Since June 2016 we have safely welcomed over 225 babies at the Maternal Health Centre at the Judy Smith Maternal and Child Health Centre in Taiama, Sierra Leone!

In Sierra Leone, 1 in 23 mothers has a lifetime risk of dying in connection to childbirth, still one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world, with an estimated 1,165 deaths per 100,000 live births, (down from 1360/100,000) according to the UN's most recent data. Post-partum bleeding and maternal malnutrition (anemia) as well as teenage pregnancies are listed as the three biggest causes of this high death rate. One in every 3 teenagers in Sierra Leone become pregnant, and nearly half of maternal deaths in Sierra Leone are of girls and teenagers under 19 years of age. A pregnant 15-year-old girl has three times the chance of dying during childbirth than a pregnant 22-year-old woman.

In 2021, with your help, we are setting a goal of $5,000 to support our Maternal Health Outreach Programs. With Covid 19 profoundly affecting attendance at health centres in Sierra Leone, we are hoping to launch our new Community Health Outreach Program to bring maternal and child health services to nearby villages. This service will target teenage girls and women who have been afraid to or unable to travel to Taiama with pre and post natal care (nutritional counselling, early referral for difficulties), and will provide monitoring for Under Fives, the most vulnerable group of children. We now have the motorbike, and need funds for the maternal health worker and supplies!

It is with your generosity that we are able to continue our work in Taiama. 100% of your donation will go directly to our Maternal Health program.