2nd draft(5th topic)

The statistics show that America among other developed countries is ranked number one in dollar contribution to Africa. America is separated into two different entities when giving aid to Africa, the governmental and the individual people. The government has decreased their monetary support to Africa over the last few years. Several celebrities have increased awareness to the general public by their works. The African people have many worries to face through war, education, HIV/AIDS, diseases, poverty, and simple requirements such as drinkable water.

War is one of the factors that keep Africa’s troubles on going. Men and women are taken from there homes and are killed in their villages or many will leave their villages to walk several miles to neighboring countries for safety in refugee camps. Though in 1997, a Hutu armed opposition group attacked a refugee camp in Mudende, Gisenyi, and killed around 300 mainly Tutsi refugees. Thus, many places people think are safe are actually not. Making the few that survived left with little to support them selves with, including an education.

Education in Africa is not accessible for most families. For example the literacy rate in Burkina, Faso is only 12.8 percent. Illiteracy contributes to high unemployment and lack of resources to provide the essentials for their family. In urban areas fewer than 1 in 5 have electricity while in more rural areas it could be fewer than 1 in 50 without electricity.

Especially women and children have far greater worries than the average American. In Africa the percentage rate of street children is 15-20%. This is a high number due to many parents that died from HIV/AIDS. HIV/AIDS can be reduced in symptoms by the help of a potentially life saving antiretroviral (ARV) medication. Malaria and yellow fever also have a large impact on the people. To be able to protect one from malaria a mosquito net is a necessity. It protects the body from any infested insects. Though, this all factors in to the average African family not having enough money to pay for their needs.

Despite many hardships the people of Africa have to encounter many celebrities and the people of the United States have helped. Examples include Oprah Winfrey, Doctors Without Borders, The Carter Center, and the UN World Food Program. Oprah Winfrey has just opened a school to educate the young girls of South Africa; she opened it January of 2007. Doctors Without Borders is when health professionals volunteer to provide essential medications to people. Former President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn help refugees go back to their home country through The Carter Center, which was founded in 1982. The UN World Food Program feeds an average of 90 million people in more than 80 countries including works in Africa.

Even though the American government has not contributed recently as much as it has in previous years, there still is a difference being made. This not only includes celebrities but private organizations as well. Hopefully, within the next years awareness among the people will grow to help more people in Africa that are in need.