Plan in Africa

Plan is present in Africa in the following countries; Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Situation in the region

In recent years, conflict, HIV/Aids, hunger crises and poverty in the African continent have been grabbing global attention.

This year many African economies have turned the corner and moved to a path of faster and steadier economic growth than previous years. Average growth in the Sub-Saharan economies was around 5.4 per cent in 2005 and 2006; with inflation, budget deficits, exchange rates, and foreign debt payments becoming more manageable for the majority of the countries.

However conflicts, poor governance, disease and increase in world commodity prices have nullified periods of good performance for some countries.

The price of rice, the staple food in the majority of the African continent, rose by 110% reducing the number of meals children and their families in extremely poor communities could afford.

Over 40 per cent of the people in Sub-Saharan Africa still live on less than $1 a day, life expectancy gains have stalled in some countries and retreated in others. Poor health and schooling hold back improvements.

Plan's work in the region

• Promoted child nutrition and provided safe drinking water and basic sanitary facilities for children, their families, and communities.
  
  
• Improved the quality of health services for children under-five and mothers. In Zimbabwe, in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare and Rural District Councils, Plan facilitated an outreach programme for 44 medical doctors to provide free health care services to rural communities.
  
  
• Improved the provision of education including community-based early childhood care and development, quality primary education, post secondary education and adult literacy, particularly for girls.
  
  
• Strengthened child protection awareness and practices in communities, local institutions, and partner organisations.
  
  
• Worked to soften the blow of HIV/Aids by building the capacity of local structures, assisting orphans and vulnerable children, people living with HIV/Aids and their affected communities, and by bringing about positive behavioural changes among children, youth and adults.
  
  
• Improved the capacity of families to increase food production, productivity and household incomes. For example, in Tanzania, Plan has provided vocational training for students in one of the country's poorest regions. Participants have seen their incomes increase by 600% following graduation.
  
  
• Contributed to raise the awareness of women's and children's rights, and promoted their participation in decisions that affect them through initiatives, including Children's Parliaments.
  
  
• Helped communities manage malaria, which continues to be the biggest killer of children in Africa. Plan is working across Africa to distribute bed nets treated with insecticide.
  
  
• Lobbied and worked with communities to eradicate harmful practices, including female genital cutting (FGC).
  
  
• Responded to emergency situations, including civil unrest, floods and droughts.
  
  
• Promoted birth registration. Registration ensures children and adults are not denied school and healthcare access, property and citizen rights.