Mar 10, 2021BORN BABYGiving birth in Sierra Leone — AS GOOD AS IT GETS “Push… PUSH the baby!” Mamie Mattia alternately squeals and whimpers, her left hand wrapped tightly around the window bars, as midwife Christiana cajoles the 22 year old through the final stages of labor. “There is poor maternal effort,” Christiana comments in a stern voice, though she acknowledges Mamie is probably…Africa5 min readAfrica5 min read
Feb 3, 2020Afghan Survivor: This is no reality show… just reality.These hills are hard. Hard to get to. Hard to leave. Hard to cultivate. Hard to navigate. Hard to survive. Welcome to Yawan. High in the foothills of the Hindu Kush near the border between Afghanistan and Tajikistan, its steep slopes are sprinkled with tiny villages of rough stone…Afghanistan5 min readAfghanistan5 min read
Apr 19, 2018Democratic Republic of Congo humanitarian crisis: ‘She has no option but to stay and suffer’Mark Johnson, Concern’s Emergency Programme Manager in DRC’s North Kivu region, details a recent trip to a camp where at-risk displaced people are not far from conflict. ‘Extremely difficult days’ in Eastern DRC It is Friday afternoon in Goma and our team has just returned from an extremely difficult mission in North Kivu. I am…Congo6 min readCongo6 min read
Apr 3, 2018Bidding farewell to MozambiqueAfter 30 years of working in some of the toughest and most remote areas of Mozambique, it is with a heavy heart that Concern finishes up its activities and bids farewell to such a beautiful and vibrant country. Here, we express our appreciation to the communities we worked with, and…Nutrition7 min readNutrition7 min read
Sep 30, 2017Tragedy In ParadiseJust a few miles from the idyllic shores of the world’s longest unbroken sea beach, and down the road from the region’s top holiday resort, an epic human tragedy is unfolding. Words and images by Kieran McConville. It is beyond hot in the bamboo and plastic shelter that clings to…Refugees5 min readRefugees5 min read
Mar 22, 2017Desperation in Somaliland: No food, only dustAwil Raage stands in the wind and dust and searing heat, staring at his feet, reluctant to make eye contact. It’s as if he’s somehow ashamed of what has happened here. But it’s not his fault. Scattered around us are dozens of carcasses of dead sheep and goats. “I came…Climate Change3 min readClimate Change3 min read
Jun 3, 2016Farewell Tanzania: reflections on a vast, beautiful countryAs Concern closes the doors of the Concern Tanzania country office, we celebrate the achievements and resilience of this land. It is always with mixed emotions that we close a country office. Having completed our operations in Laos, Cambodia, Angola, India and others, we have had some experience of saying…Tanzania7 min readTanzania7 min read
Mar 14, 2016What’s So Special about a Keyhole?Agnes is a mother who lives in Karamoja in the Napak District of northeastern Uganda, a region facing high rates of malnutrition due to ongoing poverty and poor access to food. Agnes often had to travel far to try to find work, and each time she did, she worried that…Food5 min readFood5 min read
Oct 12, 2015Consequences of conflict: coping with hunger in South SudanOngoing conflict in South Sudan has caused a myriad of problems for the world’s youngest nation. The potential of South Sudan is enormous. With rich natural resources and agricultural potential, and a young population, this is a country that should be thriving. But as you read this article, South Sudan…Hunger8 min readHunger8 min read
Aug 5, 2015First Banned,then Reborn Health promoter Marian Keikula (left) during a home visit. How Former Traditional Birth Attendants are Saving Mothers and Babies in Sierra Leone By Stephen Morrison and Eve Heyn Standing in the doorway, Marian Keikula washed her hands with bleach water, as is the norm in an era of Ebola, and called out to a pregnant woman. The woman emerged from the dim interior, trailed by her son and elders…7 min read7 min read
