Yehri Wi Cry, Inc. Teams Up With Royal Dynamite to Launch “A.R.T. For Life” Campaign

Los Angeles Calif, March 6, 2012—On March 16, 2012, Yehri Wi Cry, Inc. will launch their “Altruism Reflected Tangibly For Life” Campaign at TheLexingtonSocialHouse (1718 VineStreet, Hollywood, California 90028). The mission of the “A.R.T. For Life” Campaign is to create an atmosphere of giving back through the hands of the “art lover.”

All proceeds will benefit Yehri Wi Cry’s mission to alleviate the maternal and infant health crisis inSierra Leone, in turn saving the lives of mothers and children in the West African nation.

“We wanted to provide a way for our general audience to get involved without feeling overwhelmed by constant facts and statistics. Since art is universal and we all can relate, we figured if we could create an avenue for artists to express the seriousness of the maternal health system in Sierra Leone through their art, the message would be better conveyed and received,” said Yehri Wi Cry Co-Founder and Co-Vice President, Nadia Sasso.

The launch of the campaign-taking place at The Lexington Social House- marks the beginning of the nationwide campaign. After artists have submitted electronic portfolios of their work, Facebook users will have a chance to vote on their favorite pieces. The highest voted piece will be announced on Saturday, April 28, 2012 at the Annual Green White and Blue Ball in Washington, DC. For more information and updates on how to become a part of the “A.R.T. For Life” Campaign and Auction, e-mail: artforlife.ywc@gmail.com

About Yehri Wi Cry, Inc

            In 2010, childhood friends Marie Mansaray, Nadia Sasso, and Zainab Fadlu-Deen were engaged in a conversation about how they could give back to a country that they felt so close to, yet still distant. Although born in the United States, their parents are natives of Sierra Leone, a country where women of lower class tend to lack the health care resources necessary to carry a full term pregnancy into a successful delivery. They founded Yehri Wi Cry (YWC), a project geared towards diminishing the maternal and infant mortality crisis in the country. The name translates from the Sierra Leonean dialect of Krio into “Hear Our Cry.”

For their first initiative, a team of YWC members and founders traveled to Sierra Leoneon July 31, 2011 to distribute birthing kits and incentive packages, and to educate the global community about the magnitude of prenatal care and its significance to a successful birthing process. The maternal kits have proven to improve the livelihood of women and their babies during childbirth in villages where facilities are not available or are beyond their reach financially. YWC has already established partnerships with doctors from Sierra Leone, which will contribute to the effectiveness and efficiency of their mission. For more information visit: http://yehriwicry.org

Amidst All The Chaos, There Is Beauty In Sierra Leone

As we approached the shores of Sierra Leone I was filled with chills!
Our flight was cool but it wasn’t that cold. As I looked at the houses
scattered across the mountains I had goosebumps simply anticipating
what we were getting ready to do for the mothers and infants in Bo.
The whole thing is still surreal to me. 

Continue reading

YWC’s Marie Mansaray (Miss Sierra Leone USA 2010) takes YWC to Salone

The outpatient maternal center at Princess Christian Maternity Hospital (PCMH). April marked the one-year anniversary of the free maternal health care launch in Sierra Leone. Initially following the free care announcements outpatient centers were overflowing with mothers seeking care but over the course of a year many mothers have stopped turning to the hospitals for care.
Many women arrive at the hospital with just a lappa on. It is this same lappa that is used to wrap the baby.

Mariatu* arrived at PCMH following a home birth that went wrong.



Mariatu was fortunate to deliver a healthy baby despite her mishap.
Patricia Sandy earned her Midwife Certification three months ago.