7,500 Sierra Leoneans Relieved from Food Insecurity this Ramadan Thanks to Life for Relief and Development USA (LIFE)’s Food Distributions

Ramadan is known to be a month of sacrifice, abstinence and restraint, where Muslims avoid eating and drinking from sunup to sundown. At dusk, it is mandatory for Muslims to break their fast each day with a meal called Iftar. For most Muslims worldwide, this meal is a daily celebration of one’s blessings, as the hours of self-denial come to a delicious end. However, for those facing food insecurity and living in a state of poverty, this meal becomes a burden, a problem to be solved.

Unfortunately, with 82% of the population in Sierra Leone being food insecure, local Muslims feel the added strain of feeding their families during this month of fasting. On average, approximately 70% of Sierra Leone’s population lives below the national poverty line. Along with the persistent state of poverty in the region, food inflation has skyrocketed the price of staple household ingredients, with cassava rising a sharp 122% in cost.

As of February 2024, annual food inflation hit 45% in Sierra Leone, leaving most households spending more than 75% of their income on food. Due to the considerable increase in food prices, a nutritious diet has become unaffordable to at least 63% of the population. Because of this food insecurity, chronic malnutrition accounts for 57% of deaths among children under the age of five.

To combat the enduring food insecurity facing Sierra Leoneans, Life for Relief and Development USA (LIFE) orchestrated a Ramadan Food Basket project from February 26 to March 10, 2025. Delivering essential support to the most vulnerable members of society, 150 baskets, each containing staples such as rice, cooking oil, onions, tomato paste, tea leaves, and salt, were provided to 150 households in the Western Rural Area District of Sierra Leone. Serving those most in need, the disabled, elderly and poor were of the 6,000 people that the food charity indirectly reached.

Alongside this project, LIFE also carried out a Ramadan Iftar Dinners program, from March 07 to March 23, 2025, delivering hot meals with water and drinks to 1,500 individuals in Sierra Leone’s Western Rural, Western Urban, and Port Loko districts. This program alleviated food insecurity by providing nutritious meals to vulnerable individuals. The collective nature of the meals also provided an opportunity for reflection and spiritual connection, reinforcing the values of community and charity.

The primary objective of these projects was to provide food support to Sierra Leoneans facing food insecurity during the month of Ramadan, as most recipients of the food baskets and dinners struggled to afford a daily meal. Delivering guaranteed meals for the entire month to beneficiaries left them overcome with smiles and gratitude as their hopes for an enjoyable Ramadan were restored.

A recipient from the Magbafti Village Disabled Home, Mariatu Bangura, shared her gratitude for the food support she received. Finding herself with no food at home on the first day of Ramadan, the food basket was a gift from LIFE and its donors that would help her and others like her continue to observe the fasting month.

Many others in the community found themselves in a similar situation, welcoming the month of Ramadan with empty stomachs, cupboards, and homes. Pa Alpha, another recipient, extended her deepest gratitude to LIFE and its donors for the food items received. She shares: “I was worried about how to begin fasting during Ramadan without food at home, but with LIFE's support, I am forever grateful. This provision will sustain me and my family throughout all of Ramadan."

As for those who received the Iftar dinners, one of the beneficiaries shared: “Not only has the meal provided nourishment, but it has also given us a sense of belonging and reassurance during this time of need. We thank LIFE and pray that the organization is rewarded for its remarkable efforts."

Your donations provided essential nutrition to families in need, relieving them of the financial, physical and emotional toll that food insecurity has on the poor during this month of fasting. Thank you for your contributions and the difference they make.