Sierra Leone
People Helped in 2020: 7,557
In Sierra Leone, 63% of people are food insecure and 31% of children under five years old suffer from chronic malnutrition. In addition, 81% of the population does not have access to facilities for handwashing with soap and water at home. Although the country reported low numbers of COVID-19 cases in 2020, the government activated the Emergency Operations Center to coordinate the initial preparedness and response, and called on its international partners for support.
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Action Against Hunger in Sierra Leone works to strengthen health systems and services in Sierra Leone and Liberia and, in 2020, we set up a project focused on strengthening the prevention and management of malnutrition in Moyamba. This project includes the improvement of nutrition knowledge and practices among caregivers, adolescents, pregnant women, and nursing mothers, through training, awareness, and participation in cooking sessions. We helped to plan and support the Ministry of Health and Sanitation's ‘World Breastfeeding Week’ commemoration events and the development of the country’s statutes on the commercialization of breastmilk substitutes.
In response to the pandemic, we participated in a rapid response project that helped to reduce Covid-19 morbidity and mortality in 68 peripheral health units. We installed two emergency water kiosks and supplied more water to pre-existing kiosks and we provide hygiene supplies and protective equipment to 999 health workers.