- The United Nations Children's Fund endorsed Schools for Africa campaign has not only magnetised huge funds of money, but it is also a success.
Launched a year and half ago, the five-year campaign, targeting four million African children, aims to provide quality educational opportunities to 800,000 students in six sub-Saharan countries, South Africa, Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda and Zimbabwe.
In a meeting with the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Johannesburg, the UNICEF Regional Director Per Engebak boast of the program's success. Engebak said its success has convinced UNICEF and its partners to renew their commitment to the initiative.
Besides building 600 new schools, 600 new schools were built, 1,000 given furniture and learning materials and provide clean water and sanitation available to more than 1,000 schools. At least 63,000 teachers also benefited from the initiative.
The UNICEF promoted campaign has been executed in partnership with beneficiary governments, communities and private donors.
afrol News - It is called "financial inclusion", and it is a key government policy in Rwanda. The goal is that, by 2020, 90 percent of the population is to have and actively use bank accounts. And in only four years, financial inclusion has doubled in Rwanda.
afrol News - The UN's humanitarian agencies now warn about a devastating famine in Sudan and especially in South Sudan, where the situation is said to be "imploding". Relief officials are appealing to donors to urgently fund life-saving activities in the two countries.
afrol News - Fear is spreading all over West Africa after the health ministry in Guinea confirmed the first Ebola outbreak in this part of Africa. According to official numbers, at least 86 are infected and 59 are dead as a result of this very contagious disease.
afrol News - It is already a crime being homosexual in Ethiopia, but parliament is now making sure the anti-gay laws will be applied in practical life. No pardoning of gays will be allowed in future, but activist fear this only is a signal of further repression being prepared.
afrol News / Africa Renewal - Ethiopia's ambitious plan to build a US$ 4.2 billion dam in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, 40 km from its border with Sudan, is expected to provide 6,000 megawatts of electricity, enough for its population plus some excess it can sell to neighbouring countries.