In 2025, the city of Freetown, Sierra Leone, was selected as a grantee of the Global Cities Fund for Migrants and Refugees (GCF), the MMC’s instrument to channel international funding directly to cities to implement inclusive projects of their own design. With support from the GCF, Sierra Leone is establishing the Climate Resilient Market Hub—a flagship initiative to transform the city’s markets into climate-smart, inclusive, and economically vibrant spaces for migrant women and youth who make up the backbone of Freetown’s economy.
The project will introduce waste-to-energy technology, cold-chain infrastructure, and targeted capacity building to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, mitigate extreme heat, improve working conditions, and strengthen livelihoods. The initiative supports Freetown’s goal of creating 120,000 good green jobs for women and youth by 2028, delivering lasting benefits for people, the economy, and the environment.