In Sierra Leone, conversations about sex and sexuality remain taboo. In our homes, schools, communities, and even in policy, sexual and reproductive health is rarely named or discussed openly. But this silence comes at a heavy cost: high rates of teenage pregnancy, preventable infections, unsafe terminations, and futures cut short before they begin.

In this episode of Honestly Speaking, Antonia Howard sits down with Leanne Mahota Rizk, Country Director at the Mama-Pikin Foundation, to explore why sexual health must be at the center of Sierra Leone’s development. Together, they unpack the stigma, myths, and cultural barriers that shape how young people learn about their bodies, the gaps in our education and health systems, and what it would take to build a future where every young Sierra Leonean has the knowledge, access, and dignity they deserve.