AFRICA:

The situation in the African continent has not changed significantly during the 90s, after the end of the Cold War. More than 180 million people – a third of the African population – suffer from malnutrition; among them 30 million children under the age of five. Among the poorest countries are Burundi, Niger, Sierra Leone and Mozambique.

Apart from the lack of food many countries face HIV / AIDS and other illnesses. These illnesses spread because of the insufficiencies of the health and education systems. 25% of the population does not have access to clean drinking water.

Despite all humanitarian efforts the life standard in Africa has dropped further and is today as low as it was during the 1970s. Many live their lives on 1 US dollar per day. The precarious circumstances manifest themselves in further existential problems such as an extremely high illiteracy rate, and a life expectation that reaches only 30 years in Zambia – compared to 80 years in Japan!

Repression and civil wars have brought economic chaos over Africa. Many countries do not have the autonomy and the means to sustain their own population. As long as there are no stable structures and procedures – and thus no infrastructure for the population to trade and buy food – international humanitarian help remains the only resource.

OUR PROJECT: 

“live the charity” –Project partner: Misereor

AIDS is one of the major problems in many African countries. About 20% of the adult population south of the Sahara carry the HIV virus. In consequence of the high infection and illness rates no less than 4 million children lose their parents each year. While there is an urgent need for medical aid the affected areas also need some local infrastructure to support the orphans. In three of the countries – Kenya, Zambia and South Africa – Misereor has established a humanitarian network with the following institutional goals:

-          Regular information

-          Regular visits and medical help for HIV-infected persons

-          Drug supply, for instance against fever, pain or sickness

-          Attendance to the dying and their families, and institutional help for surviving orphans

-          Support of children's households 

The example of the children's households illustrates the particular approach of Misereor. The aim is not to accommodate these children in homes or children's villages that promise some happy-go-lucky youth according to Western standards. Instead the aim is to sustain – and protect – children's households and thus provide a stable structure for young people that often display of a remarkable resilience, creativity and strength..  

Helping you to help yourself – this is what we wish to achieve by way of our support of Misereor's project.

You can find more information (in German) at www.misereor.de (Project “Nächstenliebe leben” – P1001). This information was provided by Misereor.