Target Area:
Sierra Leone
We chose to target our efforts to Sierra Leone because it is where maternal mortality rates are the highest. It is one of the poorest areas in Africa which leads to the staggering statistic that for every 100,000 births 850 deaths occur.
Sierra Leone, a country in West Africa, has a population of about 7.5 million and is home to the rare gem, the “blood diamond”. Sierra Leone is home to 15 different ethnic groups, the largest two being Temne which is located in the north-west, and Mende located in the south-east. Sierra Leone has limited freedoms compared to that of the States and a shaky political climate due to recently ended civil war. Despite all this, the country continues to grow economically and hopes to overcome these obstacles with newly elected leaders.
As illustrated in the Sierra Leone graph, there is roughly an equal number of men and women at any given age. The crucial bit of information can be seen when one imagines a line tangent from the given curves. The intersection point between the two lines can be seen at ages 40 - 44 or 50-54, demonstrating the the estimated lifetime is quite low compared to the United States graph on the left. This provides us with an idea about the quality of life, education, and wealth within Sierra Leone.