Death of a Continent

As hunger and desease claim more lives,
some ask if Africa can be saved

AFRICA - At the dawn of a new millennium, the continent that some say witnessed the birth of the first human civilizations -- may be dying. As widespread drought, starvation and the unchecked spread of deadly diseases continue -- the numbers of people dying on a daily basis throughout Africa is staggering.

According to recent studies released by the United Nations, nearly 19,000,000 (19 million) people have died from AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa. More than 3,800,000 of those who have died have been children under the age of 15.

"The epidemic is claiming 6,030 lives each day," one report stated. "The number of those dying is expected to double during the next decade."

"In one country alone," the report continued, "one person in three is infected with AIDS. As a result, life expectancy in such countries falls dramatically. With the virus continuing to spread, life expectancy could fall to as low as 30 years old!"

In addition to the AIDS crisis, starvation is also claiming lives. One international relief agency recently discovered a village in a remote region of West Africa where more than 18,000 people were on the verge of starvation. "Malnutrition is so great in this area," a relief worker explained, "that most of the children under five years old had starved to death before we arrived. An entire hillside was covered with fresh graves of the children who had recently died."

"So many people here in the United States haven't been able to grasp the magnitude of the crisis facing African men, women and children," explains Fr. Richard Roy. Fr. Roy is director of the Missionaries of Africa's Washington, DC office. "An entire continent of people are in dire need of food, clean water and affordable medicine. That's why we are making more emergency appeals for relief . . . because this truly is a situation like the world has never seen before!" The Missionaries of Africa are currently providing emergency aid and other forms of relief to people in more than 20 African countries.

Saving a Dying Continent

What can we do ... when it is too late?

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA - As the death toll from AIDS, malaria, starvation and drought continue to rise throughout much of Africa, the region most affected by the crisis is the southern half of the continent, also known as Sub-Sahara. There, countries such as South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Swaziland are praying for a medical miracle to stop the scourge that continues to kill thousands of men, women and children every day.

But in addition to claiming thousands of lives every day, the plaque that is sweeping across much of the continent is destroying entire countries for generations to come.

In Zambia, for example, the number of adult teachers dying from disease is equal to the number of new teachers being trained. As a result, more than 100 schools have been forced to close for lack of teaching staff.

In Zimbabwe, Burundi and South Africa, the AIDS crisis is threatening to bankrupt these nations' healthcare budgets . . . and is driving healthcare workers to the point of exhaustion.

But amid all of these concerns, the most urgent is the children. Last year, more than 500,000 babies were infected with the disease -- and most of these cases occurred in Sub-Saharan Africa. Without sufficient, affordable healthcare, all of these children will die an early death.

"The children are our biggest priority," explains Fr. Richard Roy. Fr. Roy lived as a missionary for more than 20 years before returning to Washington, DC, to head the Missionaries of Africa's development office. "We are trying to focus on providing them with the medical care, nutrition, education and shelter they need to survive this crisis. If we can do this, then Africa will have a future."

"It will only be too late for the children when we give up on them," Fr. Roy continued. "As soon as we do that, then they have little hope for survival. You see, many of the children have no where else to turn for help. They have so little food, clothing, medicine . . . they need us for everything. That's why I am desperately praying that the people here in the United States will understand how important they are to the survival of Africa. Without our help, there will be no Africa. Its life, its beauty, its children will eventually die. In so many ways, the future of Africa is in our hands!"

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