In Sierra Leone, religious leaders played a crucial role during the Ebola outbreak from 2014 to 2016. They were not just spiritual guides but also key players in spreading awareness about the disease. This was not their first time helping with health issues. They had already been involved in campaigns against HIV/AIDS. However, their impact varied. So, it was importa...
In Sierra Leone, onchocerciasis is a big worry in 14 out of its 16 districts. But two villages in Tonkolili district, Mangobo and Petifu, haven't seen much blindness from this disease. This raised eyebrows because, since 2005, these villages have had 17 rounds of annual treatments with ivermectin, a drug that fights this worm infection. A curious thing happened thou...
In the wake of the global COVID-19 pandemic in 2019, Sierra Leone's government took swift action to keep the deadly SARS-CoV-2 virus at bay. They declared a state of emergency on March 24, 2020, even before any cases were confirmed in the country. Soon after, the first COVID-19 case was reported in Sierra Leone in late March 2020. Unlike many scoping reviews that fo...
It's hard to believe that Michaela Mabinty DePrince, the ballerina who lit up the world with her presence, is no longer with us. Born in the midst of a civil war in Sierra Leone, her life was marked by unimaginable challenges. Yet, she defied the odds to become a principal dancer at the Dance Theatre of Harlem, and even caught the attention of Beyoncé, who featured h...
Michaela Mabinty DePrince's life was a testament to the human spirit's capacity for resilience and determination. Born in war-torn Sierra Leone, she was an orphan who was adopted by an American couple and went on to become a principal dancer at the Dance Theatre of Harlem and the Dutch National Ballet. Her journey was marked by challenges, including a skin pigmentati...