“Harrowing but essential viewing”

Ben Ramalingam, Unicef UK

“It is challenging to watch, but it shows exactly what is now at stake for women and babies.”

Baroness Sugg, House of Lords

“On Our Radar’s film really hammers home the difference UK Aid can make – and the devastation it can cause if cut back… as one of Parliament’s newest parents, I was really moved by the film and hope it gets the attention it deserves.”

Bobby Dean, MP

Project

Sierra Leone was known as one of the most dangerous places in the world to give birth.

The country has made steady progress over the past decade, but that progress is now under threat due to drastic cuts to foreign aid.

Over the course of one full week, our cameras filmed round-the-clock with medical teams at Ola During Children’s Hospital and Princess Christian Maternity Hospital in Freetown, where over 600 women deliver every month. We followed the tireless efforts of frontline health workers as they help to deliver babies – and save the lives of mothers – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

It’s an environment where the start of one life can cause the end of another, a space where birth and death co-exist like nowhere else.

Produced in partnership with The Fuller Project and Channel 4 News, the documentary takes place against the backdrop of these unprecedented cuts to aid funding globally and the impact on one of the most vulnerable health systems in Africa. 

Watch the full film on Youtube:

Impact

The film was broadcast in full on Channel 4 News in the UK in March. It was also syndicated and released by media partners in Spain, Sierra Leone and the US. Cutdowns of the film have been viewed hundreds of thousands of times across social media.

In June 2026, the film was screened twice in UK parliament. The Deputy Chief Medical Officer from Sierra Leone Dr. Mustapha S. Kabba was there, along with MPs, peers, and representatives from humanitarian organisations, funders, UN bodies, researchers and journalists.

Baroness Liz Sugg called for a full published assessment of the consequences of aid cuts before any further funding is slashed, and urged Ministers and peers to watch our documentary.

The film formed part of Fuller’s Motherhood edition, with an accompanying article exploring the cuts in more detail, and asking the question: Can Sierra Leone keep its mothers alive?

It was screened to key donors and partners at a side event of the UN Commission on the Status of Women for International Women’s Day in March 2026.

“This documentary offers a powerful and deeply moving portrayal of maternity and newborn care in Sierra Leone. It captures the hard work and dedication of Sierra Leonean health workers, who deliver lifesaving care with limited supplies and materials. As the UK and US aid cuts place increasing strain on already under-resourced services, the film offers a stark reminder of what is at stake for mothers, newborns and the health professionals working tirelessly to save lives.”

Jess Salter, Bond UK