News coverage of the African continent can sometimes neglect the vast political, economic and cultural diversity of its many people and nations. But NPR’s recent radio piece on Somaliland serves as a breath of fresh air.
Situated in the Horn of Africa in a region made famous for chronic war and militant groups, Somaliland is breaking the mold and proving that “relative political and civil stability” is possible.
According to NPR, Somaliland just recently held a small-scale trade fair aimed at showcasing its products in order to attract foreign investment and improve its trade relationship with the international community. Emerging from civil war, the developing success story is even gaining attention from Washington for its unconventional levels of stability and security. To support flourishing cases like that of Somaliland, Johnnie Carson, the assistant secretary of state for African affairs, has indicated that the United States is planning to send more diplomats to Somaliland and increase its modest level of aid.
This year’s report looks at biofuels, cereals, oilseeds, sugar, meats, and dairy products from 2010 to 2019. Sounds delicious, right?
Well, for most people, it won’t be. Right now, there are more people that are hungry than ever before — 1.02 billion people. That’s one out of every 6 people on the planet. These people who battle extreme poverty every day also spend a large majority of their meager incomes on food. And most of these people are farmers who actually need to buy more food than they produce to survive.
So, when food prices rise –- as they did so dramatically in 2008 –- poor people run out of money to buy enough nutritious food to lead healthy lives. Or maybe they make different choices (like eating less or taking a child out of school) to help earn money for the family, or sell off assets such as cows and chickens -– which have deteriorating consequences for decades to come.
AIDS patients hurt by South African strike– Doctors and activists say AIDS patients aren’t getting treated because of a nationwide civil service strike in South Africa, due to fears of getting caught in violence and miscommunication over whether government hospitals are open. (Donna Bryson, AP)
Mobile HIV Test Unit a Hit – A mobile HIV test unit in the Congo is proving successful in encouraging citizens to get tested for HIV. However, while more than 5,000 have been tested since late 2009, the care services for those who test positive are proving unsatisfactory, including access to drugs. (Arsène Séverin, IPS)
How Africa can become the next BRIC – Economist Jim O’Neill argues that South Africa is poised to be the first African member of the BRIC group of rising powers – Brazil, Russia, India and China – as long as they maintain a focus on transparency and strive to foster a healthy business environment. (Financial Times)
Investing in Africa is not for the faint-hearted’, says equity firm CEO – An expert of West Africa’s emerging markets, Ngozi Edozien argues that proximity – and not “briefcase investing” – is the key to success for investors looking to tap into Africa’s up-and-coming economies. (David McKenzie, CNN)
Green revolution possible in Africa with helps, says professor – Professor and agronomy expert, Gebisa Ejeta says that a green revolution in Africa is possible but only with considerable external assistance in overcoming obstacles such as lack of education and infrastructure. (Liezl Vercueil, Mail & Guardian)
ONE is hitting the campaign trail to find out where candidates in New Hampshire, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio and Florida stand on extreme poverty. Stay tuned for more updates like these from our field team and organizers on the road.
On Thursday night, New Hampshire ONE members met up with U.S. Senate candidate, Rep. Paul Hodes (D-N.H.) at the American Legion in Manchester. Rep. Hodes was hosting a buffet supper and we caught up with him to talk about ONE and the world’s poorest people.
We thanked Rep. Hodes for always being a supporter and friend of ONE both in office and out on the campaign trail during our ONE Vote efforts in 2008. ONE members will also remember that Rep. Hodes wore the ONE band at the now-famous rally in Unity, N.H., where former Sen. Hillary Clinton stood together with former Sen. Obama – both with ONE bands, too!
We thanked Rep. Hodes for voting for PEPFAR, showing that the U.S. is committed to being the leader of the world in fighting HIV/AIDS in Africa. We also gave him another ONE band, and again, he wore it for the rest of the night! He said he would continue to think of the people living in the most extreme poverty if elected to the Senate.
The very next night, Rep. Hodes spoke with ONE member Whitney outside the Barley House in downtown Concord. They spoke of the Global Fund and the United States’ life-saving efforts in the poorest places in Africa — like simple bed nets to prevent malaria and medicine that allows Africans to not only survive HIV/AIDS, but to live a productive life for their families and communities.
It is hot outside in New Hampshire, but things are going to get even hotter on the campaign trail as ONE members from all backgrounds talk to Senate candidates about extreme poverty and a fresh new partnership between the U.S. and Africa!
Be sure to connect with other ONE Vote 2010 New Hampshire members on Facebook and Twitter.
ONE is hitting the campaign trail to find out where candidates in New Hampshire, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio and Florida stand on extreme poverty. Stay tuned for more updates like these from our field team and organizers on the road.
Thousands of miles of separation are not enough to keep two sister churches from running together to save lives. On Saturday, the International Anglican Church in Colorado Springs and sister church in Kibali, Rwanda hosted a race that raised more than $12,000 for the HIV/AIDS wing of the Kibali Health Clinic. The race took place simultaneously on the two continents with more than 380 runners in the United States and more than 250 in Rwanda.
ONE members Regina Hopewell and Tess Cox participated in the race. Regina submitted an excellent op-ed to the Colorado Springs Gazette about Rwanda’s progress.
