Hawa Sesay, a participant in the Concern-run EAGER programme in Freetown, Sierra Leone, which was designed to support out-of-school girls. She now has her own tailoring business. (Photo: Kieran McConville/Concern Worldwide)

Sierra Leone

Why Sierra Leone? Despite overcoming a civil war and the world’s largest Ebola epidemic, Sierra Leone ranks among the lowest ten countries in the UN’s 2024 Human Development Index, with an estimated 26% of the population living below the international poverty line. After years of economic improvement, the World Bank recorded a dramatic increase in inflation rates between 2021 (11.9%) and 2022 (27.2%), a hardship that leaves the most vulnerable Sierra Leoneans furthest behind.

Sierra Leone is still recovering from a decade of war — and facing fresh challenges

The civil war in Sierra Leone ended in 2002 after nearly 11 years of fighting. While the country enjoyed a relatively smooth transition to peace, it is still recovering from many of the knock-on effects of the conflict, while also facing new challenges. The coastal country faces effects of climate change through natural disasters like drought, flooding, and landslides that are increasing in both frequency and magnitude.

Sierra Leone also faces challenges relating to health and nutrition, particularly for women and children. Between 2014 and 2016, it was one of the countries hardest hit by the world’s largest Ebola epidemic in recorded history, with over 14,000 cases and nearly 4,000 deaths. It remains one of the worst countries to become a mother (1,120 deaths for every 100,000 live births), and one of the hungriest countries in the world with a 2023 Global Hunger Index score of 31.3.

Latest achievements

Food and Nutrition Security

We have recently launched a new initiative, called 'Yoti Yoti', to help build food and nutrition security in Sierra Leone through equitable and climate-smart food systems. The project is operating in 64 communities across two districts and reached nearly 9,500 people in it's first year.

Village Savings and Loans Associations

Immunisation at scale

Tree Planting is an informal community that has grown up near a University on a hillside overlooking Freetown in Sierra Leone. Access to clean water has been a challenge, but a partnership with Concern has resulted in a new solar-powered water system, which is managed by a locally elected committee. Funded by GOAC. (Photo: Kieran McConville/Concern Worldwide)

Assanatu Konteh at her farm plot on a rehabilitated swamp near her home in Magborkorr, Sierra Leone. Assanatu is also Secretary of the local VSLA. (Photo: Kieran McConville/Concern Worldwide)

Aminata Bungura at a water point in the village of Magborkorr, Sierra leone, which was rehabilitated by Concern with funding from Irish Aid. (Photo: Kieran McConville/Concern Worldwide)

Mariatu Conteh (10) during a Class 6 lesson at the Muslim Brotherhood School in Masakong. Photo: Conor O'Donovan/Concern Worldwide

Assanatu Konteh at a meeting in Sierra Leone

Secretary Assanatu Konteh at a VSLA meeting at Magborkorr in Sierra Leone. Photo: Kieran McConville/Concern Worldwide

Kadiatu Kabia, Nutrition and Gender Officer for Concern Worldwide, at a nutrition training session in Majehum community, Tonkolili, Sierra Leone, as part of the Irish Aid funded Yoti Yoti programme. Photo: Kieran McConville/Concern Worldwide

How we're helping Sierra Leone

Our approach in Sierra Leone aims to tackle all dimensions of poverty, focusing on health, nutrition, livelihoods, gender equality, water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), and emergency response.