Desmond Pratt

Desmond graduated from Fourah Bay College (FBC), University of Sierra Leone with a B.Sc. Geology, and has a Certificate of training in Community Lead Total Sanitation, Ministry of Water Resources (MOWR), Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MOHS) and World Hope International (WHI); Certificate in training of groundwater exploration (Longpigrand Geotechnics NIG. LTD); Certificate in Ground Water Development and Community Water Supply Schemes, Engineers without Border Denmark (EWBD); Certificate in procurement, contract administration, costing and pricing of boreholes (Government of Sierra Leone Ministry of Water Resources and UKAID) .

As Drilling Supervisor at the World Hope International, some of his key duties included managing financial budget for project implementation, writing of narrative and financial reports for donor reporting and program reporting, attending government WASH coordination meetings, partners/donors‘ meetings, and assisting in joint team proposal development for project implementation. Logging of catch samples from the borehole during the drilling process, carrying out pumping tests for accurate yield measurements and aquifer characteristic; compile and evaluate hydrogeological information in order to prepare notes and field reports of investigations and drilling operations, etc.

Major projects undertaken include completing seventeen (17) successful borehole supervision for ADDAX Bioenergy in surrounding communities in Bombali and Tonkolili District Addax Project; geophysical survey for ground water occurrence in 40 and more health facilities in Bombali district, twenty five (25) successful boreholes supervision for Ebola health Centers across Sierra Leone, DFID/DEERF project at World Hope International (WHI); twelve (12) successful geophysical survey and borehole supervision for Community health centers in Bombali, Port Loko and Tonkolili District, JSI project (at WHI).

He has knowledge in QGIS, Google Earth, 1IXD Interplex & 2D, groundwater inversion software application; proposal development, project management and budgeting; borehole drilling and supervision for groundwater; performing pumping test to determine borehole performance and sustainability, experience in the use of a borehole camera for borehole logging; building construction & supervision.

As a young child he had the passion to know the science and nature of mother earth, specifically the nature of water in the world, as water covers a greater part of the earth and he came to realize if there is much he could learn about earth, then he needs to take Geology as his career. He is currently pursuing a Master of Science degree in Soil & Water Engineering at Njala University, with a focus on Soil fertility and management, land improvement engineering, water distribution and storage, hydrology, and irrigation systems