President's Corner


Women are the Future of Africa!

Today Africare celebrates the anniversary of International Women’s Day, and rightly so, because in Africa it is women who are the backbone of food production and who provide the basic necessities for families and social capital of communities.

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The Future of Direct Aid to Africa

Increasing the effectiveness of aid is going to be at the heart of the future of aid to Africa, driven by a few core principles that now are widely embraced in the international community.  Development programs have to be country-owned, country-led, reach the grassroots level, and be focused on producing sustainable results.

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Innovation in Zimbabwe

Today in Washington D.C., Africare-Zimbabwe’s Soybean Market Linkages Project (SMLP) was recognized by InterAction’s “Best Practices & Innovations” (BPI) Initiative for its strength in improving rural smallholder access to markets, value chain development, and nutrition. InterAction launched BPI with support from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to promote information sharing on effective program approaches and boost the impact of field programs.

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World AIDS Day

Though the recently released 2010 UNAIDS Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic has much good news on the global front regarding the HIV/AIDS Epidemic, there is still much work to be done.

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Africa and the Millennium Development Goals

There was much to celebrate, including for Africa, at the last month’s United Nations Summit on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for 2015 (http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/). When the goals were formulated ten years ago, many skeptics believed the targets set Africa up to fail. But the good news is that a number of African countries have made remarkable progress toward them.

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President's Corner Guest Contributor: Peter Persell, Vice President of Operations

Over the past forty years, Africare has worked with communities all across Africa to dig and drill many hundreds of wells.

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image of washing hands in Africa

 


A New Beginning for African Agriculture: Part II

Achieving results is the core of Africare’s approach to development. Our successes have been achieved by focusing Africare’s agriculture projects on 5 keys to food security.

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A New Beginning for African Agriculture

After decades of neglect there are very encouraging signs of a new beginning for African agriculture.  They are the key to poverty reduction and growth in Africa.

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The Next Generation

OVC

If keeping a child in their community creates the best scenario for keeping a child alive and thriving, then investing in communities is key to taking care of the next generation of leaders.  Read more>>

A World Without Malaria

World Malaria Day reminds us all of the need to redouble our efforts to fight this predominantly African disease. Presidnt Mans explains.  Read more>>

malaria
Photo by Alexandra Seegers

 


Results that Matter!

As I indicated last month, Africare is walking the talk on country ownership. This month I'd like to share just a few examples of the work we are doing at Africare, our approach and the kind of concrete results we are achieving on the ground. Read more>>

Community meeting
Photo by Alexandra Seegers

 


 

Report From the Field: Tanzania

Africare President Mans in Tanzania
Dr Mans greets a committed volunteer in Zanzibar
Africare Tanzania
Hon: President Jakaya Kikwete greets Africare-Tanzania Country Representative Sekai Chikowero while Africare President Dr Darius Mans looks on
(photo State House)


I have just returned from Tanzania where I had a chance to see Africare's work on the ground.

While there I talked to beneficiaries, implementation partners, funders and national and local government leaders.

I also met many of our amazing volunteers who are selflessly working with Africare to help break the cycle of poverty in their communities.

 

Throughout my trip I saw first hand some of the concrete results on the ground from our many years of working directly in communities across Tanzania to address the core challenges of poverty reduction.

In addition to strengthening many communities and building the capacity of local NGOs, our work in Tanzania is helping the government implement at the community level its national policies on most vulnerable children, HIV/AIDS, natural resource management, energy and water.

Next month I will feature in this space some recent concrete examples, backed by third-party evidence, of the impact of Africare's work on the ground. In the meantime, Pass it On!

Darius

 

 

 

Africare Tanzania
Africare Tanzania
Most Vulnerable Children's Committee Members viewing their bicycles supported by Africare Children enjoying their new scholastic materials received from Africare

 


 

Hitting the Ground Running!

NPR

This week I did my first interview on National Public Radio as the new President of Africare. To listen, click here or click on the NPR image to the right.

What an exciting year for me to be joining Africare as we celebrate our 40th Anniversary--
40 years of continued, sustainable development assistance to Africa!

Over the next couple of weeks I will be out seeing some of our projects in the field, talking to beneficiaries and development partners about our development impact on the ground. I look forward to giving you a read out on my visits in next month's blog. Until then, Pass it On!

Darius