With only five years left to meet the targets of poverty reduction and healthcare improvements set for 2015, most of sub-Saharan Africa lags behind amid the lack of aid and political will.
Devastating Floods Sweep Niger After Months of Drought
Excerpted from: http://breakingnews.ie/world
Drought-stricken Niger has been struck by devastating flooding, aid agencies said today. Crop failure combined with a severe drought had already thrust tens of thousands of people into a perilous state in Niger and neighboring Chad in the Sahel region of central North Africa.
What Our Partner, World Vision Is Doing To Ease The Famine
“The situation is escalating and we aren’t even at the peak of the hungry season between harvests yet,” said Sarah Carr, a World Vision nutritionist serving in Niger, West Africa.
Famine in Niger
While our mission is to bring safe water to rural villages in Niger, West Africa, we cannot ignore the most immediate problem: Niger is experiencing the worst hunger crisis in its history. And unlike the previous but not nearly as severe famine in 2005, this government is doing something about it.
A Day at the Sunland/Tijunga Watermelon Festival
A BIG thanks goes to Evan Sobel, Elizabeth Gervase and Jessica Hooks, who worked so hard in the heat and dust and blaring music of the Sunland/Tijunga Watermelon Festival on Saturday, August 14, 2010. We raised $375, and while that doesn’t sound like much, it was quite an accomplishment, given the demographics of the people who attended. We did make connections with several groups and churches that have funded projects in the developing world and we will follow up for speaking engagements. Elizabeth’s focus was to try to get some schools to take up our cause and she got a couple interested in doing that.
Water and Sanitation is a Human Right
“General Assembly Declares Access To Clean Water And Sanitation Is A Human Right”
Water: It’s About Women
Many people don’t realize that water in the developing world is a women’s issue. Why do I mean by that? Women and girls are responsible for getting water for their families. They spend much of their waking hours walking miles to get water–water that can be deadly. Young women who have heard me talk about life in Niger say, “Why do they accept that?” “Why don’t they make the men do more?” These are questions that are not surprising, coming from activist, equal rights women who see injustice and want to right it. They find it hard to accept the fact that this is the tradition of these Muslim women, generations of women who don’t question their roles.
A Concert & Cabaret “Blame It on the Movies!”
The evening was a huge success, with close to 100 people attending. Millicent Gappell’s piano concert, featuring classical music and the musicians who composed for Hollywood in the 1940′s, 50′s and 60′s, was brilliant. After a wine intermezzo and desserts under the stars, we were entertained by our divas in the Cabaret. Marion Ramsey, Patti B. and Lynda Levy serenaded us, accompanied by Ron Snyder on keyboard. We thank them for putting on fabulous show.
Don’t Forget Good Sanitation & Proper Hygiene
(Note: These are excerpts from an article that reinforces how important it is to include education on good sanitation and proper hygiene for the success of any major health program, including the eradication of a single disease like polio.)
World Vision Praised in the New York Times
“Learning From the Sin of Sodom”
New York Tmes, February 28, 2010
For most of the last century, save-the-worlders were primarily Democrats and liberals. In contrast, many Republicans and religious conservatives denounced government aid programs, with Senator Jesse Helms calling them “money down a rat hole.”
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