As we join the world in marking World Cancer Day, we call upon leaders in Africa to take action to address the continuing rise of cancer cases in our region. The situation has been dire for the past decade. It is time for decisive action to ensure that African people with or at risk of this disease have accessible and effective healthcare solutions. 

Believed to have been caused by structural and social determinants, cancer rates in Africa are consistently unacceptably high, affecting as many as one in four African people. As of 2018, the African continent accounted for more than 25% of the world’s cancer cases despite representing only 15% of the global population. These statistics are from African countries that lack the infrastructure and funding necessary to address cancer diagnoses effectively. There are also severe inequities in the medical and administrative services available to the African people. This inequity is unfair because they are facing the highest cancer burden globally. This burden creates an urgent need for medical resources and interventions to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer on the African continent. 

Therefore, African leaders must take an active role in addressing these issues and dedicate funds to help fight the cancer battle. African leaders must prioritize the physical and mental health of their citizens. For too long, there has been a lack of investment from national and international funders towards providing cancer services in Africa. This lack of investment must be addressed, as access to life-saving treatments should be a human right for all in Africa. African leaders must also ensure that cancer-related services are adequately provided to all members of their countries and make sure that these services are free of any gender discrimination. Additionally, an increase in public education and awareness initiatives is necessary to ensure that African citizens have access to information on the signs and symptoms of cancer, prevention techniques, and the treatment options available. 

As African Renaissance, we believe that the launch of the Africa CDC is a positive step towards improving public health in Africa by providing a centralized platform for disease surveillance, control, and response. The success of the Africa CDC will depend on various factors such as adequate funding, strong leadership, and effective collaboration with other organizations and governments. Africa CDC will address public health issues, including cancer in the region. Cancer is a growing concern in Africa, and the Africa CDC is well-positioned to play a critical role in addressing this challenge. This program could include initiatives aimed at improving cancer diagnosis and treatment, strengthening cancer surveillance and research, and raising awareness about the importance of early detection and prevention of cancer. The Africa CDC will work with African countries and other partners to develop and implement solutions specific to the needs and circumstances of each country and region. 

Additionally, African leaders should look to technologies that could potentially address the cancer burden on the continent. For example, mobile technology for house calls to the underserved, where there is often a lack of available medical care. It could also help in providing remote treatment and consultation services, which could potentially reduce the costs of healthcare services. 

In conclusion, as African Renaissance observes World Cancer Day this year, we urge African leaders to act to address the challenge of cancer on the African continent. This action can include dedicating and raising the much-needed funds to invest in life-saving treatments, providing adequate medical and administrative services to those in need, and utilizing available technologies to ensure that all African citizens have access to quality healthcare services. Only through a collective effort to ensure equitable access to cancer care can we begin to make a difference in the battle against the cancer epidemic in Africa. 

Dignity Kits are an invaluable tool for helping girls in African countries. Especially, for the girls that lack access to basic amenities and resources. By providing these girls with the tools and materials they need to maintain their hygiene, health and dignity, these kits can play an integral role in empowering communities and individuals in some of the world’s poorest countries. 

Dignity Kit distributions are an effective form of gender equality and empowerment. For adolescent girls and women in Africa, accessing basic water and sanitation supplies can be a life-changing opportunity. A lack of access to these resources can often leave girls and women feeling embarrassed, ashamed and vulnerable due to the lack of basic hygiene, health, and dignity. The social stigma associated with not having these resources can leave girls increasingly isolated in their communities and prevent them from reaching their full potential.  

Dignity Kits can also provide ongoing educational opportunities to girls in African countries by ensuring they have the essential items they need in order to attend school. By providing a girl with a Dignity Kit, she will have the supplies necessary to help her reach her educational goals. The kits contain basic water and sanitation supplies, feminine hygiene products, clothing, shoes and educational materials such as writing materials and textbooks. Thus, providing girls with Dignity Kits can increase their confidence, motivate their academic studies and help them to build a successful future for themselves and their families. 

