IN THE FIELD

Nutritional Support for Malnourished Children in Pujehun

Africa, Sierra Leone
Nutrition Training in Africa
Sierra Leone is one of the countries with the highest maternal and child mortality rates in the world: more than one in ten children dies before the age of five. In the remote and isolated district of Pujehun, the situation is further worsened by extreme poverty and local beliefs, which often associate malnutrition with witchcraft, leading families to seek care from health facilities too late.
We have been working in Pujehun since 2012, providing care at the Maternal and Child Health Complex of the district hospital to ensure quality paediatric and nutritional services.    
  • Nutrition
    Each year we care for between 350 and 500 children; in 2024, 375 children were treated for severe acute malnutrition (SAM). In addition, since the therapy lasts on average four weeks, we support parents with food assistance to prevent them from discontinuing treatment prematurely.
  • Training in Africa
    We support the local staff with medications, supplies, and specialized training to improve the quality of care.
The challenge for 2025 is to ensure continuity of care in a context where rising global prices of food and medicines are putting the fragile health system at risk. The full nutritional rehabilitation process for a severely malnourished child costs €200. This amount covers medical treatment, food support for accompanying family members, follow-up visits, and clinical management of the patient. Every contribution is essential to help these children overcome the critical phase and return to healthy growth.