Tess recently visited the clinic in Kibali, and while signing up new members, she emphasized the importance of the run and ONE’s Global Fund petition.
“As a pediatric provider, I know how important it is to care for pregnant mothers and that babies be born healthy. It only takes about 40 cents a day to provide the medication that mothers need in order to deliver a healthy, HIV free child,” said Tess.
Before and after the race, ONE members Tess, Regina, Mark and Andrea signed up more than 90 people with ONE, and 15 of them donned ONE T-shirts for the race. Congratulations to all the runners and visit Run for Rwanda’s website to see results, pictures and videos from the event.
Be sure to connect with other ONE Vote 2010 Colorado members on Facebook and Twitter.
- Nick Stevens, ONE Vote 2010 organizer, Colorado
ONE is hitting the campaign trail to find out where candidates in New Hampshire, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio and Florida stand on extreme poverty. Stay tuned for more updates like these from our field team and organizers on the road.
On Friday night in Manchester, former American Idol contestant Ayla Brown performed at a downtown bar and restaurant for New Hampshire Senate candidate Jim Bender. I went to speak with Jim about ONE, see some good friends, and check out the Ayla concert, too!
As soon as I got there, I was greeted by none other than ONE’s marine, Michael Castaldo, who was there with his whole family — including Louis, who was sporting an old but hard-earned ONE shirt.
Right before the event began, I was introduced to Jim and we spoke about ONE and our efforts to urge continued brave, bold, and bipartisan leadership in the fight against hunger and extreme poverty in Africa. Jim told me that he sees ONE members and volunteers all over New Hampshire and said that he was passed a ONE band the other day while he was campaigning. We had a brief and good conversation, and I hope that he gets even more ONE bands as things continue to heat up on the campaign trail here in New Hampshire.
I had a moment to talk with Ayla about ONE and mentioned how ONE has been featured on Idol Gives Back – this year it was Bill Gates who gave ONE a big shout out. Ayla instantly recognized ONE and even mentioned our sister group, (RED). I spoke with her about ONE’s recent victory in helping to fight corruption in Africa and asked her to thank Sen. Scott Brown for his support in this big victory that will help ensure transparency and good governance in the poorest countries in Africa.
Even though the dog days of August are ahead of us, ONE members everywhere are on the campaign trail to make sure that the United States’ efforts to fight global AIDS and malaria and extreme poverty are celebrated and accelerated.
In the past few years, conservative Republicans and progressive Democrats have come to together, and worked to help save over 5 million lives in Africa – showing to the world just how great American values and actions are. We hope that the next generation of US leaders makes sure that our US efforts are continued to help fight global disease and extreme poverty, and help stand with those who struggle each day to overcome extreme poverty and beat back corruption.
Be sure to connect with other ONE Vote 2010 New Hampshire members on Facebook and Twitter.
Famine in Niger affects 12 million – Expensive imports and aid remain out of reach for 12 million people in Niger – 80 percent of the population – which is facing the worst food crisis in years. Aid organizations say that the immediate obstacle preventing them from meeting urgent food needs is a donor shortfall of more than $100 million. (Afua Hirsch, The Guardian)
Horn of Africa once again polio-free – The Horn of Africa is again polio-free, with Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda having reported no cases for more than a year, said UNICEF. The victory is attributed to a series of multi-country immunization campaigns, along with greater technical support and strong political engagement. (Peter Mutai, Xinhua News)
Make Maternal Health Priority, African Leaders Told – Speaking at last week’s African Union summit, the Deputy U.N. Secretary-General maintained that women and children are the “engines” driving future economic growth on the continent, and that leaders must making meeting the 2015 Millennium Development Goal deadline of improving child and maternal health a priority. (Abimbola Akosile, AllAfrica.com)
Kenyans to Vote on Controversial Constitution – Kenyans will vote on a controversial new constitution this week—the latest step by the nation’s leaders to bring political change to their country to quell tribal tensions. The U.S maintains a new constitution is central to this effort. (Sarah Childress, Wall Street Journal)
New focus on Sanitation in Burkina Faso – Burkina Faso has embarked on the construction of 55,000 latrines each year for the next five years to improve access to proper sanitation by more than 40 percent. The new initiative was spurred by findings that the current pace is insufficient to attain the Millennium Development Goal on sanitation in a context of rapid population growth. (Brahima Ouédraogo, IPS)
ONE is campaigning to ensure that the Congressional budget does not cut foreign assistance programs like Feed the Future that help people break the cycle of poverty and hunger.
The Horn of Africa is experiencing its worst drought in 60 years. More than 11 million people, mostly nomadic pastoralists and farmers in south-central Somalia, north-eastern Kenya, and south-eastern Ethiopia, are severely lacking access to food.
2011 marks 30 years since the first cases of AIDS were documented. Take a closer look at the specific, achievable goals we must hit by 2015 to make this year the beginning of the end of AIDS.
As aid agencies warn more than 9 million people could be affected by a food crisis in East Africa, world leaders are failing to keep their 2009 promises to tackle the causes of chronic hunger and support farmers in the world's poorest countries.
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