Unlock Africa

Niger: AIDS Awareness Enters 21st Century

February, 16th 2011 | Comments Off| Posted in Headlines, Unlock Africa
hivaids
In the West African nation of Niger, where much of the society follows strict Muslim codes of conduct, sex education has long been taboo. These days, thanks to a proactive, local NGO called Animas-Sutura, health and sex awareness are getting a new voice.
Animas-Sutura took Niger by storm in 2006, with a large-scale effort to educate women, young people and other at-risk sectors of the population through social marketing techniques. The organization makes health products like condoms, contraceptives, water purification tablets and mosquito nets readily available and affordable. Over the last three years, Animas-Sutura has swelled supplies of these life-saving goods at more than 3000 truck stops, pharmacies, hair salons, bars, market stalls, street vendors and taxis. At many locations, ‘Anti-AIDS Kiosks’ provide education as well as contraception. Read More »

Beyond Band-Aids for Hunger

February, 6th 2011 | Comments Off| Posted in Feed the People, Headlines, Projects, Unlock Africa
imgres

It’s been twenty-five years since a well-meaning music producer threw together a bunch of megastars to record the now ubiquitous humanitarian torch song, Do They Know it’s Christmas. Bob Geldof’s Band-Aid raised millions of dollars with the compelling chorus of “Feed the World,” but over the last two decades, global interest in those hungry people has plummeted: agriculture’s share of global development aid has dropped from 7 percent to 4 percent since the song debuted, even though most of the world’s poor and hungry people depend on agriculture for their livelihoods. Read More »

Benin: Solar-powered irrigation a shining success

February, 6th 2011 | Comments Off| Posted in Headlines, Unlock Africa
First+crop-1

It’s official: Solar-powered irrigation systems can boost food and income levels in rural Sub-Saharan Africa, according to a new study. Irrigation is known to reduce poverty in Asia, but the success of the technique was not well documented in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The team, from Stanford University, analyzed solar-powered drip irrigation systems – which use photovoltaic pumps to deliver groundwater to the surface – in arid Benin, where most farmers rely on a  3-6 month rainy season and irrigate by hand. The solar system in question was a project of U.S.-based Solar Electric Light Fund – SELF – which “designs and implements sustainable energy solutions for enhancements in health, education, agriculture and economic growth in the developing world.” Read More »

Enter your email address to recieve our newsletter.