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Concern-supported primary school in Sierra Leone, where Concern is improving access to quality education for 17,434 school children. Photo: Elizabeth Wright. |
In 2009, Sierra Leone reached a significant milestone in its recovery, as the long-standing UN peacekeeping mission completed its mandate and was replaced by the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Sierra Leone (UNIPSIL), whose mission will shift to sustainable development. Although this transition signifies real progress, there is still much work to be done. Sierra Leone remains near the bottom of the United Nations' Human Development Index, ranked 180
th out of 182 countries.
Concern’s work in Sierra Leone
Working in Sierra Leone since 1996, Concern continues to focus on eliminating extreme poverty, supporting sustainable development and strengthening institutions in the wake of a crippling eleven-year civil war.
EDUCATION—Providing quality education for 17,434 children at 66 schools
HEALTH—Mobilizing communities to improve their quality of life and manage their own health care, targeting 85,000 of the poorest people
LIVELIHOODS—Working to alleviate poverty for 43,932 people in rural and urban areas
Sierra Leone at a Glance
Area: 72,000 sq km
Population: 5.4 m
GDP per capita: US $679
Infant mortality (per thousand births): 81
Life expectancy: 47.3
Living with HIV and AIDS: 55,000
Literacy rate: 38.1%
Access to safe water: 53%
Human development rank: 180 (out of 182)
Global hunger rank/index*: 81 / 33.8