Ebola has exposed the challenges faced in many African countries

Ebola - is running amok in West Africa. Threatening multiple countries, with a deadly virus that is currently uncontainable, incurable, and deadly 60% of the time. The human stories are tragic, but so is the broader story.

Western Africa health care systems have crumbled under the pressure of ebola. Already weak, because of a lack of funding and investment they simply cannot cope with this disease. The countries infrastructures are too limited, there are not enough Dr's or Nurses, public awareness is low and suspicious. Ebola, is actually pretty hard to catch- you have to be exposed to bodily fluids directly and it is NOT airborne (Each infection has, on average, exposed around 1.8 other people - a much lower rate than say the flu)

But Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea, Nigeria and Senegal are so poorly prepared that ebola has slowly crept its way to its current levels.  Ebola has shown the world how weak the health care systems are, how easily they can be put under crippling pressure and how desperately they need investment. This is true all over the continent. Africa needs investment, and now.

I hope ebola will enlighten many to the challenges that Africa faces and spur many to invest in her.  Ebola is far from the only public health issue in Africa - malaria, HIV, TB, diarrhea kills hundred of thousand of Africans every year. Maybe ebola will ignite a waive of investment in Africa like never before? We live in a global village and we cannot afford to not invest in Africa.

Herbs And Empires: A Brief History Of Malaria Drugs

NPR produces some great radio. They produced a really informative piece about malaria, tracking our early knowledge to the current challenges. The name of malaria means bad air, from the misconception that it was because of bad air- and not the parasite carried by the female mosquito of the Genus Anopheles. Today we know much more, and have the pieces in place to dramatically reduce the burden from malaria. 


In Uganda 2000 people die every week from malaria. Transmission, testing, and treatment are not a mystery, for a few dollars we can this - $40 will protect a family of six from malaria for one year. It is that cheap, it is that simple. 

Protect A Family of 6 from Malaria for One Year. $40.

Campaign KATAKWI 40 Peter

Who Cares?

Who cares about Malaria?

How can a disease that kills 725,000 people a year not be headline news?

How can a child die from a mosquito bite in the 21st Century?

Why do 40% of Ugandans have Malaria?

How does a parent bury their child, before they can hear them say their name?

How does a child's brain develop when it is constantly assaulted by Malaria induced anaemia?

Why does Malaria inspire mere ambivalence?

How can we beat malaria?

Why are we more scared of sharks than mosquitoes?

JOIN US as we seek to end Malaria in Uganda and beyond.

www.pilgrimafrica.org.  And subscribe to our NewsLetter.

Graphic courtesy of The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. [http://www.gatesnotes.com/Health/Most-Lethal-Animal-Mosquito-Week]

Ashes.

On a snowing evening in central Europe, a plane warms up on the runway. It is a small plane but it is full of excited, rambunctious, and young passengers. The plane takes off, barely in the air there is a problem and the plane makes a nose dive back into the tarmac.  This had been the third attempt at a take off, there would be no more tries. The plane lies in a ball of flames and twisted wreckage on the runway. There were 23 fatalities that day. A tragedy in of itself, made all the more impactful by who was on the plane. This was the Manchester United team, known as the "Busby Babes" the most talented footballers of their generation. Eight players were killed that day, as well as three team trainers. The year was 1958. This team was a trailblazer, and had an incredible future. There is a clock at Old Trafford that remains stuck at 3.04pm, 6th February 1958. To mark the moment some of the greatest lights of British football went out.

Ten years later, in 1968, with the same manager and some of the same players, such as Sir Bobby Chartlon fresh from the 1966 World Cup win went on to win the European Cup with another incredulously talented team. Manchester United rose, literally from the ashes, to becoming one of the most celebrated football clubs in the world.

In Soroti Uganda, a group of boys gathers to play football. They come from their own tragedies, they have their own stories of desperation and despair. Uganda as a country has decades of ashes to rise from. With education, in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math these students will drag Uganda from its past and into the future. Along the way they will play football, and they will laugh, cheer, and maybe cry! But like Manchester United, Uganda will go forward in good hands as their sheer talent will rise. The future is bright, the future is theirs. [to paraphrase Orange].

Consider a gift to our football campaign. Pass it Forward. Give HERE

Ceasefires and Cups

In 2006, Cote D'Ivoire [Africa], was embroiled in a vicious civil war. A world away the  Cote D'Ivoire mens football team, has just qualified for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. A rare moment of joy for the people of this nation, who had been embroiled in this conflict for four years. Didier Drogba, the star striker of Chelsea Football Club and the Cote D'Ivoire team, then did something quite extraordinary.  A moment of selflessness that I am not sure any sportsman has ever done. According the British Newspaper, The Telegraph -

."..moments after leading his nation to the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany back in October 2005, Drogba picked up a microphone in the dressing room and, surrounded by his team-mates, fell to his knees live on national television. He begged both warring factions to lay down their arms and, within a week, his bold wish had been granted". 

The ceasefire lasted and full peace was negotiated in 2007. Football is powerful. Football is beautiful. In this, case football stopped a war.  A successful, and talented African athlete using all that he has to bring an end to a conflict.  Football gives Pilgrim Africa a gateway into the hearts and minds of young men in Uganda. To paraphrase [as in change one word!] Death Cab for Cutie, hope drips into their hearts through a pinhole. Football gives us a pinhole, and from there we can educate, empower, and transform lives. 

