SABI Learning Paper

SABI is an inclusive, citizen-led, accountable governance programme that is focused on improved service delivery for some of the poorest communities.

It has a national remit, operating in all 16 districts of Sierra Leone, where it supports communities to generate evidence of citizens’ perceptions of services, and to share this evidence widely within communities, with the local government authorities and upwards to the national government.

The aim is to inspire and demand action to resolve issues identified at a local services level and in related terms at national government policy response. This model is very aware of powerful actors and political dynamics in Sierra Leone who hold sway and influence over how health, education, economic development, and environmental/ infrastructural programmes are delivered.

Christian Aid is the lead of the consortium, which includes Restless Development, Social Development Direct, and Humentum. Christian Aid Sierra Leone leads delivery through partnership with local partner agencies - FOCUS 1000, RADA, SEND and SLSAV.

The SABI programme has a series of learning questions identified, informed by the SABI Annual Report 2019-20, and plans for the follow-on extension phase 2020-21, aimed at generation of deeper understanding, to challenge assumptions and to advance the model as part of programming.

The central question this paper focuses on
'To what extent has the ‘SABI way’ of working, used a particular combination of power, political economy, embedded GESI analysis and COM-B to promote and support inclusive and accountable governance?'

The paper explores this through examples of integrated analysis that have been explored with key informants and using case study materials. These examples are at community level linking to District and national or macro level.