Healey International Relief Foundation

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Service and Compassion in Action: HIRF is dedicated to serving Sierra Leone's underprivileged and economically disadvantaged through the provision of comprehensive initiatives in healthcare, education, economic empowerment, and disaster response. Healey International Relief Foundation (HealeyIRF) is a US registered 501c3 organization working tirelessly to address pressing challenges in Sierra Leon

e for the past 22 years with a particular focus on health systems strengthening, sustainable farming and disaster response. Together with its collaborating partners, the foundation has invested in capacity building through training, direct program implementation and donations of medicines, medical, agricultural and educational supplies and equipment, food and financial assistance. We have achieved significant milestones by partnering with local communities, local governments, and international organizations to implement sustainable solutions that continue to make a meaningful difference in the lives of many.

09/03/2026

Thanks to our partnership with the ROW Foundation, HIRF is able to supply epilepsy medicines to health facilities across Sierra Leone. Today, Connaught Hospital came by the HIRF warehouse to pick up their supply.

Connaught has treated epilepsy patients for decades, reaching thousands of people. But stigma and limited access to care still keep many from seeking treatment — it's estimated that 85,000 people in Sierra Leone live with epilepsy, and 80-85% remain untreated.

HIRF and our partners are working to change that — training Community Health Workers and reaching communities and schools with epilepsy awareness and education.

👉 Click here to read more about our work. https://hirf.net/from-training-to-action-strengthening-epilepsy-care-in-sierra-leone/

08/31/2026

📰Check out our August newsletter and learn what we've been up to in Sierra Leone!

✅ Epilepsy Refresher Training — CHWs came back for refresher sessions to sharpen their skills in seizure first aid and community engagement
✅ NEW Blog Series — spotlighting the health facilities where we work, up close
✅ NEW Digital Training Tool — supporting our epilepsy work with tools CHWs can use between trainings

Read the full newsletter here 👉 https://conta.cc/4x9sb2P

08/21/2026

💙Our August blog looks at what happens after epilepsy training ends and how Community Health Workers are putting their knowledge into action across Sierra Leone.

From identifying and referring people with possible epilepsy, to challenging stigma in communities and schools, to returning for refresher training and helping shape HIRF’s new Digital Epilepsy Training Platform, this work is building stronger pathways to care.

Read our latest blog, “From Training to Action: Strengthening Epilepsy Care in Sierra Leone,” to learn more about the progress being made and the people helping drive it forward.

👉https://hirf.net/from-training-to-action-strengthening-epilepsy-care-in-sierra-leone/

Thanks to funding from the Rotary Foundation, project partners ROW Foundation, Epilepsy Association of Sierra Leone and along with training support from Medics For Epilepsy Support & Treatment this project is helping establish a model for expanding epilepsy care across Sierra Leone.

08/14/2026

📣The epilepsy refresher training concluded in Pujehun, bringing together Community Health Workers (CHWs) and key stakeholders to reflect on lessons learned, strengthen skills, and discuss how communities can better support people living with epilepsy.

Dr. Emmanuel of Medics For Epilepsy Support & Treatment summed up both the importance of continued training and the vital role CHWs play:

“Epilepsy is more than a medical condition; many patients also live with stigma, misunderstanding, and barriers to accessing care. As a medical doctor, that is one of the reasons I am passionate about raising awareness, because education can change lives. This refresher training has been especially meaningful because it highlighted both the challenges we face, such as limited drug availability and reaching patients in remote communities, and the incredible commitment of the community health workers on the frontlines. What inspired me most was their passion and willingness to keep serving despite these difficulties. Seeing that dedication gives me hope that through continued training, collaboration and community engagement, we can improve the lives of people living with epilepsy.”

A special thanks to Dr. Emmanuel and Medics for Epilepsy Support and Treatment for their continued support of this effort and for serving as lead trainer throughout the refresher workshops.

We also want to recognize our Field Coordinator, Praise, whose organization and hard work helped keep everything on track throughout the week.

And as always this effort would not be possible without the support from the Rotary Foundation and project partners ROW Foundation and the Epilepsy Association of Sierra Leone

08/13/2026

Our epilepsy work continued with refresher training in Bo for Community Health Workers (CHWs) and a meeting with local stakeholders to discuss how communities can better support people living with epilepsy.

CHWs received follow-up training to strengthen their ability to recognize possible epilepsy cases, provide accurate information within their communities, and refer individuals to health facilities for evaluation and treatment. Their role is critical to improving access to epilepsy care, particularly in communities where misconceptions and stigma can prevent people from seeking treatment.

Supporting CHWs also means making sure they have what they need to do this important work. With Sierra Leone’s rainy season continuing, HIRF provided the CHWs with raincoats and boots to help them travel safely as they conduct community visits and outreach.

These health workers are often the connection between communities and the health system. We want to do everything we can to support them as they continue reaching families, identifying potential epilepsy cases, reducing stigma, and helping more people access the care they need.

Thanks to Rotary International for funding and our project partners ROW Foundation
and Epilepsy Association of Sierra Leone. We also appreciate the help from Medics For Epilepsy Support & Treatment .

