#sierreleone

We were fortunate to have a very knowledgeable nurse midwife in the group, Rugiata, who helped translate the teaching into the common Crio language. Sex outside of marriage is common- especially among young women, however, many do not know that it can lead to pregnancy. Steph talked about the importance of mothers speaking openly with their daughters, recognizing early signs of pregnancy, and healthy habits during pregnancy.

Linda Becker taught about marriage and how to resolve conflict. One woman shared that polygamous practices among Muslims and even some Christians in Sierra Leone can lead to fighting between wives. Others shared about the difficult burden on women who are expected to do all of the work in the home, care for children, and provide financially while their husbands contribute very little. Linda shared many verses from scripture that teach about the marital relationship and encouraged women to pray for their husbands and talk about issues together rather than complaining with friends.

I taught two lessons on nutrition. The first was about food groups- foods that give us energy (carbohydrates), foods that make us strong (protein), and foods that give us nutrients (fruits and vegetables). The staple foods in Sierra Leone are rice, cassava, potatoes, and other root vegetables and some fruits and vegetables are seasonally available. Identifying protein sources was a challenge. Near the coast people have access to fish and further inland, meat is more available but also expensive. For the majority of rural people, who are subsistence farmers, daily protein intake is very limited. This lack of protein in the diet of children is what leads to the swollen belly seen in malnourished children, a condition known as kwashiorkor. I encouraged the women to pass on the knowledge of eating from all food groups to promote good nutrition in their communities so that many families will benefit from the teaching!