African Women Need Choice

Reaching 7 billion in population is a feat worth noting.  However, the true nature of this marking is much more complicated and destructive than we realize.  The current growth rate anticipates 78 million more people each year.  How many is too many we ask? 

The increase in population growth is attributed to the conditions of developing nations.  Africa’s population growth rate is at 2.3%, which doubles that of Asia’s.  The reason for this rapid increase in population lies within gender, believes Tewodros Melesse, Director-General of the International Planned Parenthood Foundation.  Being stripped of the freedom to choose whether or not they want to have a child is the root of the problem.

With poor accessibility to contraceptives, lack of education, and pressures of society essential to economic survival, constant reproduction is what becomes of these women.  In many countries, girls are married off at a young age, become pregnant too early, and their education gets cut so that they can care for their young family.

Light needs to be shed on this matter.  Women need empowerment and to know that the number of children they bear does not determine their own self-worth.  Be provided with easier accessibility to resources, medical care, and information when needed.  Ultimately, be given a choice.   

 -Georisa Chang

SOURCE: CNN

Global Demand for Secondary Education Spikes

With global demand for secondary education on the rise, governments in places like sub-saharan Africa are struggling to supply the high demands due to the unavailability of the necessary resources.  The need for secondary education is essential for the growth and development of these countries in areas concerning (but not limited to) environmental security, child and maternal health, and HIV prevention.  These are their formidable years, they shouldn't be deprived of the opportunity to learn and better their understanding of the world around them.  These children are very valuable resources worth utilizing.  

The importance also lies at the societal and economic level.  According to Albert Motivans, Head of Education Indicators and Data Analysis at the Montreal based Institute, " Secondary education helps support a more skilled workforce.  This can lead to poverty reduction and economic growth goals.  It helps to support a population which is healthier and which participates more actively in society.  And thus, secondary education also acts as a kind of a bridge at the society level, from one level of development to the next."  Providing higher education for these youths promises hope of a brighter future not only for themselves but also for their nations.   

Here are some statistics to think about:

• In sub-saharan Africa, only 36 percent of children are enrolled in secondary education, more than 21.6 million children get turned away, and many will never have been in school
• Globally, approx. 100 million more students each decade are accommodated - total number has grown 60 percent between (1990 and 2009)
• The ratio of enrollment amongst gender shows that there is a higher percentage of male acceptance, however, the percentage of female enrollment is increasing
• Girls are more likely than boys to complete lower secondary education in three quarters of countries with available data

"Secondary education is the next great challenge." 

-Hendrik van der Pol, Director of UNESCO's Institute for Statistics  

-Georisa Chang

SOURCE: UN News

Creating Accountable Leadership in Africa!

If a government is not accountable to its citizens, development cannot be sustainable. Resources and services shift away from the population and business and civil society cannot thrive. In developing countries this can often times be the case. But, people are starting to stand up and create civil/social forces to work against corrupt and unaccountable leadership.

African-led civil society organization called SEND (the winner of the ONE's 2010 Africa Award) has played an influential role in empowering local people to hold-decision and policy makers accountable so that services can be improved. They are using technology such as mobile phones, the internet and social media, combined with newspaper, radio and television to enhance information sharing and demand accountability. With greater transparency and information sharing people are more willing to speak up, raise their voice and transform the framework of power.

From Nigeria to Kenya, from the rural to urban areas, local African lead the way. A great example is Ushahidid (testimony in Swahili), which was created after the election violence in Kenya. It brings together African businessmen, technology and social activist. The platform uses cell phones as modes of feedback on health and education services within the area.
The organization ONE has been very involved and is attempting to promote transparency and accountability in three ways!

1). At the global level-- working with International Budget Partners and others to promote transparency around oil and revenues, while urging donors to be more transparent about the aid they are giving.

2). Supporting African organizations-- such as Ushahidi and SEND

3). Help create the connection between local and global--so that countries like Ghana and Uganda can attain the benefits of rules set in Washington.

As Rakesh states in the ONE video above, "The way change happens is if people make it happen." People have to stand up and move from being observers to participants. If people can more effectively access information, they can become aware, they can speak out, and the leaders can no longer ignore the people.

