In this first of five segments, John Donnelly interviewed photographer Dominic Chavez about the images below. What follows are his perspectives on his two trips to Sierra Leone, including one which focused on the Ministry of Health and Sanitation’s efforts to roll out free health care for pregnant women, breast-feeding mothers, and children under the age of five.

 "These pictures are from two different visits. Sierra Leone really hit home in a lot of ways. Even though I’ve been documenting global health now for a little over a decade, I’m still always surprised how it always hits home, and I guess that’s why I am dedicated to it. But going to Sierra Leone opened my eyes again, and it really opened my eyes to the dangers that women face in trying to have a family. It meant witnessing the real hardships and the death of a newborn baby, as well as watching a nurse save the life of a newborn boy. It steals your breath. To me, it’s very haunting."