Sierra Leone is located in southern part of West Africa. It’s population is about 6 million people in a circumference area about the size of South Carolina. For the last decade Sierra Leone has been in the process of recovering from their 10 year long civil war which ended in 2002. Sierra Leone is a beautiful country with abundant natural resources such as diamonds, rutile, bauxite, iron ore and more.
Healthcare:
During the war much of the healthcare system infrastructure was destroyed and the country has struggled to recuperate ever since the ending of the war. Currently, there are roughly 150 registered doctors and roughly 8 dentists that serve the people of this nation, according to the Medical and Dental Council of Sierra Leone. Unfortunately many of them are stationed in the capitol and close outlying areas, leaving countless people in the villages with little or no access to medical/dental care. Sierra Leone is ranked among the highest countries for infant/mother mortality rates. There are 4 registered obstetricians in the country and many lack the ability to acquire transport to the hospitals or they wait until it is too late.
Education:
Although Sierra Leone is moving forward, they are still picking up the pieces left behind from the war. There are still about 350,000 orphans in the country who are either living with family, living on the streets, or living in small orphanages. The unemployment rate remains at about 70%-90% unemployed. Even though Sierra Leoneans are smart and talented it is extremely difficult to find a job in which they can support themselves or their family. Education is getting better, however, because there are so many fees for tuition, books, etc., this makes it very difficult for multiple children in a family to go to school.
