The 2014 outbreak of Ebola virus disease in West Africa was the “largest, most severe and most complex Ebola epidemic” in history.
Sierra Leone
Why World Vision is in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone enjoys overall stability. Agricultural production, the country’s main economy, is coming in at above-average levels. And the government is working to bring stability to families who are still vulnerable, helping them build resilience with food and income so they can thrive. This summer, Sierra Leone experienced one of their worst natural disasters in decades. The capital city, Freetown, was hit by devastating landslides and floods resulting from an unusually heavy rainy season. Thousands of families lost their homes, but a quick response from the government along with medical and rescue teams brought shelter and treatment to the displaced people. Thanks to your support, we brought essentials, including blankets, water purification systems and school supplies, to affected families. With your support, our work in Sierra Leone is bringing improved schools and sanitation to over a dozen rural communities. Collaborating with other local partners, we helped communities build over 200 furnished classrooms, nearly 100 improved pit latrines with hand-washing stations and 10 wells fitted with pumps. All these changes mean kids are learning in healthy and safe environments, so they can grow up strong and well-equipped to continue changing their communities.
We never give up on people
World Vision child sponsorship looks at all the things that prevent children from surviving and thriving in their community, and then works with that community to bring all the pieces of the puzzle together to build a better life for all children. For sponsors, it’s a personal way to show God’s love to a child in need in a life-changing way.
Sponsor a child in Sierra Leone ❯
Progress in Sierra Leone
Thanks to the generous support of donors, we’re making great progress toward the well-being of children and their families.
Child Protection and Care
Boys and girls are safe and valued, well cared for by their families, and participating in their communities as agents of transformation.
- To empower children to become agents of change in their communities, we supported kids' clubs where students were trained on child protection and learned to advocate for their rights with local leaders.
- We offered workshops for community leaders on child protection so they can better monitor issues that are impacting children's lives and well-being, such as abuse and neglect.
Healthy Children and Families
Children and families are well nourished, protected from infection and disease, and have access to essential health services.
- To improve the health of boys and girls in Sierra Leone, we sent healthcare workers to teach mothers about childhood nutrition and disease prevention. We also provided insecticide-treated mosquito nets and medicine to help the community combat malaria for kids and adults.
- To ensure that children and their caregivers have easier access to health services, we built new local clinics and rehabilitated others that were in ill repair.
Education for Better Lives
Children have opportunities to learn and to develop their talents, young people are equipped for the future, and families and communities support children's education.
- To improve schools, we trained school management committees to build better infrastructures, monitor the quality of teaching, and increase parents' participation in their children's education.
- To improve the quality of education for children, we supported school teachers by providing them with online courses on teaching skills and methods they could complete in their rural locations.
Love of God and Neighbors
Children and families are growing spiritually, local churches are strengthened to demonstrate Christ's love in practical ways, and people are living at peace with their neighbors.
- Our local staff served children and families as a demonstration of God's unconditional love, seeking always to be faithful ambassadors of Jesus.
Prayer Requests from Sierra Leone
World Vision's staff in Sierra Leone are asking us to join them in prayer for the following:
God to divinely protect all the children we serve from sickness, harm, and abuse.
God to give our staff determination to live out our Christian faith and calling with boldness and humility.
News from Sierra Leone
Prayers
Covering the world in prayer: Pray for West Africa
Pray for West Africa: Pray for political and economic stability, maternal and child health, and sponsored children.
From the Field
Tropical storms, flooding wreak havoc around the world
Hurricane Harvey and flooding around the world is captured in 12 stunning photographs by World Vision photographers as we respond to these natural disasters.
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