New Hope Movement
The New Hope Movement (NHM) aims to reduce infant and maternal mortality in Sierra Leone and other parts of Africa. Presently, the number of maternal deaths that occur in Sierra Leone are so vast that it has been deemed "a human rights emergency" by Amnesty International. Other international organizations have gone further and labeled pregnancy “a death sentence." In Sierra Leone, 1 in 8 women die while giving birth and in some villages the death rate is as high as 1 in 4. Essentially a woman in Sierra Leone is approximately 200 times more likely to die giving birth than an expecting mother in any developed nation. In a country of nearly five million people and with a dire need for health care, there are only five specialized obstetricians and very few hospitals.
Mission
Photo by: Lynsey Addario/Times Magazine
The mission of NHM is to implement justice within the healthcare system and serve as a voice for the often unheard women of Sierra Leone. This is a project that addresses the disturbingly high infant and maternal death rates in Sierra Leone from three critical angles: enabling a greater availability of medicine and medical supplies for hospital distribution, increasing the number of qualified health professionals practicing within the hospitals, and providing education and advocacy for the women of Sierra Leone.
Due to the lack of adequate medical supplies and medication, NHM aims to collect and ship donated medical supplies to one hospital in each of the four regions of Sierra Leone. This is to ensure the proper care and treatment of patients. Supplies will be collected from hospitals and verified organizations that are partnering with the project.
In order to increase the number of qualified health practitioners, NHM aims to collaborate with one or more medical schools in the United States for the establishment of international elective programs. These programs will be bridged with selected hospitals in Sierra Leone allowing eligible medical students and residents to practice year round in provision of quality healthcare. NHM aims to also provide selected hospitals and maternity wards with midwives and other volunteer health professionals to practice and train the local healthcare providers.
NHM will hold free two-day forums in each of the four regions of Sierra Leone that will be opened to the general public. The forums will consist of a panel of both local and international doctors, nurses, midwives, government, and public figures. This will be done in order to educate women and their families on maternal health and potential danger signs. In addition, forums will also be a means to raise awareness on safe sexual practices and available resources in the local communities.
Due to the lack of adequate medical supplies and medication, NHM aims to collect and ship donated medical supplies to one hospital in each of the four regions of Sierra Leone. This is to ensure the proper care and treatment of patients. Supplies will be collected from hospitals and verified organizations that are partnering with the project.
In order to increase the number of qualified health practitioners, NHM aims to collaborate with one or more medical schools in the United States for the establishment of international elective programs. These programs will be bridged with selected hospitals in Sierra Leone allowing eligible medical students and residents to practice year round in provision of quality healthcare. NHM aims to also provide selected hospitals and maternity wards with midwives and other volunteer health professionals to practice and train the local healthcare providers.
NHM will hold free two-day forums in each of the four regions of Sierra Leone that will be opened to the general public. The forums will consist of a panel of both local and international doctors, nurses, midwives, government, and public figures. This will be done in order to educate women and their families on maternal health and potential danger signs. In addition, forums will also be a means to raise awareness on safe sexual practices and available resources in the local communities.
