The Children

Africa as a continent has many problems. But who is to blame? Well, for some of these problems, the Africans are to blame. Some of these problems we must answer to ourselves and still others seem to be natural as a direct result of geographical and climatic conditions.

  

The Children of Africa

One thing is for certain. In the same way that I didn't deserve to be brought up in a society which has so much, Africa's children do not deserve to be brought up and have so little. God could not have meant it to be this way. Children dying before their life even starts, babies who are no more than skin and bone simply because no-one fed them. Others orphaned through AIDS or war. They grow up not knowing any better. They grow up not knowing what love is.

The question is who will help these children? The poorest 25 countries (according to the UN) can all be found within Africa. With governments that are corrupt (not unlike our ancestors), or debts in the hundreds of millions, it will be unlikely that the resources lie fully within.

Maybe...... just maybe we have a responsibility. Maybe....... just maybe, one day we will be asked to be accountable for what we have done? For Africa? For Asia? For South America? What will you answer?

Statistics for Children

28 million children die from easy curable diseases each year
17 million children die from malnutrition and starvation each year
10 million children are involved in the sex industry
100 million children are on the streets
200 million are child labourers
1.4 million children under the age of 15 are living with HIV
19,000 African children die daily from easily curable diseases
80 per cent of children under the age of 15 living with HIV are African children
25% of African children between the ages of 10 and 14 are involved in labour
21% of Kenya's children are not attending school

(see resources for more statistics)

 

Africa's Children

Children Africa, what comes to mind
Children Africa, do you see smiling faces
Children Africa, do you hear their cry for help
Children Africa, are they just pictures on T.V
Children Africa, are they stats and simply numbers
Children Africa, why do ten's of thousands die each day
Children Africa, while we eat ice cream and watch movies
Children Africa, does anyone care
Children Africa, does anyone hear
Children Africa, will anyone help

Do you Care Enough to do Something?

There are thousand's of ways that you can get involved and help children in Africa. If you wish to do it through Abaana please use this site to find out how. If you wish to do it through another charity have a look at our resources section for more charity links. Now that you know we need your help, please do something. Do something soon! Do something now!