Programs: Health and nutrition: world hope's health and nutrition program focuses on sierra leone-a nation with one of the highest maternal, infant, and child mortality rates in the world. In addition to working with individuals and communities, world hope's program works with the sierra leone government toward the goal of providing all sierra leoneans with access to high-quality, affordable health care. Right now, the majority of health care in sierra leone is provided by community health workers; as such, this is a target of world hope's strategy. In 2017, 1,120 community health workers were trained on maternal and child health issues, such as malnutrition, reproductive health, malaria, and diarrhea. These workers provided more than 17,000 individuals consultations, treated more than 17,000 cases of malaria, and screened more than 30,000 children for malnutrition. Community health workers visited more than 8,500 pregnant women and made nearly 8,500 post-natal visits. Over 3,000 health care workers were also trained on newborn resuscitation techniques because newborn asphyxiation is a leading-and highly preventable-cause of death among infants. Through its health and nutrition program, world hope also: trained 273 health workers in the use of test strips to screen for utis and diabetes among pregnant women; provided vitamin a supplements for more than 32,000 children; and provided acute physical and occupational therapy and family support to 700 children with disabilities. Finally, in partnership with the us centers for disease control and the gates foundation, world hope performed data collection for a new program that will try to uncover the causes of high mortality rates among children under 5 in sierra leone.
emergency response and other programs: in 2107, world hope responded to three emergencies: the august mudslides in sierra leone; hurricanes harvey, irma, and maria in the us and caribbean; and the december tropical storm in the philippines. When disaster strikes, world hope mobilizes a network of businesses, churches, and ngo partners to provide immediate relief and recovery support. When the mudslides hit sierra leone-killing more than 1,000 people and leaving 5,000 homeless-world hope responded, in collaboration with the sierra leone government, to distribute more than 700 water filters, truck in more than 35,600 gallons of water, and distribute 3,355 cakes of soap to help curb the spread of disease. After hurricanes harvey, irma, and maria ravaged parts of the us and caribbean, world hope responded by providing 5,800 heavy-duty tarps for temporary shelter, 2,700 water filters, 96 generators, and 130 solar chargers to communities in texas, florida, turks & caicos, dominica, tortola, st. Thomas, st. Croix, cuba, and puerto rico. World hope also coordinated the delivery of water purification equipment and hygiene kits, medicines (including insulin), and donated goods in affected communities. In turks and caicos, for instance, world hope desalination kits provided the only source of clean water on some of the islands following the storms. In puerto rico, world hope helped deliver $225,000 worth of donated insulin to the puerto rico department of health. More than 300 volunteers supported rebuilding efforts in texas and florida following the storms, reaching more than 10,000 people.
water and sanitation: through its water and sanitation program, world hope is committed to providing clean water sources and improved sanitation facilities to communities in developing countries worldwide. In 2017, world hope drilled 192 wells across liberia, sierra leone, mozambique, and cambodia. In total, these wells benefited 132,111 people-around 700 people for each well. In addition to providing the obvious impact-clean water, which decreases instances of waterborne illness and death-clean water sources have subtler impacts that are equally profound. For instance, clean water sources allow more children-especially girls-to reach higher levels of educational achievement. In africa, 90% of water-gathering is done by girls, which limits their time spent in school. Girls with less education marry younger and have more children. In this way, limited access to clean water can contribute to the cycle of poverty-whereas access to clean water can help break it. In 2017, 44 wells were drilled at health clinics to improve health care provision, and water towers were constructed in 34 of these clinics to provide clean water for sinks, showers, and toilets. Finally, in 2017, 32 wells were drilled at schools. Without clean water at school, girls often drop out-or have a significant number of absences each month-once they reach puberty because they cannot care for their own hygiene needs. This is another way in which water is not just water-it is a future for hundreds of thousands of the world's girls. And world hope is ensuring they reach their goals through access to a basic human necessity: water.
