Country background

The recently ended ten-year civil war in Sierra Leone resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of more than two million people, one third of the country's population. Amputation, rape and the use of child soldiers were all weapons of terror commonly used by the rebel troops against the civilian population.

The conflict was officially declared over in January 2002. Since then Sierra Leone has faced the huge task of reconciling the rifts created by the war while tackling some of the most desperate poverty in the world. Sierra Leone has ranked last in the annual UN development index for the last 5 years. Average life expectancy is just 42.7 years and 284 out of every 1000 children die before their 5th birthday (UNICEF), the highest number in the world.

Please note: With the immediate post-war recovery period in Sierra Leone now over, our work there is now at an end. The information in this section is provided as archived AfCiC background material only. We do not currently direct any of our funding or resources to Sierra Leone.