant dampness means mould and mildew grow and people struggle to keep their possessions dry. Because of high rates of poverty building materials are often of poor quality and repairs are hard to afford, exacerbating the problem.

In areas of poor sanitation, rain causes effluent to wash into the same rivers people are often forced to use for drinking water. Malaria risk rises during the rainy season as mosquitos breed in standing water.

For many it’s a season of discomfort and inconvenience, which has a serious impact on their ability to earn a living.

Prosper’s facilitators face many of the same challenges as they deliver the programmes at this time of year. Getting to the remote communities is more troublesome than usual, as is finding a sheltered central location for delivering their training sessions.

CEO Fred Fenwick said: “It’s hard for people who have not experienced it to understand just how difficult everything becomes during the rainy season. As well as the obvious effects of downpours, the impact on people’s businesses can be profound. Our training programmes are designed to help the participants to build their financial resilience so they can manage the seasonal ups and downs, and create additional income outside of agricultural activities, which can be the difference between living in poverty or not.”

The rainy season is essential for agriculture to sustain populations