1,300 Mozambique teachers die of AIDS each year
March 25th, 2008 at 1:53 pm | posted by Virginia SimmonsA Reuter’s article today highlights the devastating toll of AIDS in Mozambique - and the interconnected nature of disease, education and economic development.
“More than one-sixth of Mozambique’s 9,000 teachers are dying of HIV/AIDS each year, lowering the quality of education and jeopardising future development, a government official told Reuters on Tuesday…
Health officials say more than 16 percent of the 20 million Mozambicans between the ages of 14 and 49 — generally the most economically productive — are infected with HIV, and an estimated 500 new infections occur each day.
“This is a crucial issue for us and we are trying to train more teachers for them to be able to deal with it (the pandemic) in the communities. Teachers play a major role in the economic development of this country”, he said.
Despite its limited skilled labour force, Mozambique’s economy has boomed in recent years, spurred by a rise in foreign investment and development aid, and GDP growth is projected to hit 8 percent this year after reaching 7.5 percent in 2007.
Aly said the devastating effect of HIV/AIDS on the country’s human resources threatened to damage its economic prospects.”
Read the full piece here.
March 25th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
whoa, virginia, this hits close to home. a dear friend is preparing to head for this country for a peace corps tour, as an english instructor, and will be in the heart of this devastation. he’s spent an extended period of time on the ground in the villages and this lifestyle is home to him, he truly loves these kids. bless his heart.
if you’re reading this lee, you’ve got my utmost respect for forging into the frontlines of this global health battle where your peers will be among those written above. we’ll be ther for you as much as we can.
i truly appreciate you bringing these news items to light for the blog here virginia . . . . thanx so much.
stay close,
sammi in seattle
March 25th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
Sammi, Do you think Lee might be willing to send in a couple posts about what it’s like being a teacher in Mozambique?
March 25th, 2008 at 7:24 pm
better than that, virginia, he kept an amazing blog last year of his work, loaded with pictures and memories,
http://leegerston.blogspot.com/2006_07_01_archive.html
this is his journey thru ghana last year, a beautiful soul. i just have a good hope his communications there will continue. i’ll let him know. and thanx so much, i would love to see him featured here, if he’s willing.
staying close
me =)
March 26th, 2008 at 9:08 pm
12 billion was spent on war last year!!!! 18 billion was spent on plastic bottles for water in one year. All it takes is a “mom and pop” shop in every little town and we can afford the freedom of iraqi’ woman and people who are used and abused. these fundraisers arent giving most money, otherewise they would be called “fundgivers” . brazil is is the most biggest rainforest we have left . i BET all these actors have brazilian cherry harwood flooring in thier houses!!!!!!! ANY TAKER!!!????? OUR soldiers are the reaL HERO’S’ ./…………… NOT SOME POLITICIAN , RAPPER, ATHLETE OR ACTOR . THEY are raising money to benefit thenselves, otherwise they would be in the middle class. ALL of the actors combined have enough money to cure world hunger, and they wont cometogether.
March 31st, 2008 at 11:20 pm
i just thought i’d drop in…im leaving for mozambique in october with peace corps. ill be teaching english and training teachers in mozambique how to teach english. its going to be quite exciting.