The Truth About Africa

For as long as I can remember, I have associated Africa with images of starving children, internal warfare, and sadness. The mass media's images, stories, and statistics of heartbreak leave individuals thinking that Africa's problems are seemingly too difficult for even America to tackle. However, in recent days, I have adapted a new outlook on this land of 22.4 million people. According to recent statistics from the World Bank, many African countries weathered the recent brutal economy better than in years past, and Africa is considered one of the fastest-growing developing regions in the world. In addition, maternal mortality decreased by 26% between 1990 and 2009, and HIV and AIDS numbers have drastically declined in some places, while stabilizing in most. Other promising facts are:

-primary school completion rates are the fastest growing worldwide

-the percentage of individuals living in extreme poverty is declining (though about 1/2 of the population still lives on $1.25 a day)

-direct investments in the African economy are increasing

-Ethiopia, Gambia, Malawi, and Rwanda reduced child mortality rate by 25% in the past 10 years

-malaria infection is decreasing

Reading these statistics not only encouraged me, but made me realize how biased our media are and how misinformed I am about third world civilization. I am now more motivated to make a conscious effort to seek information and news from world organizations, not those who seek to saturate television with images and sound bytes to create drama and high ratings.

Though much of Africa, no doubt, has a long way to go before reaching first world status, the numbers and statistics are encouraging and need to be distributed around the world to recognize the great efforts that have been made to improve life in these countries.

Last semester, I had the pleasure of working with a nonprofit organization called Empower African Children, who seeks to empower children and teenagers in Uganda through schooling and scholarship programs. EAC also works to provide food, shelter, clothing, and medical care for those in need, while providing psychological care for those who need it. Recently, EAC launched a for-profit initiative called UWEZO brands, which promotes sales of shoes made by Africans to support EAC's efforts.

Check out Empower African Children's website here to learn more: www.empowerafricanchildren.org and for more information on UWEZO: www.uwezobrands.com

For more encouraging information on the continent of Africa, read here: http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/AFRICAEXT/0,,menuPK:258652~pagePK:146732~piPK:146828~theSitePK:258644,00.html