Sierra Leone

You might know Steven Caulker as a talented Premier League footballer who plays for Queen's Park Rangers, as well as for his appearance in the England national team. But he's also just returned from an emotional trip with ActionAid to Sierra Leone, his grandfather’s homeland. It's always been Steven's dream to go and visit this west African country. Here Steven shares his experiences about the people he met in Sierra Leone: from the Ebola survivor who lost eight members of her family to the disease, to the children who are hungry for an education at the primary school Steven helped to fund, and the fearless women who are working hard to provide a better future for themselves and the next generation.

As the Ebola outbreak is officially declared over​, Mike – who led our team heading up ActionAid's emergency repsonse in Sierra Leone and Liberia –​ reflects on the devastating effects that the disease has had across West Africa and calls on the international community to invest in recovery and to help rebuild shattered lives.

It is now just over a week since a devastating mudslide swept through some of the poorest communities in Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone. Over 500 people have been confirmed to have died, while over 3,000 people remain missing. Those who have survived have lost everything, and are in a deep state of trauma. Our local staff in Freetown were able to respond within hours of the mudslide, helping in the immediate relief efforts. By last Friday, they had reached 260 families with emergency supplies of food, water and shelter. These images from the team show the impact of the mudslide, and what they are doing to help the most vulnerable.  

Washing your hands might seem like a very simple and unremarkable thing to do. But this small act can help save lives. On Global Handwashing Day, we look at how spreading awareness of the importance of handwashing, and providing soap and buckets needed to do it, has helped to bring the Ebola crisis under control in Sierra Leone. 

Three years ago I travelled to Sierra Leone. Of all the incredible people I met it was the women and girls whose indefatigable attitude to life bowled me over. But since the Ebola outbreak in 2014, heartbreakingly over 12,000 children have been left orphaned in Sierra Leone. What is life like for Ebola orphans and the women supporting them now? 

Almost exactly a year ago, we started our Ebola emergency programme in Sierra Leone. We were one of the first agencies to respond, and our work with community mobilisers and the innovative ways we used to get the message out undoubtedly helped save lives. I recently visited the town of Bumpe in Kono district, meeting some of the dedicated and inspiring volunteers who continue to work on the front line of our Ebola response.