Clean Water

Water and health go Hand in Hand



1 billion people lack access to improved water supply

It is estimated that globally, we are on schedule to achieve the drinking water Millennium Development Goal, but the corresponding sanitation target will not be met by 2015 without much extra input and effort. If the 1990-2002 trend continues, it is thought that some 2.4 billion people will be without improved sanitation in 2015 - almost as many as are without today.

2.6 billion people lack access to improved sanitation

In sub-Saharan Africa, trends observed since 1990 indicate that neither the sanitation nor the drinking water target will be met by 2015.

GLOSSARY
Malaria: Malaria is a life-threatening parasitic disease transmitted by mosquitoes. It was once thought that the disease came from fetid marshes, hence the name mal aria, (bad air). The real cause of malaria is a one-cell parasite called plasmodium. The parasite is transmitted from person to person through the bite of a female Anopheles mosquito.

Schistosomiasis: a parasitic disease caused by a worm that is often found in irrigation ditches and still river water. The water becomes contaminated by Schistosoma eggs when infected people urinate or defecate in the water. The parasites then develop inside snails before re-entering the water where they can penetrate the skin of persons they come in contact with.

Disability adjusted life years (DALY): DALYs for a disease are the sum of the years of life lost due to premature mortality in the population and the years lost due to disability for incident cases of the health condition. One DALY represents the loss of one year of equivalent full health.

Globally, diarrhoeal diseases and malaria accounted for, respectively, 4% and 3% of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) lost, and 1.8 and 1.3 million deaths in 2002. This burden is almost entirely limited to the under-five age group.

Diarrhoeal diseases
- Every day, diarrhoeal diseases cause some 6,000 deaths, mostly among children under five.
- In 2001, 1.96 million people died from infectious diarrhoeas; 1.3 million were children under five.
- Between 1,085,000 and 2,187,000 deaths due to diarrhoeal diseases can be attributed to the 'water, sanitation and hygiene' risk factor, 90 percent of them among children under five.
- With simple hygiene measures such as washing hands after using the toilet or before preparing food, most of these deaths are preventable.

Malaria
- Over 1 million people die from malaria every year.
- About 90% of the annual global rate of deaths from malaria occur in Africa south of the Sahara.
- Malaria causes at least 300 million cases of acute illness each year.
- Mortality due to malaria increased by 27% between 1990 and 2002, going from 926,000 people to 1,272,000.
- The disease costs Africa more than US$12 million annually and slows economic growth in African countries by 1.3% a year.
- Sleeping under mosquito nets would be one simple but effective way to prevent many cases of malaria, especially for children under five.

Africa accounts for 97% of the world's burden of onchorocerciasis (a parasitic infection), 88% of the world's burden of malaria, 78% of its schistosomiasis burden, and 52% of its trachoma burden.

Schistosomiasis (bilharziasis)
- More than 200 million people worldwide are infected by schistosomiasis.
- 88 million children under fifteen years are infected each year with schistosomes.
- 80% of transmission takes place in Africa south of the Sahara.

Freedom of the press...read the next post too..

Senegal erects multi-million dollar press house

afrol News, 11 May - Macky Sall, the Senegalese Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of a multi-million dollar press house for the country’s media fraternity.

The six-storey building project equipped with the latest technological devices is expected to complete in 18 months time. It cost the Senegalese government CFA 5 billions to erect the edifice. It will be erected in the former city of police in the capital, Dakar.

Senegal is among few African countries that give yearly subvention to their media. Since he came to power in 2000, President Wade has twice increased the annual press subvention from CFA 100, 200 and now 400 millions.

The Senegalese Prime Minister viewed the project as booster for press freedom in one of Africa’s biggest democracies. He said it has proven President Wade’s commitment to developing freedom of the press and expression in the country.

Mr Sall admitted the existence of sporadic frictions between the government and media. He however said a strong press is needed to stimulate democracy in the country. “This is why we want the press to enjoy freedom so that along the way, people become educated,” he said.

He believed the edifice will serve as an important venue for fruitful exchange of knowledge and experience among journalists and communication experts in Africa as a whole.

During his opposition days, President Wade had set up some political publications in Senegal. The papers included Le Democrate, Le Citoyen, Takussan and Sopi, which was created in 1988. However, all these papers have now gone into extinction.

Dr Bacar Dia, the Minister of Information said the structure will no doubt turn “our press more modern, free and independent.”