-Gabrielle Gurian

SOURCE: ONE

ECOWAS Adopts New Strategy For Reducing Poverty

In order to move towards attaining the 7% growth rate in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the West African region, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) finally launched the Regional Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (RPRSP) to eliminate poverty. All the participants including officials of the African Development Bank (ADB), the Monetary Union of West Africa (UEMOA), and the president of the ECOWAS Commission, Amb. James Victor Gbeho emphasized the significance of the 7% growth rate in attaining MDGs by 2015. It can be noted that, the West African region is one of the poorest regions in the world where more 60% of its 230 million citizens live on less than $1 per day.

The strategy paper focuses on regional integration as a means of ensuring poverty eradication and the wellbeing, peace and human security of the entire population. The program will not only address the existing gap in the areas of education, health, access to drinking water and infrastructure, but also focus on various development initiatives across the region.

The cost of the programme under the RPRSP is estimated as $15 billon, with only about $3.7 billion so far secured. Closing the financial gap is therefore expected to be the chief objective of the resource mobilisation strategy.

Best of luck to ECOWAS!

-Nisha Noor

SOURCE: JOY ONLINE

Technology At Its Best

Who would have thought ten years ago that cellphones would help to save lives! This is exactly what happened in Africa where people are using cell phones to remind themselves to pick up a fresh batch of anti-AIDS drugs. In order to boost health by targeting the continent's 624 million mobile phone subscribers, some African countries are using cell phones to send a health-related text message to the clients or to call for health related emergencies. The free texts from South Africa's largest HIV treatment site are an example of this. The txtAlert reminder costs only 14 US cents per patient per month making it the cheapest technology there, and about 10,000 people have already subscribed for this system. As a result, missed appointments at the centre fell from 15% in mid-2007 to just 4% today.

In West Africa, 2,200 doctors in Ghana and 143 doctors in Liberia have signed on to anti-poverty group Africa Aid's MDNet network, allowing them to call or text other physicians for free. In Ghana, a national directory helps find the number to call. Already more than 2.5 million calls have been made so far on the network. Africa is poor in landlines and hospital beds but rich in cellphones. For this reason, from Rwanda to Uganda to Senegal, cell phones are now being used as a tool to solve many problems of daily life. While cell phones are being used for applications from quizzes promoting good behaviour in Uganda, they are being used to coordinate health workers in Senegal, and solve problems such as lack of specialists and specialized services in rural areas in Rwanda.

"I wish it could be duplicated in every African country. If only they could hook up every single health worker -- nurse, midwife -- onto the system," said Ghanaian paediatrician Frank Serebour. Seeing the massive positive impact of cell phones in Africa and how they can enrich peoples'lives, we wish that too.

-Nisha Noor

SOURCE: GOOGLE NEWS

Clint Borgen Travels To Africa

The Fruits of Aid

A new example of how foreign aid can help and improve local economies in developing countries comes from Ghana. ADRA, faith-based NGO, funded and supported by USAID conceived, designed, implemented and drove to success a project to stimulate fruit tree farming among local smallholders. This project has gone on from 1997 to 2006, and today, five years later, its success is glaring.

Starting with 1-3 acre plots assigned to almost 5,500 farmers in the region, now a buoyant and completely self-sufficient fruit based economy provides local markets, processing plants and even export companies with mangoes, pineapples and oranges. Some of the farmers have expanded from a couple of acres to several dozens, and the whole farming community is organized into associations so they can sell more effectively their products. The whole region has seen itself revitalized and today it contributes to Ghana's economy. Families and smallholders have assumed a more active role in the economic growth, and the increasing job opportunities mean that agriculture is an attractive option for unemployed people, thus decreasing the exodus to cities or other countries, especially of young people. Furthermore, the smallholders associations have been completely integrated in the value chain, becoming a basic part of it. Products elaborated with their fruits can be purchased in UK, France, the Netherlands or Italy.

Long-term commitment, close monitoring of the project year after year, steady funding, cautious planning and organization, close ties with local communities or good relations with political and economic powers of the country are among the keys to achieve success in development efforts like this one. Development is a continuous fight that requires years and hard work. But stories like the success of Ghana's smallholders make the fruits of the struggle against poverty as sweet as they can be.

