Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Know Your Destination: Tanzania



Tanzania is located along the Indian Ocean on the eastern coast of Africa. It is bordered by Kenya to the north and Mozambique to the south, and it also shares a western border with the Democratic Republic of Congo. Contained within its borders is Mt. Kilimanjaro, which is the highest point on the African continent. The country is home to over 38 million people, nearly half of whom are undernourished, and is about twice the size of the state of California.The HIV/AIDS pandemic has led to significant increases in infant mortality and death rates, lower life expectancies and lower population growth. The country is one of the poorest in the world and depends heavily on agriculture (which accounts for over 40% of its GDP). Tanzania also hosts the most refuges of any African nation, with over a half-million.


The People

Population : 41,892,895


Population Undernourished: 44%

Population w/o Improved Water Source: 38%

Population Living Below US$1/day: 57.8%

Population Living Below US$2/day: 89.9%

Population Below Nat’l Poverty Line: 35.7%


Life Expectancy at Birth

Male: 50.9 years

Female: 54.03 years (2010 est.)

Probability of Not Surviving to 40: 36.2% of cohort


HIV/AIDS

Adult Prevalence: 6.2%

People Living with HIV: 1.4 million


Labor Force: 80% Agriculture


The Land

Land Use:

Arable land: 4.23%

Permanent crops: 1.16%

Other: 94.61%


Irrigated Land: 1,840 sq km (2003)


Total Renewable Water Sources: 91 cu km (2001)


Natural Hazards: flooding during the rainy season; drought


Home to Kilimanjaro, the highest point in Africa


(Sources: 2007-08 Human Development Report (HDR); 2007 World Development Indicators (WDI); UN World Population Prospects; FAOSTAT, CIA World Factbook)



Know your destination: Kenya



Located on the east coast of Africa, Kenya is located between Somalia and Tanzania, with a coastline along the Indian Ocean. It is slightly larger than twice the size of the state of Nevada, and home to more than 40 million people. Drastic decreases in life expectancy have been caused by drought, internal violence, and the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Additionally, Kenya faces profound environmental challenges brought on by numerous factors and significant portions of the population will continue to require emergency food assistance in the coming years. Kenya provides shelter to almost a quarter of a million refugees, including Ugandans who flee across the border periodically to seek protection from Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels.

World Neighbors has had programs in Kenya from 1961 through the present and is currently operating in the Nyanza and Western Provinces of Kenya in the areas within the Lake Victoria Basin.

The People
Population: 40,046,566

Population Undernourished: 31%
Population w/o Improved Water Source: 39%
Population Living Below US $1/day: 22.8%

Population Living Below US $2/day: 58.3%

Population Below Nat'l Poverty Line: 52%

Life Expectancy at Birth
Male: 58.33 years
Female: 59.32 years (2010 est.)
Probability of Not Surviving to Age 40: 35.1% of cohort

HIV/AIDS
Adult prevalence rate: 6.7% (2003 est.)
People living with HIV/AIDS: 1.2 million (2003 est.)
Deaths:150,000 (2003 est.)

Labor Force - by occupation
Agriculture: 75%

Unemployment Rate: 40% (2008 est.)

The Land
Land Use:
Arable land: 8.01%
Permanent crops: 0.97%
Other: 91.02% (2005 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,030 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources: 30.2 cu km (1990)

Natural Hazards: drought and flood during rainy season

Natural resources: limestone, soda ash, salt, gemstones, fluorspar, zinc, diatomite, gypsum, wildlife, hydropower

(Sources: 2007-08 Human Development Report (HDR); 2007 World Development Indicators (WDI); UN World Population Prospects; FAOSTAT,CIA World Factbook)


Melissa Haley on last year's Journey

What is it like to go on a World Neighbors Journey? Melissa Haley shared her thoughts about her Journey to Kenya last summer in the July 2010 episode of Future Choices. The videos below show her interview with Fran Snedeker in a three-part video series. In parts one and two, Melissa tells about the success of Kitui, a village World Neighbors transitioned out of a few years ago. Enjoy!





To learn more about Work of Women mentioned in part three, visit www.workofwomen.org


Thursday, July 1, 2010

Excursion to East Africa


On August 1, 2010, World Neighbors supporters and staff will begin a 14 day journey to Kenya and Tanzania to gain a firsthand look at the work of World Neighbors in East Africa. Though these countries are poor economically, they provide a wealth of natural beauty, history, wildlife, cultural diversity and hospitable people.

World Neighbors is working to ease the burden of many families living in seemingly futile situations through an integrated approach to health, agriculture and community development. Many families struggle to survive, facing HIV/AIDS infection rates as high as 25 percent and farming on drought plagued land.

Throughout the journey, participants will share their perspectives of the "real" Africa many tourists miss, including care and treatment of AIDS and the implementation of drought resistant economic activities such as bee-keeping. A visit to the Masai Mara Reserve, one of the most popular game parks in Africa should prove for some exciting pictures and stories as well.

Check back each week until the trip for a profile on the work and people in East Africa!