For over a decade, HIRF has worked to strengthen the health of women and children across Sierra Leone. In 2025 alone, that meant reaching tens of thousands of women and children with life-saving prenatal vitamins, essential nutrients, and critical medicines used to manage some of the most dangerous complications of pregnancy and childbirth.
Women Received Prenatal Medicines
Children Reached With Vitamin A
Postpartum Hemorrhage Treatments
HIRF’s partnership with Vitamin Angels began in 2015, when the first shipment reached just 1,701 pregnant women and 6,000 children under five. In the decade since, that reach has grown more than fourteen-fold — now delivering prenatal vitamins and essential nutrients to over 25,000 pregnant women and 95,000 children under five each year across HIRF-supported facilities nationwide. What started as a single shipment has become one of HIRF’s longest-standing and most far-reaching partnerships, helping build healthier foundations for mothers and children from pregnancy through early childhood.
In addition, HIRF ensures the availability of critical, life-saving medicines used in the management of eclampsia, postpartum hemorrhage, sepsis, and common childhood infections. During 2025, HIRF distributed enough medicines to provide 69,000 treatments for postpartum hemorrhage — helping health facilities respond rapidly to one of the leading causes of maternal death — along with 3,000 treatments for eclampsia and 15,000 treatments for sepsis, two other dangerous complications of pregnancy and childbirth. HIRF also supplied antibiotics to help treat infections in both women and children, supporting recovery and reducing the risk of complications — nearly 122,000 antibiotic patient treatments were provided.
Over the last several years, HIRF has supported baby shows to celebrate mothers and their partners who faithfully attend antenatal care visits. We do this in partnership with Caritas Freetown and the Christian Health Association of Sierra Leone. These events honor a commitment that makes a measurable difference in maternal and newborn health outcomes. These are among the most anticipated community health events of the year.
Studies show that men’s active participation in the birth process can foster more engaged parenting and reduce gender inequalities. Research also shows that regular attendance at antenatal care visits significantly reduces the risk of maternal mortality.