- David Nebreda

SOURCE: USAID

Senegal Success In Its Struggle Against Malaria

Malaria is one of the most destructive diseases that mankind faces today. According to Global Malaria Partnership, this illness affects to 227 million people, the vast majority of them in Africa, and kills almost 1 million every year, with strong incidence in children under five and pregnant women. Malaria is also the cause of aproximately 40 percent of public health expenditures in Sub-Saharian Africa, and dramatically lowers life expectancy and public health in the countries of the region. Although treatments for this disease exist, they have failed to reach the affected population in enough quantities to deal with the problem. Anyways, the best way to fight malaria is by prevention, and many governments and international organizations such as the World Health Organization lead campaigns in this way. There are two main ways of prevention: vaccines and preventive treatments on one side, and protection against malaria vectors (mosquitoes) on the other.

There is still a lot to do, but some countries are already showing considerable progress in their struggle. For example, Eritrea or Rwanda report a 50% decrease in malaria cases, but most of the advancements are located in non-African countries. So when we hear things like the news coming from Senegal, we must feel glad and hopeful.

Senegal officials state that today, after a 5 year campaign, 8 out of 10 Senegalese homes now own at least one insecticide-treated bednet, one half of the pregnant Senegalese women have recieved at least two doses of "Anti-malarial Preventive Treatment," and the diagnosis of the disease has almost doubled. All these efforts are now giving encouraging results: cases have gone down 41% and child mortality rate has been lowered by 30%. And the situation continues to improve. This is the result of strong efforts, good planning, solid cooperation between the Senegalese Government, other countries and NGOs, and a true commitment to the future of their people.

- David Nebreda

SOURCE: African Leaders Malaria Alliance

Spreading the Love

Today Kenya became the first African country to introduce the pneumococcal vaccine. Hundreds of infants received shots to prevent pneumococcal disease, a disease that takes the lives of over a millions people every year. “Today’s introduction of the pneumococcal vaccine in Kenya is an historic step toward improved health for children in Kenya and in other developing countries,” said Kenya’s minister for Public Health and Sanitation.

Nicaragua, Guyana, Yemen and Sierra Leone will also be pushing the vaccinations with support from the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations (GAVI). Since 2000, the GAVI has prevented more than five million future deaths and helped protect 288 million children with new and underused vaccines. The GAVI alliance goal is to get enough funding so by 2015 over 40 countries will be introducing the pneumococcal vaccine. They will need to raise US$3.7 billion over the next five years to continue the immunizations in the world’s poorest countries.

~Teal Peterson

SOURCE: Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI)

World Bank To Double Its Aid To Africa To Achieve MDGs

The World Bank has committed to fund development projects to help Africa meet and sustain Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) beyond 2015. Speaking in a meeting to celebrate Africa Capacity Building Foundation's 20th anniversary in Kigali, Rwanda on Wednesday, the Managing Director of the World Bank said that the World Bank would double its annual aid to Africa to help the continent meet the MDGs. The Bank said that its funding would target the key sectors of agriculture, health and education.

The Bank also said that the continent's economy is expected to grow some 6% this year, and it is important to maintain the progress in capacity development with particular focus on youth and women programs. The meeting was also attended by heads of State and development institutions in Africa.

-Nisha Noor

SOURCE: STANDARD MOBILE

South Sudan Votes For Independence

It looks like Africa's longest civil war between South Sudan and North Sudan, that killed nearly 2 million people and flooded the whole region with refugees is finally coming to an end. In a recent referendum, South Sudan voted overwhelmingly (98.83%) to declare its independence and decision to secede from the north. The referendum is the climax of a 2005 north-south peace accord that instilled democracy in the fractured country and opened the door to Africa's newest state.

With the decision to create a new Southern independent state, both North and South Sudan have to resolve some problems now: how to divide Sudan's crippling debt, how to position the north-south border, and how to share the oil revenue. It can be noted that Sudan's economy depends entirely on oil revenues and the Southern region controls the major share of oil production. If both regions can resolve these issues, we can certainly hope for peace in the conflict-ridden area of Sudan.

-Nisha Noor

SOURCE: MSNBC

One Disease Down In Africa, A Lot More To Go

One of the most exciting health-related achievements in Africa in recent times has been the development of new Meningitis vaccine that has the potential to eradicate devastating epidemics in Africa's Meningitis belt. At the opening of the annual WHO Executive Board Meeting, Margaret Chan, the Director General of WHO represented this fact. She mentioned the contribution of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in funding the research and praised the African scientists and scholars who helped develop this life-saving vaccine when large pharmaceutical companies backed off because the project would not result in big profits. This low cost vaccine was produced in less than a decade which is a rare incident in the African region. Some of the countries including, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger already started using the vaccine but many of them will not be able to use it due to lack of funds, said Chan.