The Chairman of Walfadjri Group, Sidy Lamine Niasse, who spoke on behalf of the journalism fraternity, commended President Wade for the magnificent project. He also dispelled the widely believed notion that the media has reduced itself as opposition mouthpiece. “That’s not the case,” Mr Niasse said.

By Musa Saidykhan

© afrol News

Freedom of the press???

New Senegal radio shut down before being launched

afrol News, 31 May - The government of Senegal on Thursday deployed a large contingent of armed soldiers to shut off the set up privately-owned radio station in the capital Dakar on Thursday.

Transmitting on 92.3, 'Premier FM' is owned by a prominent Senegalese journalist, Madiambal Diagne. Mr Diagne is also the publisher of two daily papers – Le Quotidien and Cocorico – and a weekly magazine. Cocorico, a satirical paper, hits the newspaper market this month.

His radio that started test signals on Tuesday has been waiting to be launched when its proprietor was asked to vanish from the air. Prior to the closure, four truckloads of armed soldiers stormed the premises of Avenir Communications, the company that administers Mr Diagne’s media business.

Gun-wielding soldiers could be calmly seen inside their vehicles while their commander and officials of the national telecommunications and stations regulatory authority were busy confronting Mr Digane.

“Mr Diagne was asked to remove the station from the air but he refused asking them to do it themselves,” said a staff of 'Le Quotidien.'

After a hasty discussion, the officers went away with the station’s apparatus, leaving it off air.

Before the radio hits the airwaves, Mr Diagne commented on the development, recounting the official rough track the company had trekked on to get a radio frequency from the government. He said the radio project had been a long term dream of his company because it had first requested for a frequency from the Information Minister in November 2003.

Diagne said the request was flatly denied for no just cause. But the company kept on the throat of the government so that they could at least issue allow the radio to cover only Dakar and its environment. This too fell on deaf ears, for they were told that the Dakar frequency is saturated.

“We then asked for a frequency to emit in the areas while waiting for that the problem in Dakar to be regulated,” Mr. Diagne said, adding, “this too has been unsuccessful.” Mr Diagne would not understand why others have been issued frequencies, despite denying him the right.

The company did not fold its hands and said enough is enough as in the case of so many people. With the belief that radio is a power tool to better inform, educate and entertain a society, especially at a time the country is going through elections, Avenir Communications then sought possible alternatives. This led to the buying of a local company with a frequency.

But this too is without official complaints that the transmitter is very close to the airport track. It is not clear whether Senegalese authorities will allow the radio to resume operations.

The new radio is being administered by a doyen broadcaster - Michel Diouf – a pioneer founder member of 'Sud FM' and Manager of 'Radio Television Senegalaise' (RTS).

Mr Diouf’s main ambition is to turn the new radio into a credible voice of truth by relaying factual and well researched human interest stories to audience of Premier FM.

“We want to merge our ambition with out name. We want to be one of the leaders of broadcasting in the country,” he said.

Some months back, Diagne reportedly snubbed an audience with President Abdoulaye Wade.

On 9 July 2004, Madiambal Diagne, also a law expert, was arrested and detained for over 20 days without trial. He was later charged with publishing confidential reports and correspondence, false information and news "which could cause serious political problems."

His arrest and detention spurred the Senegalese privately-owned media to stage a day's news blackout in protest against what they called “the political arrest of our colleague.”

The media guru’s case had concerned the international media bodies, including the World Association of Newspapers (WAN) that petitioned the Senegalese Prime Minister, Macky Sall, reminding him that the “jailing of Mr Diagne for his journalistic activities constitutes a clear breach of his right to freedom of expression, which is guaranteed by numerous international agreements, including Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Furthermore, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights considers that "detention, as punishment for the peaceful expression of an opinion, is one of the most reprehensible ways to enjoin silence and, as a consequence, a grave violation of human rights".

WAN urged Senegal to immediately release Mr Diagne from jail and drop all criminal charges against him. “We urge you to do everything possible to ensure that in future your country fully respects international standards of freedom of expression.”

Senegal, one of Africa's biggest democracies, is becoming intolerant to free expreesion and speech.

While on official trip to Mauritania, President Wade was asked why his government had deviated from his promise that his government would never send a journalist in prison. His reply was thus: "Senegalese journalists don't respect the law."

The Wade government has increased the annual subvention to the press as well as started building a magnificient press house for journalists.

