Sierra Leone has one of the world’s highest maternal and neonatal mortality rates, but a partnership between Orange SL Foundation, Mama-Pikin Foundation, CAP at Columbia University, and the Ministry of Health is beginning to change that.
Launched in December 2020, the Safeguarding Maternal Health Project has grown from a pilot in Kossoh Town to a nationwide initiative now serving over 12 communities across the country. Backed by Orange SL’s funding, the program targets systemic causes of preventable deaths, including delays in accessing skilled care, poor health infrastructure, and reliance on home deliveries.
Maternal mortality in Sierra Leone had fallen from 717 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2019 to 354 by 2023, according to officials from the health ministry, signifying a major improvement even though the country still ranks among the worst globally. Project leaders credit targeted interventions as contributing to this progress.
Sierra Leone: Maternal deaths down to 354 per 100,000 live births
In its first phase, the program introduced medical screening booths, infection prevention measures, health education campaigns, and baby care kits for new mothers. The impact was immediate as Kossoh Town recorded a significant drop in maternal deaths within a year, prompting the program’s expansion in March 2024.
To date, the initiative has supported more than 20,000 mothers with safe delivery kits and strengthened referral systems to ensure more women deliver in health facilities rather than at home.
The Mama-Pikin Foundation has also scaled its innovative Delivery Bucket Program, which incentivizes safer, facility-based births. Each bucket containing hygiene essentials and newborn care supplies is given to women who deliver in health centers. Over 20,000 buckets have been distributed since early 2024 in communities ranging in Makeni, Kono, Kenema and Kailahun to Freetown’s York and Grafton villages.
Orange SL Foundation says the project reflects the power of public-private partnerships to save lives. “We are committed to building healthier futures for women and children in Sierra Leone,” the Foundation said, while thanking the Ministry of Health, Mama-Pikin Foundation, and international partners for their collaboration.
As Sierra Leone continues its fight against high maternal mortality, the project offers a model for how corporate investment and grassroots initiatives can work hand in hand to drive lasting impact.
