The report also shows that between 2000 and 2008, the number of children in primary school in Sub-Saharan Africa rose by 48 per cent - from 87 million to 129 million. All other categories of schooling have also seen similar increases over the same period.
As encouraging as this statistics are, the results are uneven. Many countries are still unable to provide children with quality primary education. The data shows that in one third of the countries, half of all children do not complete primary education.
Overall, education in Sub-Saharan Africa continues to be a priority and governments are attempting to make improvements and increase expenditures. A very good sign for the future.
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They looked at each other, then one said, “We do not know.”
Surely, everyone around here knows his place. They must be afraid of what might happen to them if they showed me the way. I thanked them and I drove on.
A half a mile further down the road I came upon another group. “I am a missionary.”
I pulled my wallet from my hip pocket and showed them my “carte de sejour” (resident I.D. card). “I want to talk to Devi. Is his house on this road?”
“Just keep going for about four kilometers and you will come to it.”
I put the truck into gear and drove on. Less than a half mile later, I noticed a man, in a plain military uniform, jogging down a knoll toward the road. He carried a rife in one hand and waved for me to stop with the other. “I want to talk to Devi,” I told him when he came up to the truck.
“It is just up ahead.”
A couple of kilometers later I began to think that I had been deceived. I pulled alongside a young man and asked him if he would take me close to Devi’s house. “I will let you off before we arrive, so no one will know you showed me the way.” He agreed and got in the truck.
It was not long before the young man said, “Devi lives there” and indicated a village just ahead. “You can let me out here.” When I stopped, the young man looked around to see if anyone was watching. Satisfied, he got out. I thanked him and ventured forward.
On the right, a couple dozen mud huts bordered a tree-shaded, open area. A school was behind a hedge on the left. Except for the children in the schoolyard, there did not seem to be anyone around. Then I spotted a few women cooking under a tin shelter at a crossroad at the edge of the village. I drove up to them and asked if Devi was around. They looked at each other and did not answer. So, I repeated, “Can you please show me his house?”
Finally, one of them pointed at what looked like a bike path lined by tall shrubs. I had only gone fifty meters down the path when a man stepped out from a break in the shrubs. He held a two-way radio. “Go back to the junction. Devi will meet you there,” he said and motioned me to turn around.
When I got back to the junction, I got out and stood in front of my truck. People came out of huts and from behind trees. They stared, but kept their distance. Children ran across the open schoolyard. I held my hand up and said, “Don’t come close. This is not a place for children.”
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It was dusk, so I approached slowly and strained to see what had drawn the crowd. Next to the curb, laid two charred corpses their arms stiffly extended in the air. I gasped and pulled over next to a cluster of men. “What happened?”
They grinned and pointed to the bodies. “They are thieves. Devi burned them.”
Cyndi and I looked at one another. Then I turned to the crowd again, “This is not good.”
“Not good?”
“No, it is not good.” I pulled away and slammed my palm against the steering wheel in disgust. How could human beings rejoice at cruel execution, no matter what the reason?
Devi dumped the bodies at this intersection of vehicles and people so the news of his deed would circulate throughout the region. Some would rejoice. Some would fear. By morning, everyone would be talking about Devi.
After seeing the charred bodies, I could no longer keep my concerns to myself. I ask the Lord to bring a halt to this terrible crusade. After a praying at a mission team meeting, I said, “I believe something has to be done. We need to do something.” But, I did not know what to do.
(the next installment will appear tomorrow)
]]-->Scientists believe that the region between the foreskin and the shaft of the penis provides a possible hiding place for HIV to hide after intercourse.
In the face of such compelling trials, the World Health Organization and the United Nations HIV/AIDS agency both recommend circumcision as a component of any comprehensive HIV/AIDS prevention program.
Even though circumcision was being practiced thousand of years ago, and these recent trials point its ability to reduce the risk of contracting HIV, the very brief and cheap surgery is far from being the norm all over Africa. Neither Christianity nor many forms of African Traditional Religion forbid circumcision, and it is among the rites of Islam. Traditional beliefs in many ethnic groups in east and southern Africa require circumcision of adolescent young men. Yet, other ethnic groups in that part of the continent view circumcision as a part of their identity. In West Africa, even though many ethnic groups do not require circumcision, community health education has caused a growing number of parents to take their infant sons to clinics to receive the surgery.
Most development and aid agencies currently attempt to persuade families to have their sons circumcised, yet they will have to study further to come up with compelling, culturally appropriate instruction to persuade more to go under the scalpel.
Of course, circumcised men are in no way immune to contracting HIV/AIDS. It is still best to only have sex within marraige and for both the man and women to be tested for HIV prior to marriage.
For a more information read the following articles:
Circumcision — A Surgical Strategy for HIV Prevention in Africa - The New England Journal of Medicine, 2008
Male circumcision for HIV prevention in sub-Saharan Africa: who, what, when? -Global Health Sciences Literature Digest, 2009
Research: Male Circumcision and HIV Prevention - USAID On-Line
Violence is common in some areas of Sudan. Dafur has been one of the most troubled spots. Today’s UN New Center report Joint UN-AU chief speaks out after latest Sudanese attack on Darfur rebels highlights the recent fighting in the region.
This well rounded Newsy.com report gives an overview of the build up to the referendum.
The referendum vote is extremely important. According to , observers have forecast one of two outcomes from the referendum: a fresh civil war or the birth of an independent nation. Sudan Vote Monitor will be there to keep us all informed.
Additional Stories of Africa article on the use of Cell Phones in Africa:
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