Consider giving a gift to our football program at Beacon of Hope School, Uganda. Donations go towards football equipment, and resources. Thank You. 

Give by clicking here

The Stuff of Dreams

Yesterday I watched in shock and awe as Germany inflicted a cricket score on Brazil-7 goals to one.  This was not how it was supposed to be, this was meant to be two world superpowers slugging it out for 90 mins, instead it was all over bar the shouting at half time. Completely amazed I watched as first the Brazilian team and then the Brazilian nation crumbled into despair. Bill Shankly, the legendary Liverpool manager said "football is not a matter of life and death, it is much more important than that", and it almost felt like that yesterday for Brazil.

Thousands of miles away, in the worlds youngest country, in a country wracked with malaria, poverty, and a troubling recent past young boys will also wake up and wonder did they dream that Brazil lost by 7 goals to 1. But they will also go out and pretend to be Muller, Schurrle, Khedira, or Klose.  That match will inspire them and re-ignite their passion for the game.

This country is Uganda, and the boys are students at Beacon of Hope school. Football, is a powerful tool to leverage their passions and excitement. Being able to go to school and play football with a REAL ball, REAL jerseys, REAL goals. What a joy. Brazil may be in despair but this morning across the world boys will dream of scoring 7 goals at the World Cup like Germany did!

Consider giving a gift to the Pass it Forward Campaign. (click on that link!)

Pass it Forward.

In 1950 Brazil hosted the World Cup. They lost in the final to Uruguay. It was a national moment of collective despair on an unimaginable level. A 9 year old boy stood by his father as he cried after such a loss, he told his father "One day, I’ll win you the World Cup!" His name was Edson Arantes do Nascimento. In 1958, as a 17 year old, he helped Brazil win the World Cup. Edson, is better known as Pele, who would go on to score over 1,000 career goals, and win three World Cups. He delivered on his promise to his father and then some! That is the kind of potential that a 9 year old can hold, when they are motivated, and talented. 

We have begun a campaign at Pilgrim Africa to raise money for our students who also love football. There may not be a Pele in this class, but there is young men who will become great professionals, who will work to transform their nation. Football is a moment of pure joy for them, it teaches them about team work, hard work, strategic thinking, how to win and loose graciously, and through it they will form life long friendships.  This class of boys may have the Pele of math, or engineering, or science! Like Pele these boys come from poverty, but that wont stop them! 

As you watch the World Cup please consider giving back to the sport that is bringing you so much joy! 

Give a donation to the Pass it Forward Campaign by clicking here today.

Pilgrim Africa.

Pilgrim Africa.

I have been in my new job for one month tomorrow. Which means I finished at Children of the Nations, three months ago - I took six weeks off between jobs, I called it "retirement".  What a blessing that was.

What does Pilgrim Africa Do?

Pilgrim Africa focuses on TWO areas in ONE country-

• Education - secondary school, agriculture, tertiary. 
• Malaria Eradication.

Beacon of Hope Secondary School was started to educate children as well as counsel them through war trauma. All of the children had experienced severe horror at the hands of the Lords Resistance Army.  The school now has over 500 students, and is frequently a top performer in the region. The focus of class is on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math.  Known as STEM. The school teaches using robotics problem solving, and hands on learning.  

Uganda has one of the highest rates of Malaria in the world.  Tens of thousands suffer every year, with many many children dying from Malaria. For those that don't die, it is an ongoing burden on their health - children lose school days, and adults miss work. For some this means losing harvests or their jobs. Malaria is an ongoing disaster for the Ugandan people. Pilgrim Africa is fighting this with testing and treatment, vector control, education, and national advocacy in Uganda - the government can really be a powerful ally, if they have the will.  

Why?

Population- Uganda has the youngest population of any country in the world.  This means it has huge potential for innovation, and success but also potential for disaster. 

Grass root change is vital  - Pilgrim Africa was started in Uganda, by Ugandans, as a response to war, poverty, and disease. This change is sustainable, and inspirational.  This is not Western driven change. 

Malaria must be stopped - Malaria is the biggest killer in history. Children should not die, families should not be broken because of a mosquito bite in the 21st Century. Uganda can be the poster child for the rest of Africa. 

Uganda needs different education - Uganda needs innovative problem solvers. Old fashioned, memorization - as is standard in public education - does not generate this kind of entrepreneurial spirit. 

Food security is essential. With a majority rural population, farming is a huge part of every day life. With little money for inputs such as fertilizers, lack of access to credit, low education level, and no crop insurance - families are very vulnerable to seasonal fluctuations in price or weather or exchange rates. 

What is our biggest need?

We need more partners for the Beacon of Hope School. The program has enormous potential.  The youngest population in the world, armed with problem solving, innovative learning, can make huge changes for Uganda. With more regular funding the school can move to make more improvements to the learning environment, and materials used.  We need you. Hope made real, by you, for them. 

Go to our website. It will be the best thing you do today. 

Give Hope

Fundraising can really make me cynical

It's true. We began this campaign over 30 days ago. We have raised $2,442. To say this is less than I would have hoped for at this stage is an understatement. To say this makes me cynical is also true.

I do not like saying that, but it is the truth. Seems people are not as excited about it as I am. This makes me sad, then cynical, then not much fun to be around!

That's where I am with the campaign. I am trying to be hopeful but I guess this strategy has not worked that well. You live and learn.

To those who have given. Thank you.
P

Feel free to break my pessimism and make a donation. Happy New Year!