Africare President Discusses Niger on PBS News Hour

August 24, 2005 — Last night, Julius E. Coles, President of Africare, appeared on the News Hour with Jim Lehrer tonight on PBS. In a conversation with Margaret Warner, News Hour Senior Correspondent, and John Ambler, Senior Vice-President of Oxfam America,

Coles discussed the current food crisis in Niger and surrounding areas, and commented on US and international response to the situation. Coles discussed Africare’s long term development goal of food sustainability. “We need to … put more money in helping Africans to grow more food themselves rather than giving them food assistance,” said Coles. “Yes, the donor countries can provide short-term food assistance, but we need to help them to grow more food.” Coles explained how major food crises can be averted by giving Africans the proper tools to produce sufficient crops. While Africare advocates an integrated approach to the issues of poverty, much of the organization’s work is in the following areas: food security and agriculture, health and HIV-AIDS and emergency response.

Africare, founded in 1970 in response to the Sahelian drought confronting Niger at the time, works with people in local communities and governments continent-wide to help build a stronger, self-reliant Africa. Africare has worked continuously in Niger since its founding, assisting communities to develop strategies to improve their food supplies and access to water and health care services.

To listen to an audio recording of the interview, click here [RealAudio]

To watch this segment in streaming video, click here.

To read the complete transcript, click here.

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