When she was growing up, Eugenia Kargbo could have a leisurely stroll, jog or cycle around the streets of Freetown. The city is so swelteringly hot that children run the constant risk of sunburn or heat rashes if they are outdoors for very long. “These are the most vulnerable people.”Kargbo’s role is part of an initiative led by the Atlantic Council’s Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center to raise awareness of extreme heat risk, improve planning for heatwaves, and implement projects to protect people from heat. Heat exacerbates drought during the dry season in Sierra Leone, while vector-borne diseases such as malaria peak in the rainy season. West Africa is particularly prone to such devastating floods.

Source: The North Africa Journal November 15, 2021 14:08 UTC