Save the Children health team
About us
Sierra Leone is quite a difficult place to work. One in four children dies before their fifth birthday. And one in six women dies from difficulties around childbirth. There's a high attrition rate of health workers, so there's not enough skilled doctors and nurses to treat patients.
Jeanetta- health programme manager
I'm passionate about my work with children. I don't see my work with Save the Children as a regular job. Some of the simple interventions we've made, and the difference they make to children, have made me so passionate.
There are many challenges to face, but with support from partners and other donors we are saving lives in Sierra Leone.
Priorities
Last month in Kroo Bay, we did a community mapping exercise to find out what the residents' priorities are. The first thing they mentioned was flooding - during the rainy season all their homes flood and you can't walk through the community. The second thing was the poor health services.
We will support the Ministry of Health - via the District Health Management Team - to improve the health services in Kroo Bay.
Urgent help required
We've assessed the clinic and the first thing that strikes you is the building itself. It's so rundown. We want to do some of the repairs - put up window screens, fix the locks and mend the leaking roof.
Another urgent concern is the lack of basic equipment and supplies. It's astonishing to find that there's no delivery kit! They lack simple things like scales, thermometres and blood pressure gauges - the simple things that should be in all health facilities.
We're also looking at strengthening the health system and training health workers to improve their knowledge and skills.
Educating families
We'll be working with care givers - mothers, fathers, family members - as well as young people to help them learn about health issues, including sexual and reproductive health. We'll be working with families to improve their health and to stop children from dying from preventable diseases.
We work in five other slums - not just Kroo Bay - so your support will beneft many different communities. Together, we can make a difference to the lives of those who live in Kroo Bay and beyond.
Keep up to date with news from Kroo Bay. Sign up here.
Interested in finding out about jobs with Save the Children. Click here.
Featured Message
fundraising for you
You all are the most amazing people. I wish you all the best and god bless you all.
I'm 24, my name is Olly and I live in Brighton UK. At the moment I am at work raising funds for your team, it is going very well and I can't stress enough how much the british public want to help your plight.
You are all angels.
GOD BE WITH SAVE THE CHILDREN
Post a message
Post a message here and we'll pass it on. Responses will be posted on individual profile pages as soon as possible. Keep coming back to check!
Posted messages
These are some of the messages posted to the Save
the Children team
. We'll ask them if they'd like to
respond as soon as possible.
Babies at Risk
I have recently sent 12 babies knitted hats to Save the Children in London. I am making more until I exhaust supply of wool. It gives me great pleasure to know that they are being put to such good use. Shall I keep them coming.
fundraising for you
You all are the most amazing people. I wish you all the best and god bless you all.
I'm 24, my name is Olly and I live in Brighton UK. At the moment I am at work raising funds for your team, it is going very well and I can't stress enough how much the british public want to help your plight.
You are all angels.
GOD BE WITH SAVE THE CHILDREN
SAVE THE CHILDREN
I think it is so bad for the children because they could get sick. Some people might want to stay alive but they can't because they know they will die soon so they try to do the things they want to do when they grow up.
If I was in that place I would feel like flying away in a plane and try to raise some money for my place. I would try to think of something to stop the water coming into my home, because if it was pouring of rain for a week I would die because I might not know how to swim.
Save the children
Hi, im in my first year of training to become a nurse. Reading about Save the Children and hearing about how passionate you are about your work is inspirational. It would be fantastic to come out and help one day.
Buying Eqipment
Hi
This is my first visit to your website and I applaud the work you are doing
Having visited Sierra Leone I know what problems you can have at customs and how complicated it can be, but are you able to get all the things locally that you need?
Would it not be possible for anyone visiting the country to bring some things?
Post
Hi
Is it possible for me to post items out to you? Things you may be needing?
Dear Gilbert
Thank you for your offer. Comments like yours motivate us to continue with our work here in Kroo Bay.
Unfortunately it\'s not possible to post us any items because custom clearance procedures are complicated here in Sierra Leone. We also try to buy things locally to support the local economy.
We\'ve found that the best way to support is to donate through the Kroo Bay website. The money will be used to complete the clinic renovations, to buy vital equipment and to provide essential training.
You can also receive our latest news updates on the clinic renovations and on Kroo Bay in general by signing up to receive our Newsletter.
Warm Regards,
The Kroo Bay Team
What are the responses
Your site is informative and eye opening - an excellent way to bring awareness of the reality of the challenges others live with.
Two questions on this page are ones I woud like to have answered - could we hear from a teacher and can we send supplied as well as a financial donation.
Good luck with your work - you seem to be having such an impact already.
Hi Angela,
We\'re very pleased that you find the site so inspiring.
In reposne to your questions - we do hope to bring you a story from a teacher very soon, so do keep coming back to the site to see what\'s happening. Are you signed up to receive our newsletter? That way we\'ll let you know when new stories are posted.
I\'m afraid though that donating supplies isn\'t quite as straight forward as it sounds. We prefer, wherever possible, to source essential supplies locally. This means that we\'re supporting the local economy. Shipment of goods and clearing customs can also be very expensive. We\'ve found from our many years of working in Sierra Leone that it\'s better to make a financial donation and to source supplies locally. You can see where your money is going through this website.
Thanks again for your comments and do keep coming back to see the changes take place.
Kind regards,
The Kroo Bay team
hiya
hiya we ave been looking at your pics and they look so sad and make you want to cry thanks for all your info...
Is there a primary school in the Kroo Bay? It would be interesting to get a teacher's view/blog on the challenges and successes of primary school education in the Kroo bay.
My name is Dr. Robert Renner, a retired dentist, and I've worked with Save the Children for the last 6 years running a rural bush dental clinic, similar to your work in Kroo Bay, where we regularly(that is I go every six months) to see my 1000 children in the provinces in and around San Salvador. The children i see and treat have never been seen by a professional, dentist or physician, in their lives. It is gratifying to see your work in Kroo Bay. Do these children have any access to simple dental health prevention intervention. I certainly know these these children at risk need the intervention/diagnosis of a physician. Keep up you good work.