The lack of funds is also delaying the progress of other vaccines including, AIDS, Diarrhoea, Pneumonia and Tuberculosis which have the ability to claim thousands of lives in Africa each year. Chan calls for serious attention toward this issue and comments that governments and large corporations need to invest more in the development of life-saving vaccines in order to change the health scenario of the African continent.

-Nisha Noor

SOURCE: VOICE OF AMERICA

Mobile Classrooms In South Africa

A grade 1 teacher in Orchards Primary School is comforting
a new student after he lost his school bag in the confusion. photo:

Sarah Makoe

Mobile classrooms in Tshwane, South Africa save the students and their parents from confusion as the first day of the school term begins. Because of a space shortage at a number of schools including Orchards Primary School, Amandasig Secondary School, Hammanskraal Secondary School and Doornpoort Primary School, school officials have created mobile classrooms to expand capacity and clear up confusion. These classrooms have helped thousands of new students to attend school who would have no school to go on the first day of the term. The schools also provided chemical toilets and stationeries, and is waiting for water supply and electricity from the municipality. A lot of students had to sit on the floor, but it did not dampen their positive mood toward education. This incident sends an urgent signal to the South African government to implement new strategies in the education sector especially in primary education.

-Nisha Noor

SOURCE: IOL NEWS

Good News For African Economy

The World Bank raised its forecast for economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2011 as the global economy recovers. In June 2010, the Bank had forecast that the growth will pick up from 4.7% to an estimated 5.1% this year. But with the global economic recovery, the Bank is expecting a further rise in the growth to 5.3% especially for the oil-producing nations, Nigeria and Angola.

The biggest economy in the continent, South Africa is expected to expand to 3.5% this year and 4.1% next year because of an increase in consumer spending and government spending on infrastructures. But the appreciation in South African rand remains a big challenge for South African export. The second biggest economy in the region and the largest oil-producing nation, Nigeria also shows great improvement in their economic performance. Continued growth in its non-oil sectors and government spending is helping Nigeria to a growth of 7.1% from a previous estimate of 5.7%. Other oil-producing nations such as, Angola and Ghana are also following the same path.

In the Eastern region, Kenya is showing positive growth as East Africa's biggest economy. But the biggest challenges to growth in this region are still the prospect for another recession and the incident of political turmoils. If Africa can surpass these hurdles in the coming year, the economic outlook of the poorest continent is surely expected to change for better.

-Nisha Noor

SOURCE: BLOOMBERG

Kenya's Largest Slum Is Finally Mapped

Until recently, one of Kenya's most densely populated districts hardly had a spot on the map. Kibera in Nairobi is Africa's second largest slum; with an estimated 750,000 people per square mile, it's one of the most crowded places on Earth. But with no documentation of its geography and resources, Kibera remains virtually invisible to the world. This makes it nearly impossible to improve the lives of its citizens.

The Map Kibera Project, launched in 2009, has produced the first complete free and open map of Kibera. Nine Kibera residents were trained to use hand-held GPS technology to gather data on the region. The map shows the location of vital facilities such as water pumps, schools, health clinics, and shops.

However, the map is more than just a navigation device. Because the information is posted online, it can be used as a media tool that spreads awareness and engages the public's interest in one of the world's largest slums. Also, a better knowledge of Kibera's geography should help the government and NGOs to install whatever basic services the community lacks.

The maps are available on Open StreetMap, a map of the entire world that anyone can edit. So far, the data has been used by groups working in health, gender-based violence, sanitation, and peace promotion.

-Martina Georgieva

SOURCE: allAfrica.com, Map Kibera

Good News for African Food Supply

In a study released Thursday, Harvard University professor Calestous Juma said, "Africa can feed itself... it can make the transition from hungry importer to self-sufficiency in a single generation." The development and increased use of new heat, drought, and flood resistant crops, coupled with better national policies and support for small scale farmers will make the difference. While the majority of Africans are involved in agricultural work, a quarter of the continent's population suffer from chronic malnourishment, a number that has risen drastically since 1990.