By staff writer

© afrol News

Senegal Kitchen

This is a typical Senegal kitchen in the village. Last time in Senegal, I spent a day in the village. I love to watch them cook and prepare a meal. It's amazing! They can cook rice to perfection over a fire and never burn it. We got all these gadgets and equipment and to me it always taste better in the village. Maybe I'm a bit more hungry when I am in the village, I don't know.
I ate something this last trip that were interesting. The sour milk over millet is always interesting, but this time for dessert we had Senegalese yogurt. My friend who lives in Senegal, (whose name I will not identify, because I don't want to embarrass him :) who was with me, leans over and says...this you might want to be very careful with eating...in other words it could make you sick.
Well as always, I say a little prayer, and I partake in it. Well, my friend ended up on the toilet for the next 24 hours and Thank God that I didn't get sick(I did feel bad for my friend....)Now there's a wave of people claiming in the Thies region that Rick is more Serer than *&^#.
I can't help the fact that I didn't get sick...but it sure brought some humor to my friends there.
God is Good.

Bumper Sticker

I was working yesterday when I passed this car that had a bumber sticker on it. Maybe you've seen it and maybe you haven't. But, it really has me thinking about it. It was a quote from Ghandi and it read :

“I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”

I don't know about you but that startles me. At times I find that so true. It made me think "do I act like Christ on a daily basis in all I do or say?

Of course not, as a human with a world filled with sin we cannot be perfect like Christ. BUT, do we try?
I can't help at times seem perplexed by the actions of Christians. I ask myself , do these people claim to follow the same Christ I read about in scriptures?
I do not claim to be like Christ, but my actions and words I hope will but the bumper sticker to rest.
How bout you?

Men looking for a better life...

INTERVIEW-Senegal boatmen lead new migrant assault on Europe

Thu 17 May 2007 8:59 AM ET

By Pascal Fletcher

DAKAR, May 17 (Reuters) - Blessed by local Muslim holy men and ferried by Senegalese fishermen, hundreds of illegal migrants are once again pushing off daily from West Africa's shores in a renewed sea-borne assault on "fortress Europe".

Packed into the slim, brightly-painted open wooden fishing boats found on most West African beaches, well over 1,000 came ashore in the Spanish Canary Islands over the last week in what experts say was the starting gun of the latest migrant exodus.

"The season has started ... it seems the word is out that it's time to go again," Laurent de Boeck, the acting regional representative for West and Central Africa of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), told Reuters on Thursday.

Experts believe lighter winds and calmer seas after months of heavy trade winds may have triggered last week's departures.

From the parched Cape Verde Islands and the desert coasts of North Africa to the jungle creeks of the Guinea coast, Spanish and Italian planes and patrol boats are gearing up for another cat-and-mouse interception mission to try to halt the migrants.

Although the 3,000 migrants who have reached the Canaries this year represent a third of last year's arrival rate -- a decrease attributed to adverse weather and increased patrolling -- experts fear last week's heavy influx heralds a fresh flood.

Spain stands in the front line of the migrant invasion -- more than 30,000 came ashore in the Canaries last year. Madrid has made strenuous diplomatic efforts to persuade West African governments from Mauritania to Guinea to try to stem the clandestine departures in return for increased development aid.

But, de Boeck admits, the European-African response to the migrant problem is still struggling to make an impact: "It's certainly not sufficient and there is need for more support."

Neither the risks of the long ocean voyages, which often end in death at sea for the migrants, nor the increased patrolling seem to deter young Africans and their families who dream of a job in Europe as the key to a better life.

"Most believe that Europe is still the place to be, that you earn more in a month there than in a year here, that there are jobs everywhere, that people are welcoming," de Boeck said.

In Senegal, migration to Europe by any means is viewed as a coveted mark of social prestige and fishermen were abandoning their nets to recruit and carry a much more lucrative human cargo paying up to 700,000 CFA francs ($1,443) each for a place.



BIGGER BOATS

The migrant vessels, local fishing boats known as "pirogues" tillered by experienced mariners, were also getting bigger.

"They keep taking more people. Since they may have already succeeded with 15, they now try with more than 100 (in each boat)," de Boeck said, referring to the recent arrivals.

Departures were organised by word of mouth in local communities, with passengers paying in advance and often being summoned at short notice for fast, night time getaways.

Local Muslim holy men known as "marabouts" were regularly consulted by the migrant smugglers, de Boeck said.

"The marabouts ... are the ones who decide when the boat can go ... whether it's the right day, whether it's a good moon. They bless the people the day they leave," he said.

He believed the Spanish government, under pressure at home where immigration is a hot political issue, would seek to swiftly repatriate the latest Canaries arrivals to send a blunt message to Africa that clandestine entry would not be tolerated.