08/11/2026

HIRF is spending the week visiting areas where we previously conducted epilepsy training, reconnecting with community stakeholders and Community Health Workers (CHWs), hearing about their experiences, and exploring how we can strengthen and expand this work.

This critical work is made possible through funding from Rotary International and in partnership with the ROW Foundation and the Epilepsy Association of Sierra Leone.

We are starting in Makeni, where CHWs are taking part in a refresher workshop covering epilepsy recognition, seizure first aid, community communication, referral pathways, and lessons learned since their initial training.

An exciting part of this next phase is the introduction of the HIRF Digital Epilepsy Training Platform. During the workshop, CHWs will review the prototype platform and provide feedback on the content, language, clarity, and usability of the digital modules. Their input will help us refine this training tool so it can support continued epilepsy education for health workers and communities across Sierra Leone.

📣Special thanks to Helping Children Worldwide for funding the development of this platform.

We also appreciate Dr. Emmanuel from Medics For Epilepsy Support & Treatment for continuing this partnership and serving as the lead trainer this week. His expertise, together with the commitment of Medics for Epilepsy Support & Treatment, is helping improve epilepsy awareness, treatment, and support in Sierra Leone and making a meaningful difference in the care available to people living with epilepsy.

By revisiting the communities where this work began and combining refresher training with digital learning, we hope to build on what has already been achieved and extend the reach and sustainability of epilepsy education across Sierra Leone.

07/08/2026

Our Field Coordinator, Praise, has been visiting health facilities across the country as part of HIRF's partnership with Catholic Medical Mission Board (CMMB) on their Noncommunicable Disease Impact Initiative (NCDI).

This project is all about improving access to essential medicines for hypertension and diabetes, two conditions placing a growing burden on families and health systems in Sierra Leone.

As part of the baseline assessment, Praise visited, Community Health Foundation and Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Clinic in Mile 91, Mercy Hospital in Bo, and UMC Hartfield Archer Memorial Hospital in Rotifunk. Previous assessments were conducted at Christ the King Hospital in Waterloo and UMC Kissy Hospital in the Western Area Urban.

These visits are giving us the data we need to guide the project and measure its impact on communities and families.

Huge thanks to Praise for traveling hundreds of kilometers to make this happen! 🙌 Together with CMMB, we're strengthening health systems and expanding access to essential medicines for diabetes and hypertension.

CMMB

07/07/2026

We're happy to share that the Dr. Julia Scott Memorial ICU at Holy Spirit Hospital in Makeni, Sierra Leone now has reliable solar power — thanks to a grant from the TRIMEDX Foundation! 💙 Since opening in 2025, the ICU has been providing critical care for people in the Makeni area, however, a more reliable, affordable back-up electricity source was needed.

This project set out to achieve three goals: reliable, uninterrupted electricity for the ICU; enhanced patient safety through continuous operation of critical equipment; and reduced dependence on diesel generators. All three goals have been met — nursing staff report real improvements in their ability to monitor and care for critically ill patients, and the unit has seen a meaningful drop in generator fuel use since installation.

In the words of one of the ICU nurses:
"The solar panels have brought peace of mind to the ICU team. Continuous power is very important for critically ill patients, and this support has helped us improve the quality of care we provide every day."

Thank you, TRIMEDX Foundation, for investing in health infrastructure that truly saves lives. 🙏

07/06/2026

In Sierra Leone, nearly 1 in 3 women are married before the age of 18, and barriers to education and opportunity continue to limit the potential of women and girls. But local organizations are changing that story.

HIRF is proud to be part of a three-year Comic Relief–funded initiative strengthening three women-led organizations in Sierra Leone: Uman Tok Sierra Leone, Every Woman Sierra Leone , and Berny's Hope Foundation Sierra Leone . Together, we're helping build the skills, systems, and leadership needed for lasting, community-led change.

Through training in financial management, safeguarding, grant writing, communications, and organizational development, these organizations are becoming even stronger advocates for women, children, and their communities.

The impact is already evident: stronger governance, new safeguarding policies, increased visibility, and leaders who are more confident and prepared to expand their reach.

Learn how investing in local leadership is creating lasting change across Sierra Leone.

👉 Read the full story here: https://bit.ly/4wlTdDk

06/30/2026

📰 Our June Newsletter is here!

This June, the HIRF team has been hard at work in Sierra Leone, bringing training, supplies, and care to communities that need it most.

📣Epilepsy Awareness Training - Bo & Pujehun
We brought vital epilepsy awareness training to communities in Bo and Pujehun, equipping community health workers and community members with knowledge to recognize, respond to, and reduce stigma around epilepsy.

🤝 Fistula Supplies to Aberdeen Women's Center
We delivered fistula surgical supplies to Aberdeen Women's Center.

🌟 A Look Back: Maternal & Newborn Care Conference - Bo
The Maternal and Newborn Care Conference in Bo brought together healthcare providers, community leaders, and advocates all united around one goal: healthier mothers and babies in Sierra Leone.

Thank you to every partner, volunteer, and supporter who makes this work possible. Together, we are making a difference. 💙

👉Click here to read our June Newsletter: https://conta.cc/4w7Lnxa

Address

573 Eayrestown Road
Lumberton, NJ
08048

Telephone

+18563547300

Website

http://www.hirf.net/

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