African Issues
Powerpoint
Ms. Spoerl
Modern Obstacles

AIDS in Africa

Child Soldiers

Conflict Diamonds (Blood Diamonds)

Genocide
AIDS in Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa is more
heavily affected by HIV and
AIDS than any other region of
the world. An estimated 22.5
million people were living
with HIV at the end of 2007
and approximately 1.7 million
additional people were
infected with HIV during that
year.
Areas of Highest Concentration
Southern Africa
 South
Africa
 Botswana
 Zimbabwe
 Zambia
 Namibia
http://www.aidsinafrica.net/map.php
Why is it so bad?

Education

Poverty / Contraception

Health Care

Infrastructure (Roads, Electricity, etc.)

Cost of Anti-Retroviral Drugs / Treatments

100% Fatal
Possible Solutions ??? Or
not???

Foreign Aid to Countries

Education Centers

Improved Infrastructure
Child Soldiers
Child Soldiers

The military use of children takes three distinct forms:
children can take direct part in hostilities (child soldiers),
or they can be used in support roles such as porters, spies,
messengers, and look outs; or they can be used for political
advantage either as human shields or in propaganda.
Child Soldiers

Child Soldiers are often subjected to extensive drug and
psychological abuse. This “brainwashing” ultimately
reduces them to intellectual slaves to their
commanders. They do not feel like they have the
freedom to leave.
Child Soldiers

Most children that are used in armed conflict are often
scarred for life, emotionally and physically. Often they
develop difficulty dealing with others and have little
understanding of proper social interactions.
Conflict Diamonds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOIUn0We12A
The History

Armed conflicts are expensive. In order to finance
revolutions, civil wars and sometimes local greed the
use of slave labor has been used to accessed the rich
natural resources of many African nations.
Conflict Diamonds

Western Africa

Liberia

Cote D’Ivoire

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Republic of the Congo
Conflict Diamonds

Forced labor is often used in mining.
Conflict Diamonds and
Child Soldiers

There is a distinct tie between Conflict Diamonds and
Child Soldiers. As the diamonds provide for the
economic resources needed by revolution and civil war
the children provide the human capital required.
The brighter side.

The continent of Africa is a rich and beautiful place.
Make sure that you remember that although it has a
number of issues and problems it is also the home to
many wonderful things.