Knowledge Hub
Why Sierra Leone? High poverty rates and vulnerability to natural disasters. In 2020, it ranked 182 out of 189 countries in the Human Development Index.
We have been working in Sierra Leone since 1996 and are currently operate primarily in four districts: Port Loko, Tonkolili and Western Area Rural and Western Area Urban (Freetown), with a smaller presence in five others. Our approach aims to tackle all dimensions of poverty, focusing on health, primary education, rural livelihoods and responding to emergencies. We fully integrate equality in all our work, with an emphasis on gender transformation.
Although official cases of Covid-19 in Sierra Leone have been relatively low and the health system has been able to cope, the country experienced severe secondary impacts with rising food insecurity, increased vulnerability of children to malnutrition, and increasing rates of gender-based violence. High price inflation and continued currency devaluation persist in Sierra Leone, with a struggling economy highly dependent on global factors.
Sierra Leone has one of the world’s highest maternal mortality rates at 796 per 100,000 live births in 2019 and a very high level of teenage pregnancies – an estimated 45% of girls aged 19 are pregnant or have already given birth (DHS, 2019). Concern is supporting the Ministry of Health & Sanitation to strengthen the quality and access to reproductive, maternal, neonatal, child and adolescent health (RMNCAH) services, especially in the FCDO-funded consortium led by IRC – Saving Lives in Sierra Leone project. We are also working with adolescents in Tonkolili District on sexual & reproductive health.
Concern responds to emergencies in all areas of Sierra Leone – mainly flooding, fire outbreaks in congested urban areas, and infectious disease outbreaks.
Concern has shifted its approach from purely working with women on issues of gender inequality to a broader focus working also with men to help them reflect and change their behaviour and attitudes. We are seeing great results in this regard from our ‘Living Peace’ initiative with couples and the wider community.
Improved household food and nutrition security
Vulnerable farmers in Tonkolili District received training in sustainable rice production and increasing food production using climate-smart approaches, establishing seed banks, diet diversity and natural resource management as part of our integrated Irish Aid programme. This has improved food and nutrition security in households, reduced post-harvest losses, and helped people cope with continuing food insecurity.
Emergency response
Adolescent sexual and reproductive health
We are working hard to combat suffering and build resilience in Sierra Leone. Our programmes focus on humanitarian response, livelihoods, health, education and gender equality.
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