a sobering thought at Christmas

Most of us think of Christmas meals as a time when we give in to temptation and eat too much. But spare a thought for too many people in Africa for whom Christmas is the one day of the year when they splash out and eat meat. The rest of the year they consume cheap, tasteless, starchy foods lacking in protein. They fill their stomachs, but there isn't much more to be said in their favour/favor. That is why we are keen to give chickens to the Rwandan women in our projects. Not only can the women sell the eggs produced and use the income to feed and educate their children; but they can also feed their chidlren eggs, improving their chances of developing into strong, bright teenagers. A chicken costs about £5 or $8, and it transforms a family's life chances.

statistics that matter

Save the Children, describing their work in South Sudan, report that a girl there has more chance of dying in childbirth than finishing primary/elementary school. They also conclude that only a quarter of people have access to healthcare, which no doubt contributes to the incredibly high rate of death in childbirth.

Looking at the rate at which young women die in pregnancy and childbirth is much more useful than using the UN's 'life expectancy' rates. They give only a national average, rather than an accurate picture of when the greatest risks occur. If a child makes it to 10 years of age, they'll probably make it to old age. Those first years are when malnutrition, lack of access to healthcare and malaria take the greatest toll. The chance of surviving childhood is also massively influenced by how much education the mother has had. All the more reason to be focusing on educating girls and young women.