Aminata spoke to Richard last year in a special audio interview about her capture by rebel soldiers during the civil war in Sierra Leone.
She spent months on the road with them, surviving terrible trauma. She was eventually freed, but the surprising circumstances of her release meant she was still being hunted.
Listen to the moving conversation here.
This is very exciting news for the foundation that this conversation has been repeated from its first broadcast on July 2018.
Behind every maternal life saved and every girl supported is a network of partners making that impact possible. This past year, organisations including QuestionPro, Manning & Co, and Teleflex have strengthened the Aminata Maternal Foundation’s capacity, visibility, and reach. Their support reflects a shared belief that lasting change requires collaboration across sectors. Real partnership does more than strengthen organisations, it strengthens systems, empowers communities, and saves lives.
On 29 April 2026, thirty young mothers graduated from the Dream Girls (Rising Girls) programme at Aberdeen Women’s Centre in Sierra Leone. Delivered in partnership with the Aminata Maternal Foundation, the programme supports girls from the ages of 11 – 17, affected by early pregnancy to return to education and build pathways to future livelihoods. The girls graduated from the Skills Training Centre after 6 months of hands-on vocational training in hospitality, tailoring, hairdressing, crafts, and literacy.
Sierra Leone is entering a defining moment in maternal health reform. Through its “300 Days of Activism” campaign, the government is mobilising ministries, health teams, clinicians, and partners around the Triple Zeros: zero preventable maternal deaths, zero preventable child deaths, and zero zero-dose children. At the Aminata Maternal Foundation, we see every day that these outcomes are not inevitable, they are solvable when systems are designed and supported effectively. The opportunity now is to ensure this momentum receives the investment and long-term support it deserves.