The policy shifts that Juma recommends center around decreasing dependence on food aid handouts and food imports. The report was released as a meeting of the East African Community began in Arusha, Tanzania and UN climate talks in Cancun, Mexico began.

Climate change will make food self-sufficiency more challenging, but national involvement in solving problems in the water, energy, transport, education, and communications sectors, is an important step. Additionally, the development of genetically modified crops made from exploiting traits in indigenous African crops could eventually help other parts of the world that face similar food shortages. Collaboration between South America and Africa could strengthen African power on the international stage and would provide more opportunities for development from within.

-Erica Stetz

SOURCE: InDepth News

Borgen Project

African Women & Unplanned Pregnancies

More than 250 health professionals, advocates and parliamentarians from countries in Africa and other regions recently gathered in Accra, Ghana to address the issue of unsafe abortion. Unsafe or clandestine abortion is the norm in most of Africa and can lead to serious health complications or death. Approximately 26,000 African women die as a result of unsafe abortion every year. And over 90% of African women of childbearing age live in countries with limited or no access to safe abortion procedures. Unsafe abortion is not only one of Africa’s biggest threats to women’s health, but it can also be detrimental to community ties and families, thereby exacerbating the struggles of living in poverty.

For African countries as it is with any country – like the U.S. for instance – a controversial debate arises when considering whether or not abortion should be made legal. However, it must be noted that evidence has shown that around the world, abortion happens at about the same rate in regions where it is highly restricted and where it is broadly legal. So, the threat of unsafe abortion to women’s lives is an issue that clearly needs to be addressed. An alternative solution to unwanted pregnancies is to increase prevention strategies – make sure that women have access to and information about effective contraceptive methods. This is where African governments also need to step in to protect its women. Government leaders must start paying attention to the evidence that will help guide them toward laws and policies that will better protect women and build stronger families, communities and, ultimately, nations.

-Clare O.

SOURCES: The Guardian, WHO

Agricultural Revolution in a Nutshell

Jock Brandis, Director of Research and Development at The Full Belly Project, made a promise to women in Mali which turned him into a social entrepreneur. It was a simple promise; one he thought would be easy to keep. He saw that the women had to shell their peanut crop by hand, a tedious and painful task. He promised to send them a peanut sheller. As it turns out, a small-scale peanut sheller did not exist.

In order to keep his promise, Brandis decided to build his own. Universal Peanut Shellers are now in 17 countries. This invention has helped improve the quality of life and incomes of many villagers. He does not give them away – he believes that development comes through investment. He sells the design of his peanut sheller for $28 apiece, and the farmers put it together themselves. Brandis uses development workers who are already over there to make sure everything works according to plan. This lack of overseas infrastructure saves the organization from wasting money which is better used on more inventions.

-Corey Cox and Kelli Hanson

SOURCE: NPR

True Size of Africa

The Creative Commons has created a great graphic that illustrates the true size of Africa and put things into perspective.

To see the full graphic, click here.

-Erica Stetz

SOURCE: Information Is Beautiful

U.S., India, and African Nations Collaborate to Increase Food Security

President Obama recently announced an emerging partnership between the United States and India to promote food security in Africa. The initiative was announced during Obama's visit to the Indian parliament on Sunday. By synthesizing Indian agricultural technology, U.S. power and wealth, and local African knowledge, leaders hope to find new ways to reduce hunger throughout African countries.

"India probably has the most dynamic, innovative public partnership-orientated approach to agriculture in terms of the incorporation of technology," said USAID Administrator Raj Shah. Similarly, Obama called India a "model for agricultural development." The U.S. hopes to work with African governments and institutions to apply some of India's methods to African farming, with the goal of increasing crop yields and combating hunger. Specifically, the new initiative will link North American, Indian, and African universities together so that experts from each country can share their knowledge and experience.

This partnership offers hope for international collaboration in agriculture, a sector that has long been a topic of contention in global discussions. The issue of agriculture trade policy at the recent Doha round of World Trade Organization negotiations ended in gridlock, with many countries vying for more open trade as others continue to protect their markets. While international disagreements over agricultural policy are far from resolved, cooperation between two countries as powerful and different as India and the United States is at least a step in the right direction.

-Elizabeth Newton

SOURCES: Reuters, Economic Times