In addition to promoting gender equality, Dignity Kit distributions can also provide a range of health benefits for girls and women in African countries. By providing them with access to basic hygiene and sanitation items, these kits can help to reduce the rates of hygiene-related illnesses, such as skin and respiratory conditions, which are common in under-resourced countries. Furthermore, providing girls and women with access to these resources can also help to reduce their risk of becoming victims of sexual assault and other forms of gender-based violence. 

Together with Biems House, we at African Renaissance had the privilege to talk to a few girls in Narok County in Kenya and one of the requests they had for us was to provide them with these dignity kits. It was an honor to take a trip back to deliver our promise to these girls. We were able to deliver a number of kits with additional kits for the boy. We believe that will small step will show our leaders that it is possible to invest a about five dollars for a kit that will give freedom to a girl for a few months. The confidence that the girls acquire from accessing these basic supplies will have a ripple effect in their future and the future of their communities.  

Having seen the importance of Dignity Kits distribution in Africa, we call upon our leaders and the governments around the world to make every effort to ensure that girls and women in these countries have access to the basic supplies they need to maintain their health, safety, and dignity. This could include increasing access to health infrastructure, providing more resources and education opportunities, and organizing more regular Dignity Kit distributions. In doing so, governments can empower thousands of girls in African countries to reach their full potential. 

Today, we mark the International Day of Education. This day gives us an opportunity as leaders in Africa to reflect on the progress made in education. It is the time to also set new goals for the future.

Here is a message from our Director, Ms Caroline Kwamboka N.:

On this International Day of Education, I would like us all to take a moment to recognize the hard work and dedication of our teachers and learners in Africa.

We have come a long way in improving access to education and providing opportunities for all children to learn especially for our girls and women. However, we must not rest on our achievements and therefore we need to remain committed to achieving true equity and inclusivity in our education systems.

Today, I call upon all leaders to redouble our efforts to ensure that all children especially our girls have access to a high-quality education, regardless of their background or circumstances. This means investing in our education systems. Therefore, we need to focus on our policies that touch on teachers, schools and providing resources to support students with disabilities. It also means addressing systemic inequalities and ensuring that marginalized communities have the same opportunities as others.
Let us also remember that education is not just about obtaining knowledge, but also about developing critical thinking, creativity and problem-solving skills. Education also shapes our future leaders and entrepreneurs who will shape the future of Africa.

To quote the words of our African hero Nelson Mandela, “Education is the great engine of personal development. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that the son of a mine worker can become the head of the mine, that a child of farm workers can become the president of a great nation. It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another.” 

This is a reminder that we have to make education accessible to all and let us build a better future for Africa together! 

As African Renaissance, we pledge to support our leaders to formulate and implement a policy structure that will give direction on the necessary steps to create an education system that truly serves the needs of all our citizens. 

Happy International Day of Education! 

Making healthcare accessible for vulnerable populations is an important issue that deserves a lot of consideration. Vulnerable populations are generally individuals who are at risk due to economic, social and health-related issues. These groups usually have limited access to basic health care due to a lack of financial resources, living in rural areas, or facing linguistic or cultural barriers. As a result, there is an urgent need for policies that promote equitable health care for these vulnerable populations in order to reduce financial and health-related disparities. 

Improving access to healthcare for vulnerable populations requires a multifaceted approach that considers both the individual and their environment. On a personal level, vulnerable populations require healthcare services and resources tailored to their specific needs and language. This may include providing bilingual doctors, providing health education and information that is culturally appropriate and relevant and offering mental health counseling and other support services that meet the needs of the communities. Additional attention should be paid to providing care to those with pre-existing conditions or chronic illnesses.  

On a broader level, governments should be encouraged to employ policies that expand access to healthcare services regardless of background or socioeconomic status. For example, governments can work with private health care providers to increase the availability of health care services in underserved areas, or provide targeted funding to improve access to care. It is also important to create policies that prioritize the prevention of illness especially non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like cancer, diabetes and high blood pressure. These could include establishing a public health system for early detection and treatment of diseases, nutrition education, and other public health initiatives aimed at improving overall health. 

