When Barbara Sprout accompanied her daughter Kim to Sierra Leone on a mission trip with their church, little did she know it would mark the beginning of an incredible journey, not just for Kimberly, but also for her and her husband Rick, filled with deep connections and life-altering experiences. Rick joined a volunteer crew at the church to pack a container filled with hospital equipment in 2007 to ship overseas to Mercy Hospital in Africa, then traveled years later, humbled to see how his one mundane act had helped to save lives. Today's episode features the Sprouts as they recount their transformative work with Helping Children Worldwide, offering an intimate glimpse into the joy and fulfillment that comes from serving communities in Sierra Leone. From medical outreaches to family support, their heartfelt stories illustrate the profound impact of dedicated service and the visible progress achieved over a decade of commitment.

Have you ever considered the ripple effect your actions can have across the globe? The narrative unfolds as our guests share their engagement with Helping Children Worldwide, discussing the rewarding nature of building relationships and watching children thrive. The conversation takes us on a journey of growth, both personal and communal, showcasing the power of generosity to change lives and the evolution of child care from orphanages to family-focused support. Join us as we share inspiring anecdotes from mission trips and explore the true meaning of service, aiming to ignite a spark in others to discover the deep satisfaction found in helping others.

Helpingchildrenworldwide.org

Step into the heart of Sierra Leone with us on Optimistic Voices, where Carrie Jo Cain from CHAMPS imparts her wisdom on neonatal mortality and the life-saving power of evidence-based training. Through our conversation, we celebrate a major leap in maternal and child health, with 80 trainees now armed with the expertise to tackle challenges like bleeding after birth and birth asphyxia. Witness the embodiment of hope as these professionals, with Carrie Jo's guidance, forge a path towards a healthier future for mothers and their newborns.

Joining us with tales from the frontlines, Dr. Andrew Justice, a pediatrician with unwavering dedication to global health, recounts his serendipitous journey to Sierra Leone and the transformation he's witnessed by educating nurses and midwives in Essential Newborn Care. His narrative not only highlights the resilience of healthcare workers but also the innovative teaching methods that cross cultural and language barriers. Dr. Justice's reflections provide a vivid account of the complexities and triumphs in elevating healthcare standards under challenging conditions.

Lastly, we pay homage to the midwives of Sierra Leone, true vanguards in the realm of maternal health. Their tireless work and relentless pursuit of excellence are not just improving outcomes but also inspiring change across communities. From their expanded roles to the leadership they embody, the strategies for community engagement they employ are nothing short of revolutionary. Their stories, alongside those of Embrace International nurses like Betty Tenga, underscore the significance of compassionate collaboration and the enduring spirit of those dedicated to nurturing life in its earliest moments.

Kathleen Pfohl is the maternal Health mission intern with Helping Children Worldwide. She is currently pursuing a Masters degree in Global Health Policy at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health in Washington, DC. Through this program she has been building upon her academic foundation in international conflict analysis and resolution, for which she obtained a bachelor's degree from George Mason University. As a full time manager of training coordination with the National Coalition of STD directors, she is am actively involved in advancing public health initiatives. Her professional passion lies in addressing global health challenges, particularly in low and middle-income countries and conflict settings, with a special focus on reproductive and maternal health.

Helpingchildrenworldwide.org

When Americans and others living in the global north (aka Westerners) think about trafficking, they tend to have an image of a child being kidnapped by a bad guy, and then sexually exploited. While that is certainly a trafficking issue, there are all kinds of child trafficking. You may not have heard of orphanage trafficking before today, but it is real and real life horror story happening all around the world, every single day.

It is a genuinely horrific idea to contemplate. It is, simply put, the use of children as commodities by using them to bring profit to a business that is characterized as an orphanage through solicitation of donations, inflated adoption fees, and international charitable tourism expenses, and even direct sales of children or child parts.

What is it? How can a child be trafficked into an orphanage? Or indeed, out of one? Isn’t an orphanage supposed to be a safe place for - well - orphans?

Katie Milazzois a repeat guest on Optimistic Voices, and during Season One of our podcast during November of 2022, she discussed her work with the Child Prosperity Centre. Since that time, the organization she headed up at the time has been transformed and has new supporting organizations, and a new Director, who just happens to be Katie's husband, Johnny Donoghue. The organization Johnny now heads up is called the Child and Family Permanency Services Centre, and like the program that HCW supports in Sierra Leone, CFPS works to reintegrate children separated from family care back into families, and to strengthen vulnerable families so that they can care for themselves. CFPS enjoys a stellar reputation in community where they are located, and along with their reintegration work, and because of their focus on child protection issues, have found themselves in a position to witness some pretty terrible orphanage and orphan trafficking in their own community - and have taken steps to address these issues.

Katie has stayed in the field of child protection and child welfare, and remained in Sierra Leone. Shd is now a Protection Specialist of Anti-trafficking and Gender Based Violence at World Hope International.

World Hope International
Child and Family Permanency Centre

Video Presentation by David T. Musa, CRC TCM Senior Consultant on how Family based care models for orphan response can help to disrupt the practice of Orphanage Trafficking

Helpingchildrenworldwide.org