African Activist Archive

Funding appeal by Jennifer Davis, saying The Africa Fund can support innovative programs that come to grips with problems of lack of development in rural areas, medical and educational needs, and people scarred by the horrific political violence. People on the cutting edge often need quick grants, made without elaborate red tape, so they can start relieving suffering. One such person is Fr. Michael Lapsley, an Anglican priest who lost both hands to a parcel bomb planted in a religious magazine which he was an ANC Chaplain in Zimbabwe. An Africa Fund grant has helped him start a Trauma Center in Cape Town for victims of torture and political violence. The Center has put together a staff of over 40 volunteer psychologists, doctors, nurses, social workers, physical therapists, and community workers. Davis saw new organizations that The Africa Fund would like to help not only in South Africa, but in Namibia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, where she went after the inauguration of President Nelson Mandela. Davis comments that U.S. policy and aid will go a long way to either make or break the countries in southern Africa. In Zimbabwe, the U.S.-dominated World Bank caused children to go hungry. Since independence, the Zimbabwean government has put aside some grain from each harvest against a crop failure, but the Bank forced them to sell their entire grain reserve to reduce the foreign debt. Then drought hit, and there was no corn on hand to feed people in need, and the government was forced to buy as much corn as it could afford at inflated prices. The Africa Fund is working to ensure that this is not repeated in other countries. The Africa Fund is mobilizing to ensure that Africa is not shut out of the new foreign aid bill. Senators are saying they can remember this kind of grass roots support for aid to Africa.

African Activist Archive

[Dear Friend of The Africa Fund, I have just returned from South Africa where I served as an election monitor and then had the privilege of attending both the ANC victory party and President Mandela's inauguration.]

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