Project Mentors: Professor Michael Kramp, English/Film/WGSS; Professor Fathima Wakeel, Community and Population Health
2024 Impact Fellows:
Sofia Rousseau ‘25
Bea Arnfield '24
Brooke Erickson '24
Hannah Falatko '25
Olivia Hauck '26
MJ Le Vu ‘26
Constance Mulligan ‘26
Ellen Murray ‘26
Sophie Ritzler ‘27
Project Description:
How might listening to the stories and amplifying the voices of women from low-income communities through film improve maternal health outcomes?
Mothers of Sierra Leone is a social-impact documentary film and research project designed to amplify the voices and stories of women and healthcare professionals in Sierra Leone, showcasing their resiliency. Our interdisciplinary work uses documentary storytelling to highlight community-based programs. These include antenatal care sessions, vaccination treatment programs, and nutrition and family planning consultations. We also distribute educational films to local community health clinics to address important health topics within antenatal care, perinatal care, and postnatal care. We also plan to continue expanding our storytelling into teaching modules aimed at emphasizing maternal health as the origin story of public health for university students. We work closely with clinical and community partners to highlight innovations in antenatal, perinatal, postnatal care and ongoing clinical treatment, including midwifery, hospital delivery services, emergency surgery, postpartum care, mental health and neonatal care.
In 2023-24, we completed a yearlong mixed methods (qualitative and quantitative) study on the efficacy of our films at 12 different clinical locations in the Bombali district. In 2024-2025, we are implementing a 12-month mixed methods study that explores the disparities in the maternal care experience in urban and rural settings, as well as further evaluates the efficacy of our films at three different rural locations. Student team members are active filmmakers, data analysts, researchers, and co-authors on all article submissions and conference presentations, working closely with local partners. This year, we have delivered five conference presentations (including three at the American Public Health Association conference) and prepared five articles for submission. We have also made scholarly contributions to a Public Health textbook and public forums such as The Los Angeles Review of Books.
In 2025, we will continue to present our work at conferences and in journals; we will also move forward with developing strategies for sustaining our work in Sierra Leone with our community and clinical partners. We are seeking motivated students from all backgrounds and disciplines who are interested in healthcare, public health research, academic writing, and/or filmmaking. Our fundamental goals are to improve maternal health outcomes and research the efficacy of filmic storytelling as a tool for enhancing women’s health care experiences. We are looking for students from all backgrounds with some experience, and/or a passion for community health education.
For more detail on the project team, visit Mothers of Sierra Leone
