Tragically, last week Daniel Koroma's wife died after giving birth. Stacey was only 35 years old, and she leaves Daniel with three young children aged 8 years, 6 years and 6 days.  Daniel, who is the SLM agent in Sierra Leone, has confided that he doesn't know how he will cope.

This is the second time that Daniel has experienced such a dreadful loss. Magnus informed us that his first wife endured three miscarriages and a still birth. After her third child was born, she then contracted a prolonged health condition that was likely cancerous, and she died two months later.

Sierra Leone has one of the highest maternal mortality rates recorded. In 2020 it was estimated that maternal deaths accounted for 36% of deaths in women aged between 15 and 49 years.

On completion of the children's Health Centre in Brama in December 2022, it was decided to include a maternity unit within the centre. Thanks to support from the UK work began on its construction, but the unit is still not complete. Currently a section of the staff quarters is being utilised for maternity purposes.

Magnus estimates that a further £3,000 is needed to complete the building work, plus more ideally to fund solar panels, which are recommended by medical advisors. Solar is generally expensive at installation but a very safe source of electricity when properly installed. Many hospitals in Sierra Leone use solar power during the day and for parts of the night to support their generator plants. It is also used for situations when high power consuming machines are needed for testing and operations.

We ask our communities to pray for Daniel and his family, who are suffering from the tragic loss of a wife and mother. We also come together in prayer for additional funds to be raised to enable the completion the Maternity Unit and its mission to save lives.

 

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Sort code: 20-16-08, Account number: 30799076, Account name: Sierra Leone Mission 

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Sierra Leone Mission. Postal address: Janet Foord, 20 Kingsborough Drive, Eastchurch, Isle of Sheppey, Kent ME12 4DN