Equal access to health care requires comprehensive strategies to promote good health and safety. Policies should be developed that use a multidisciplinary approach. These policies should include strategies for healthcare providers to develop effective communication techniques with vulnerable populations; proactive screenings, treatments, and preventative services; and supporting communities with culturally competent training and resources. 

In January 2023, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, inaugurated the new Headquarters of the Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) located at the African Village, south of Addis Ababa. During the inauguration ceremony, he mentioned that the African Union Commission and the Africa CDC along with RECs and Member States, having taking stock of the structural weaknesses that have characterized Africa’s health system, launched the New Health Order for Africa in 2021, which focused on strengthening public health institutions, public health personnel, manufacture of vaccines, action-oriented partnerships, and increasing national resources for health security. 

As a commitment from the African Renaissance we call upon our leaders in Africa to work towards making healthcare accessible for vulnerable populations. This accessibility is an essential part of promoting health equity. It requires relevant and culturally competent health care services and resources tailored to individual needs, as well as policies that improve access to care and prioritize prevention of disease. In order to ensure that vulnerable populations receive the best possible care, it is important to understand their unique needs, create effective strategies at both the individual and community level, and support government initiatives that foster health and wellness. 

The Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA) is a free trade agreement between three African Regional Economic Communities (RECs), the East African Community (EAC), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). This agreement creates a free trade area between 29 African countries, covering about 60% of the continent’s population and combining their total gross domestic product (GDP). This is will bring together about 626 million customers (approximately 8 percent of the world’s population). 

From Monday, January 23^rd to Tuesday, January 24^th 2023, trade experts from seventeen countries under the COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite Agreement met in Nairobi, Kenya for the Tripartite Trade Negotiation Forum (TTNF). The experts reviewed progress made on various key issues needed to make the TFTA operational and unlock enhanced trade and investment opportunities. This is intended to benefit the 29 COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite Member States. COMESA NEWS 

Policymakers ensured that the primary purpose of the agreement is to boost economic growth in the region and create a more competitive regional market. It aims to eliminate many of the trade barriers between these countries, such as tariffs, quotas and other restrictions on trade. This means that African countries will be able to take advantage of tariff-free trade, while businesses will be able to benefit from a wider variety of products. This could ultimately lead to more low-cost, high-quality products as well as improved living standards. 

The TFTA is expected to create jobs, increase income, and reduce poverty in the region. Increased trade and reduced trade barriers will lead to a larger flow of foreign direct investments into African countries. This can lead to the creation of new businesses and the expansion of existing ones, resulting in increased job opportunities and greater income for individuals. 

The TFTA also provides a unique opportunity for investment in technology and infrastructure development. By increasing competition between African countries, it may be possible to create an environment where smaller firms can access finance and resources more easily, thus making it easier for them to invest in innovation and technology. Furthermore, improved infrastructure will facilitate the smooth transportation of goods and services across African borders. This could ultimately lead to better economic growth and higher standards of living. 

Moreover, the TFTA will strengthen Africa’s relationship with other countries, creating an open and fair market for African exports. This could make the African market more attractive, resulting in increased foreign investments and access to global markets. This could result in more foreign currency entering the region, helping to strengthen and diversify African economies. 

As we prepare for the African Union (AU) Summit in happening in February 2023 at the AU Headquarters (HQ) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, let us keep in mind that the TFTA has the prospect of bringing numerous benefits to African countries. It can create jobs, increase income, reduce poverty, and encourage foreign direct investments. We as African Renaissance see the massive potential because it could improve infrastructure and technology and make African exports more attractive to foreign investors.  

We call upon the policymakers to remind our leaders as we meet at the AU HQ that we need to implement the TFTA. The TFTA will create an open and fair market that could significantly strengthen African economies. 

Every year, voices from around the world are heard calling for a future in which every pregnancy is desired. This call is loudest on World Contraception Day which is marked on the 26th of September.  

