The British actor Idris Elba has unveiled intentions to rebuild Sierra Leone’s Sherbro Island into a “eco-friendly smart city”.
According to the BBC, the actor has “big dreams” of working with partners to develop the lonely island.
Elba stated that the project would provide wind-powered renewable electricity for the first time in Sierra Leone, his father’s birthplace.
The 51-year-old actor stated that the development would take place while respecting “the delicate ecosystem and character of the island”.
“Originally we went there thinking how could we bring tourism to the most incredible 19 miles of beachfront,” he said.
“Never in my lifetime would I have thought I could build the foundation for a new smart-city. I’m not qualified for that but I am qualified to dream big.
“It is a dream but I work in the make-believe business. It is about being self-reliant, it’s about bringing an economy that feeds itself and has growth potential.
“I am very keen to reframe the way Africa is viewed as an aid model. This opportunity is completely different.
“The character of the island hopefully will remain intact. It is a beautiful, green part of the world and we don’t want to disturb that.”
Elba was introduced to the idea by his boyhood buddy Siaka Stevens, the grandson of a previous Sierra Leonean president with the same name.
What began as an effort to attract tourists to the island evolved into an innovative concept to develop the area “more sustainably”.
In 2019, the duo founded Sherbro Alliance Partners (SAP) and signed an agreement with the Sierra Leonean government.
The budget for the development program has not yet been determined, but it is expected to be in the billions of dollars.
Stevens stated that the development could “potentially accommodate a population of up to a million people”.
