Sierra Leone was ravaged by more than a decade of violent conflict. Many young boys were recruited as child soldiers and the majority of children witnessed the horrors of the war including abuse, rape and the loss of family members.
Widespread migration along with a high level of sexual violence during the war has contributed to an increase in the rate of HIV infection. Although most people have heard of HIV/AIDS, there is still little knowledge of how it is transmitted and there is significant stigma and discrimination attached to the disease. Young people are particularly vulnerable and the HIV infection rate among young people is more than double the national average.
Children in Crisis Sierra Leone
Since 1999 Children in Crisis has been working to rebuild the education system of Sierra Leone and prevent the spread of HIV:
School Building – working since 1999 Children in Crisis has so far built and rehabilitated 11 schools in Sierra Leone. These schools often provide the only place of learning for hundreds of children within the area.
HIV & Aids Education - Starting in 2004, over 520 primary school teachers have been trained to provide HIV/AIDS education, with a focus on teaching children to recognise situations when they could be at risk of infection. Around 30,000 children in the districts of Freetown and Kambia have attended lessons given by these teachers.
