Sierra Leone Mudslide Relief Fund

"In nearly a decade of working on humanitarian response I've never witnessed anything so tragic. I saw children clambering over the rubble and mud, desperately calling for their parents. So many people were trapped, trying to reach their loved ones. The landslide is huge in scale... It rolled across three communities, burying everything in its path, destroying homes... leaving them with nothing."

That's how Zynab Kamara from ActionAID, one of the nine GlobalGiving partners responding to this month's devastating mudslides and flooding in Sierra Leone, describes the scene in Freetown, the country's capital and home to more than one million people.

According to government sources, this disaster has already claimed more than 500 lives, left more than 3,000 residents homeless, and destroyed hundreds of buildings.

After a disaster of this scale, it's crucial to get funds to the organizations assisting survivors as quickly as possible. We've already delivered funds to seven of our partners on the ground in Sierra Leone. Your donation has already supported the following efforts:

• All As One operates a children's center in an area hard-hit by the mudslides and flooding, and from that location they're distributing food and emergency supplies and providing shelter to families who've been forced to flee their homes.
• Develop Africa is providing food, clean water, fuel, and hygiene products to survivors, and shelter to families left homeless.
• Touch the Nations is supplying survivors with food, clean water, clothing, medical care, and temporary housing.
• Advocacy Initiative for Development is supplying survivors with food, water, medicine, clothing, and shelter, as well as ensuring that children in Freetown will be able to return to their studies when schools reopen in September by providing them with books, uniforms, and school fees.
• Street Child is focusing on providing food, shelter, and water, and setting the stage for helping children return to school and assisting families in rebuilding their livelihoods after the disaster.
• ActionAID is delivering food and basic supply kits to the most vulnerable people affected, prioritizing women and children.
• IsraAID is delivering psychological first aid to Sierra Leoneans who are visibly in distress as they deal with the destruction and loss of life surrounding them.

As these immediate relief efforts transition into long-term recovery work, we'll continue to keep you updated on the progress being made and the impact of your donation in the months to come.

Thank you for standing with the people of Sierra Leone in their time of need.

Warmly,

Britt Lake + the GlobalGiving team