Extreme Poverty is one of the biggest problems facing SIERRA LEONE today. Poverty, hunger, malnutrition, lack of access to clean water, inadequate shelter for poor and no health care, illiteracy and ignorance thrive in this part of the world.

Almost 4 million people (about 80 percent of the population) are surviving on less than the
$1 a day. Africa’s poor along with those in Asia remain among the most impoverished in the world. Sierra Leone Government must be at the center of efforts to reduce Poverty but their policies and strategies at present do not demonstrate sufficient political commitment to take necessary actions.

An Eye On The Mano River Union Guinea – Liberia – Sierra Leone

Fifteen million people live in the Mano river region comprised of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. 40% of them are under the age of fifteen years of war and more than 30 years of poor governance and an unstructured civil society has led to the death of thousands of people. Basic infrastructures and modes of production have been plundered or completely destroyed. Populations from more than twenty one ethnic groups have been displaced.

Moreover these conflicts have resulted in endless human rights violations during the height of the conflict. Thousands of children were separated from their families and forced to become child soldiers or victims of sexual violence. These conflicts have also led to inappropriate social and economic policies, underemployment and weak access to proper education and other essential services.

POVERTY IS NOT LIKELY TO BE REDUCED IN SIERRA LEONE WITHOUT CONSIDERABLE IMPROVEMENT IN DONORS COMMITMENT TO SUPPORT THIS GOAL.