"Unfortunately, the more people arrive illegally, the more European countries will close their borders and give fewer visas to migrate legally, so it's a vicious circle," de Boeck said.

© Reuters 2007. All Rights Reserved.

Who Dat?

This is a one of my favorite photos' from Senegal.
That is a fork that I'm holding. You notice the boys eating peanuts and who's doing the work???
;)

Live from New York!

Well not really...but I'm live from Goshen Indiana. Where in the world is Goshen you ask? I really don't know either...i just followed my map quest map in the dark on Thursday night....
I'm at a conference for a people group in West Africa. It's so cool to be with people who all have a common interest and that is reaching the unreached. Tonight we had a great buffet and even had 'attaya'...Senegalese tea after dinner.
This weekend i have the great honor of speaking at my cousin's church in Michigan. I'm excited about this opportunity knowing that I get to speak about what is on my heart. Plus, Denny is one of my favorite cousins. I still remember as a kid revering him because he was a 'very good' catcher in baseball and he had offers for tryouts with a few major league teams. Back problems, cut his career short.
But, now I have even more admiration for him because he's in a pretty difficult position...a pastor. Us sheep need much tending.
I am honored and humbled to speak there on Sunday.

Develop ( gain through experience)

I recently looked up the definition of develop. There are many definitions. One is to gain through experience. Isn't that what life is? I can't tell you you how many times I have said to myself....'if i only knew then ...what I know now"
I was thinking about how this relates to West Africa. Many don't even have the chance to know now or ever...if someone doesn't tell them. It's like your parents never telling you that you will have to take a bath. If your not told...how can you know?
The things that are going on in most of Africa is truly amazing. Christianity is growing so fast in some countries that leaders can't be developed fast enough.
But, in some parts of Africa...that is not the case. North Africa is closed to any missionaries..in fact it's down right dangerous to claim you are a follower of Christ. So, then I ask who is going to tell them? Who is going to help them develop?

The 10/40 window Some of you might have heard of this....but here's some facts about the 10/40 window.

World evangelism statistics: Of the 55 least evangelized countries, 97% of their population lives within the Ten Forty Window.

Unless something changes soon, most of these unreached people will never hear the Gospel. Why? It's estimated that only about one and a quarter percent ( 1.25% )of Christian mission giving is going to missions work in the 10/40 Window.

What will you do to change this? Experience is what people need to develop.

Serer -Sine people

I'd like to introduce you to the people group that i have been building relationships with.



Introduction / History
The Sereer society is built upon strong family ties and tradition. Farmers and herders, the Sereer live on a subsistence basis, relying on good crop yields for a prosperous year. The men cultivate peanuts and millet for the subsistence of his family and community. After this season the men often go to the cities to work. There is often a network of friends and family in the city for men to live with. When the growing season is over for the main crops, women plant gardens of peas, okra, onions and tomatoes on her husband's land or a small plot of her own. She may form irrigation ditches around these plantings or carry the water to the garden herself.

While the men leave for the city to work, women stay at home caring for her family. The women work very hard, starting before daybreak preparing breakfast and working far into the evening preparing dinner and cleaning. They haul water, work in fields, and care for nursing infants. Young girls are expected to care for their siblings while the boys work in the fields with their father.

Celebrations among the Sereer include marriages and baby naming ceremonies. Both of these celebrations involve feasts and gifts of money. The Sereer enjoy song and dance and it is not limited to special occasions. Funerals are a process that starts when a person dies. Wailing and mourning continues until the burial. A month later a feast is given for the friends and family of the deceased.


Beliefs
Most Sereer adhere to traditional beliefs while some have converted to Islam and about 15% are Roman Catholic. The Sereer have been very gradual in accepting religions outside of their traditional beliefs. Even though people claim to have accepted Islam there are still many traditional beliefs included. Combining these two systems of beliefs is called "folk Islam". All systems of belief among the Sereer include a type of charm. The Muslims wear a picture of a Marabou (a holy Islamic man) and a portion of Quaranic scripture in their charm. This is believed to give the charm power and bless the wearer. Catholic believers wear a necklace with a picture of Christ or a Diocese in their charm. Animists wear a charm with a bone, shell or dried portion of an animal or ancestor who died long ago. Pray that the Sereer may find the true freedom in Christ. There is little isolation or persecution of those who turn from traditional beliefs. This is unusual and special among the various Senegalese groups. Pray that the Sereer will embrace this freedom and start churches that will grow and reproduce in cities and villages.