Many of these children had not received any immunizations in almost a year. Vaccinations against measles, tetanus, and other childhood diseases are being planned for the near future. A major vitamin A distribution effort will also take place in mid-June. The goal is to reach every child from 6 months of age to 5 years old. In order to escape the war zones, many families have been on the run for years.
Nutritious food is scarce and children are vulnerable to malnutrition.
These techniques are important since children and their families are in constant states of displacement and have little time to plant and harvest crops. Each group was provided with four sets of cassava graters, solar dehydrators, and mud ovens to enable them to extend the shelf life of their harvests and have guaranteed access to food for their children, wherever they must go. It is estimated that about 97 percent of all water treatment facilities are inoperative due to damage inflicted by warring factions. Communities have no choice but to rely on polluted streams and rivers for drinking and cooking water. Cholera, diarrhea, and other deadly water-borne diseases are responsible for the majority of deaths among infants and young children in Sierra Leone.