February 2022 Newsletter
Turning Scars to Stars
Continuing our 20-year celebration, this month we look back in history to our early support of St. Mary's Children's Home in Bo. Also find out what some of the children are doing today. Our other stories focus on the importance of education and what HealeyIRF is doing in Sierra Leone. From capacity training for health staff, advanced degrees for religious Sisters, to school fees for our vulnerable children's program we know education is the foundation for success.
Continued Capacity Training at HealeyIRF Supported Facilities
HealeyIRF continues to provide capacity training at the western area clinics that we support in Sierra Leone. In late January we funded a workshop on the rational use of medicines. Sister Josephine Amara, Health Coordinator for Caritas Freetown noted that this training puts them "a step ahead in our quality delivery of services."

This training is critical as the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that “more than half of all medicines are prescribed, dispensed or sold inappropriately, and that half of all patients fail to take them correctly.” Further the WHO notes, “the overuse, under-use or misuse of medicine results in wastage of scarce resources and widespread health hazards.”
Religious Sisters in Sierra Leone Continue Educational Studies
2021 was another successful year in our partnership with the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, with four Sisters completing their advanced studies.

The goal of this five-year program is to increase the number of Sisters in Sierra Leone with skills in nontraditional areas of study.

To date, a total of thirteen Sisters have graduated while eleven Sisters are still completing their studies. Academic areas being pursued are medicine, nursing, business administration, public administration, education, teaching, and literature.

"Sisters and their congregations have greatly benefited from this effort and have appreciated the opportunity to advance their education," noted HealeyIRF Program Manager Megan Smith.
Celebrating 20-Years: A Look Back at HealeyIRF History
Supporting Vulnerable Children: Then & Now
Established in 1999 during the civil war by Father Peter Konteh, St. Mary’s Home for Children in Bo became a haven for children left abandoned or orphaned during this brutal and deadly war.

At the request of Fr. Peter, HealeyIRF supported several projects at St. Mary's. HealeyIRF built a water well, sanitation facilities, perimeter fencing, volleyball court, and a library.

In 2013, HealeyIRF Chairman and President Robert Healey visited the Children's Home to meet with the children and take a first hand look at what was constructed to help support the children's welfare.

Our current orphan and vulnerable children program supports 23 children at St. Mary's Fatima Interim Care Center at River #2.
We are providing the children shelter, food, and education. A safe and nurturing environment for the children is our number one priority.
If you would like to support us in our work please consider becoming a Star-Maker. By making a monthly commitment you will help us better plan for our day-to-day programs and long-term development efforts, such as capacity training.