Sierra Leone
![A young voter in Kenema, Sierra Leone, listens for election results via radio [Annie Bungeroth]](/var/storage/images/media_folder/cafod/images/international_images/africa/sierra_leone/young_voter_in_sierra_leone/3914-2-eng-GB/young_voter_in_sierra_leone.jpg)
Sierra Leone is still recovering from a long, bitter and vicious civil war which devastated communities and the lives of its citizens
The civil war had a devastating impact on Sierra Leone - more than two million people were affected, many of whom are still refugees in neighbouring countries.
Sierra Leone is the lowest-ranking country in the world for life expectancy, access to education and standard of living. Average life expectancy is just 34, and almost three-quarters of the people live below the poverty line.
 | CAFOD welcomes Charles Taylor ruling CAFOD has welcomed the ruling of the War Crimes Court in The Hague against Charles Taylor, the former President of Liberia. |
![Communities in Sierra Leone learning how to use video to change their own lives for the better by lobbying their leaders for change [Alex Coley]](/var/storage/images/about-cafod/where-we-work/sierra-leone/images/using-video-to-lobby-for-change/761658-1-eng-GB/using-video-to-lobby-for-change_0column75_06space_landscape.jpg) |
Paul Higgitt writes about how a Sierra Leone project is proving that digital video can play a vital role in communicating the stories of those who are often voiceless |
 | Exclusive interview with Dermot O'Leary The UK’s favourite TV presenter and life-long CAFOD supporter, Dermot O’Leary took time out from his busy schedule to talk exclusively to our fledging reporter Callum Stirling. |
![The Millennium Stars football team helps rehabilitate young people - including ex-child soldiers - affected by civil war in Liberia [Martin Lueders]](/var/storage/images/about-cafod/where-we-work/liberia/images/millennium-stars-football-team/4222-2-eng-GB/millennium-stars-football-team_0column75_06space_landscape.jpg) |
Don Bosco Homes is a leading child protection NGO in Liberia and work with orphans, ex-combatants and children who live and work on the streets |
![CAFOD supporters have lobbied for - and won - commitments on aid, debt and a fairer system of world trade [Kate Stanworth]](/var/storage/images/images/politicians-statespeople-and-celebrities/cafod-trade-justice-lobby-of-parliament/247481-2-eng-GB/cafod-trade-justice-lobby-of-parliament_0column75_06space_landscape.jpg) |
Our Public Policy Team researches and analyses international policies affecting poor communities, and suggests alternatives to reduce poverty |
![Ex-civil war combatant Aminata Sesav (in yellow) is training as a hairdresser with Caritas [Annie Bungeroth]](/var/storage/images/about-cafod/where-we-work/sierra-leone/images/sierra-leonean-ex-combatant-trains-as-a-hairdresser/3886-2-eng-GB/sierra-leonean-ex-combatant-trains-as-a-hairdresser_0column75_nospace_landscape.jpg)
