Our films at the Makeni Government Hospital ANC Clinic.
Mothers of Sierra Leone is a social-impact documentary film and research project designed to amplify the voices and stories of women and healthcare professionals in Sierra Leone, showcasing their resiliency. I co-mentor this Global Social Impact Fellowship with Dr. Fathima Wakeel, a Maternal and Child Health scholar in Lehigh University’s College of Health. Our interdisciplinary work uses documentary storytelling to highlight community-based programs. These include antenatal care sessions, vaccination treatment programs, and nutrition and family planning consultations.
Ellen Murray (CAS, 2026) filming at Makeni Government Hospital
We distribute our films to local community health clinics to address important health topics within antenatal care, perinatal care, and postnatal care. In collaboration with the University of Makeni, we are expanding our storytelling to develop teaching module films emphasizing maternal health as the origin story of public health; these films are designed specifically for West African students and focus around West African health concerns.
Lehigh University fieldwork team, 2024
We work closely with clinical and community partners to highlight innovations in antenatal, perinatal, postnatal care and ongoing clinical treatment, including midwifery, hospital delivery services, emergency surgery, postpartum care, mental health and neonatal care.
In 2023-24, we completed a yearlong mixed methods (qualitative and quantitative) study on the efficacy of our films at 12 different clinical locations in the Bombali district.
Women watch our films in the waiting room at Loretto Clinic, downtown Makeni
In 2024-2025, we are implementing a 12-month mixed methods study that explores the disparities in the maternal care experience in urban and rural settings, as well as further evaluates the efficacy of our films at three different rural locations.
Our fundamental goals are to improve maternal health outcomes and research the efficacy of filmic storytelling as a tool for enhancing women’s health care experiences.