We are lucky enough to be able to share with you some of the wonderful success stories coming out of Africa. The charity African Action on Aids is committed to improving the lives of African's touched by this disease, to support their children and families and to bring hope in times of need. This week we share in the story of how AAA is encouraging orphan girls to study nursing and why a good education can be a lifesaver.

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Why do we encourage girl orphans who wish to pursue nursing studies?

Because there is a shortage of 1.5 million health workers in Sub-Saharan Africa. Indeed people in Sub-Saharan countries, including Cameroon have little access to health workers and services. This shortage does not lead to AIDS and malaria eradication that have a huge impact on economic and social life. Many families live in remote villages, too poor to pay transportation to see a Doctor.

That is why AAA did not hesitate to support Cynthia Ade when she decided to enter Assistant nurse school after her GCE/AL. She just graduated after producing an incredible hands on community nursing report based on the work of her team in rural Nkambe - North West Region of Cameroon. The team visited 500 homes to:

* see the sanitation and living conditions of people;

* trace the causes of high level malaria in community;

* know whether Primary Health Care reaches everybody.

The team came out with a list of the 15 top diseases - with malaria and HIV/AIDS topping the list. They noticed that many homes have no toilets. They observed over crowding in almost every home - about 4 children sleeping on one bed. On this particular case they advised the populations on the disadvantages of many people sleeping on one bed, "for this facilitates the transmission of cough, catarrh, rashes etc."

On AIDS, they noted that "Some people know nothing about HIV/AIDS; others knew but were doing nothing about its prevention. So we educated them on what HIV/AIDS is, how it is being transmitted, the effects or outcome of the disease and how to prevent it. We also educated them illustratively how to use condoms"

After receiving Cynthia's report, we exchanged views with her and she said that on HIV/AIDS, most of her knowledge came from the annual training she received from AAA. So we would like to conclude this highlight by quoting these words of Princess Naha Meryem of Morocco to Mrs. Clinton on 29 March 1999: "What is important is not the world we leave to our children, but the kind of children we will leave to the world."

To all who contributed to Cynthia's education, we say thank you for providing a competent Health Worker to Rural Africa !

Sending orphans to school is a multi dimensional activity. It is based on an important value: Orphans are part of our common future. They are not second class children. We must fully take care of them.

See pictures and Cynthia's letter to her future child here.

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A Chance To Go To School

According to UNESCO, there are 18 million girls out of school in sub-saharan Africa alone. Many of them are orphan girls with disabilities. AAA is working to change that through implementing a strategy to provide economic and financial autonomy to young women through education. See more here.