African Renaissance recognizes the importance of this day, especially for the women and girls in Africa. It is a day when we roll out campaigns to expand people’s appreciation of contraception. It is a day to inspire people to make well-informed choices about their sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and to exercise their sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).

Through Sustainable Development Goals 3 and 5 and the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) there is a global accord to end preventable maternal deaths. Sub-Saharan Africa lost 196,000 women and girls to maternal deaths in 2017 (UNICEF). 

It is a clear reflection of the inequalities that we face regarding access to quality health services. Our health systems are compromised to a level where we lose our women and girls to severe bleeding, infections, high blood pressure during pregnancy, complications from delivery and unsafe abortion. Our systems have to improve to safeguard the lives of our women. We need to provide education and SRH services that will safeguard the lives of our women and girls.

We call on parliamentarians to set laws and policies to protect the rights of choice. Every pregnancy should be desired and it is the responsibility of both the woman and man. The onus is equally on the woman and the man to choose whether or not to have a child. Modes of contraception are readily available for women and men. As African Renaissance, we call upon all people of reproductive age to consider a mode of contraception. Women and men need to embrace the modes of contraception that are available and accessible to them. 

We commit to continue the campaign to educate and provide access to contraception to all who need it here in Africa. 

Join us today from 10:00am (GMT) at the 1st AfWA Digital Congress. Caroline Kwamboka of African Renaissance will be taking us through a session on Tackling Gender & Social Inequalities to Advance Sanitation Rights. Register here: https://digitalevents.afwa-hq.org #GovernanceInSanitation

Every year, natural disasters affect billions of people; Millions go to bed hungry every night; Access to sanitary water is a bigger problem with each new day; More and more people are getting displaced every day. The people in the front line of the response to all these are humanitarians. They alleviate human suffering without regard to race, religion or territory.

On World Humanitarians Day, we take the time to recognise the efforts of humanitarians . This is because they also suffer and some are injured or killed in the line of duty. Their efforts save lives and help to preserve human dignity. The day is marked to raise awareness of how humanitarians try to make the world a better place.

As African Renaissance, we take today to celebrate the work of humanitarians on the African continent. Their work in conflict zones with vulnerable people, especially girls and women, is remarkable. We take their work as an inspiration to dedicate more effort to making Africa a place where people live in dignity. Their effort is a call to all of us to respond to the needs of the people who are in emergencies. 

We are committed to making policies that ease the work of humanitarians in Africa and the world. We salute all humanitarians! We appreciate that they show that one can do it alone – it takes a village!

The young people in African are the resource that has set the stage for the next phase of our Continent. These young people are at the leading edge of change. Their energy and ability to innovate makes them the unstoppable movement that will catalyze the African renaissance. 

The continent of Africa is banking on this generation to accelerate the rate at which we will achieve human rights for all. The capacity of active young citizens to bring positive change to the world is recognized. This clear “Intergeneration Solidarity: Creating a world for all ages”. It acknowledges the voice of the young people in Africa. This will help reach Generation Equality and foster collaboration between people of all ages.

We must tackle ageism! It is critical in our efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The plans we make must be gender-responsive and must be inter-generational. This will in turn ensure that the issues of ageism are dealt with and everyone is able to enjoy their rights.

On this International Youth Day, the African Renaissance commits to amplify the voices of the people with the focus of achieving gender equality, health equity, sanitation rights and social protection. We commit to continue the work that is accelerating active citizenry especially among the young people in Africa.

Africa’s strength is in its people!

We believe that for Africans to be healthy and strong, our continent needs to have sustainable food sources. We must have the ability to feed ourselves adequately. The last century saw a major shift in food production on the continent. We got forced into a situation where we did not eat what we produced nor produce what we ate.

As African Renaissance, we seek to support policymakers to build strong applicable policies to make this achievable. Through such policies, we shall ensure that agro-food systems are protected to enhance health and social protection systems to accelerate human, social and economic development.

#AfricaDay2022 #FoodSustainability