The Facts

Supermodel Selita Ebanks and SOSL founder,

Tiffany Perons.

Half a million women die each year around the world in pregnancy. It's not biology that kills them so much as neglect.”
—Nicholas D.Kristof

• 1 out of 6 infants die before the age of 1
• 1 out of 8 mothers die at childbirth
• 1 out of 5 children dies before the age of 5
• There is only 1 gynecologist and 12 doctors in the entire country

The cost of a C-section is a mere $125 US dollars which is grossly expensive for most women in Sierra Leone and unsterile conditions and the lack of postnatal care or instructions are the major causes of high mother and child mortality rates.

An ambulance in the United States has more supplies and medicine than the largest hospital in Sierra Leone.

Government salaries for doctors at $100 a month and nurses at $80 a month (if they get paid at all) are among the lowest in the world.

Sierra Leone ranks lowest in the world in healthcare. At the main hospital in the country, Princess Christian Maternity Hospital, there were only a dismal 273 C-sections due to lack of staff, hospital funds, and lack of funds for pregnant women and their families. Patients actually have to bring their own gauze and rubbing alcohol to be treated and many women die because they can’t afford a $4 plasma expander for their blood.

So what is SOSL doing to change the face of maternal care in the region?

We’re thrilled to announce that we are changing these statistics! Shine On Sierra Leone is inspired to make Sierra Leone a safe place to give birth. We have recently launched a maternal healthcare program that will not only supply access to medical care, but to most importantly, listen. Listen to the needs of the pregnant women, by pregnant women and traditional birthing attendants and healers. The result: A comprehensive maternal and child healthcare program that will both honor local traditions and provide access to safe medical care, in an effort to promote healthy mothers and babies and save lives. We are training traditional birthing attendants to be an intricate part of the birthing process by training them in peripheral medical skills including taking blood pressure, administering pregnancy tests, weighing and using a a picture-based assessment manual (due to high rate of illiteracy) that successfully allows the TBA to usher women and children to hospital when necessary or provide them with care directly.

Just last week we had 7 referrals TBA referrals to the hospital! If the statistics above are correct, one of those women may not have survived. This program is saving lives.

At Shine On, we believe that adequate healthcare and maternal good health is an essential right and the foundation of a safe and strong future. By bringing together the wisdom of the region’s locals and the
knowledge of the Shine On community, we are actively creating groundbreaking innovative experiences.

Shine On!