Phil 4:6-7: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Africa is on the brink of crisis with rising food- and fuel prices caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The war between the countries is causing a delay in the supply of wheat, fertiliser and other goods, intensifying the problems Africa already has with the COVID-19 pandemic, extreme drought, climate change and more. According to the UN World Food Program, East Africa- with Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan and South Sudan are predicted to be hit the hardest.
African leaders are already having trouble to control rising inflation and collapsing of currencies.
This kind of stress, especially in urban, low-income communities can cause major tensions that potentially can spill over and lead to violent protests
Let us take hands and pray for the vulnerable people of Africa.
Let us pray:
- That the conflict in Ukraine does not worsen the food crisis in Africa.
- That Governments will make all efforts to alleviate food shortages and assist those in need.
- For peace, and that the tension and violence will end.
- For the leaders in our African countries to have godly wisdom to make good decisions for their people.
- That more counties will be able to produce more food in order to fill the gap in the food supply.
- That Ukraine will soon be able to start exporting their wheat and oil again.
- For our AE teams in the affected countries. Let us pray that in partnership with the church they will be able to show the people that HOPE is in God alone.
- For food for the hungry. Matt 25:35 – “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat.”
- For people to help in response to this crisis, sharing resources and urging others to do the same.
For the children affected with malnutrition, may God intervene.
Africa’s place in Global Christianity
Opponents of Christianity declare that it is dead. Despite their untimely celebration, our faith is very much alive. All over the world. In Africa, its pulse beats strong. In a continent that the world may have forgotten, God is weaving His redemption story.
More Christians now live in Africa than on any other continent. As of 2020, around 49% of Africa’s population identify themselves as Christian. From less than 10 million Christians in 1900, there are now an estimated 685 million Christians on the continent. Recent growth of Christianity in Africa is partly due to population growth, but also due to African-led evangelism.
African-led evangelism and discipleship is critical for the future of Africa’s faith. Christianity is not the only influence in Africa. Islam is advancing aggressively across the continent, and in many regions, syncretism of Christianity with traditional religions has marred the truth of the Gospel.
The continent with the world’s fastest population growth, and youngest population on earth, needs to be nurtured by an African Church that is strong in faith and sound in doctrine. For 60 years, African Enterprise has been a trusted champion of the African Church. Reaching across denominational boundaries, AE is passionate about equipping the Church for true evangelism and discipleship.
It is estimated that, by the year 2060, 4 out of 10 global Christians will live in Sub-Saharan Africa. As the Church, we are the body of Christ on the earth. It could be said that, at this moment in history, the beating heart of global Christianity is in Africa. If so, we would do well to remember our brothers and sisters there.
“All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.”
(1 Corinthians 12:27, NLT)
‘For I was hungry and you fed me’ (Matthew 25:35 NLT)
The COVID-19 pandemic has raised serious concerns about food security in Africa. From the start of the pandemic, it has been feared that economic recession, along with disruptions to food supply chains, would leave Africa on the brink of starvation.
Africa imports more food than it exports, and relies on countries like India, Russia, Cambodia, and Vietnam for staple grains. Fortunately, the initial pandemic-related export ban from these countries was lifted, and grain exports to Africa were resumed. During 2020, various African governments and organisations also took action to increase Africa’s grain imports.
But increased grain imports have not been able to compensate for the impact of the pandemic, which has reversed years of economic development in Africa. Widespread job losses have led to food insecurity. This has been compounded in some regions by ongoing conflict, locust plagues, droughts and floods.
As a result, over 100 million people in Africa are currently experiencing catastrophic levels of food insecurity.
100 million is overwhelming. But each one is an individual – with a basic human need to eat. And to feed their family.
Last year, beneficiaries of Ghana’s WIN project were equipped with the skills and equipment to safely process cassava into “gari” (flour made from the cassava root). Rachel Ohene describes how this vocational training project helped her feed her family during 2020’s COVID lockdown:
“This project could not have come at a better time than this. Little did we know that gari was going to become the food saviour for Ghana this year. African Enterprise, God bless you for your foresight. You came in at the right time to offer us the right job. May the Lord richly bless the donors of AE. Their generosity has been a mind-blower. I have decided to buy the raw material – cassava from the farmers in and around Akropong so that I can process it to gari with the help of the milling machine AE has provided. I know in the coming days gari will be in high demand.”
In 2021, AE is preparing to launch a vocational training program in Togo which will provide skills, seeds and equipment so that needy participants can start vegetable-growing businesses.
Because they were hungry. And Jesus simply told us to feed them.
Reflections on the hope of Africa’s youth.
Africa has the youngest population of any continent – nearly 60% of its population is under the age of 25. In a country like Niger, the average age is just 15 years! One of the main reasons for Africa’s young population, is the continent’s high fertility rates, combined with declining child mortality.
Having such a young population leads to both challenges and opportunities. Youth carries with it potential for innovation, creativity and productivity. But if the hope of youth is deferred, it can lead to restlessness and violence.
Africa’s young population could lead to a “window of opportunity” for rapid economic growth for the continent. However, unemployment is one of the biggest challenges facing Africa’s youth.
A recent World Bank survey found that around 40% of young people who join rebel movements, describe unemployment as their main reason for joining these groups. And disillusioned young people have been a source of political unrest in many African countries.
In the face of economic hardship and disempowering politics, many young people in Africa are at a crossroads. They are looking for direction and leadership. At AE, our hope is to present the Gospel in a way that is relevant to them. Our Foxfires youth programs share the message of Jesus, and provide role models that young people can relate to, while our vocational training programs provide youth with viable career paths.
Caroline Mutheu, assistant supervisor of the Foxfires youth programs, explains that,
“Bringing the love of Jesus helps youth make the right choices… And right choices affect our destiny.”
The destiny that God speaks over Africa is one of hope. The only hope that has the power to transform a young person – or a continent. Jesus.
“For you have been my hope, Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth.” (Psalm 71:5)
“The scientific community has set a new standard for vaccine development.Now the international community must set a new standard for access.” – Tedros Adhanom, WHO Director-General.
Global Health issues extend beyond national borders, and cannot be resolved by any single nation. This is obviously the case with the COVID pandemic. With the continual emergence of new COVID strains around the world, a global health approach is the only way to end the pandemic.
It is an incredible achievement that, within a year of the emergence of COVID-19, vaccines have been developed that, with rigorous testing, have been proven safe and effective. As of the 22nd February, COVID vaccines are being administered in 90 of the world’s nations. These include 57 high-income countries and 33 middle-income countries, but not a single low-income country.
COVAX is a joint initiative, led by the World Health Organization (WHO), that aims to ensure that COVID vaccines are shared fairly among all nations. Having raised US $6 billion (with a target of US $ 8 billion), COVAX plans to deliver more than 2 billion vaccine doses to 190 countries in less than a year. In Africa, 35 low-income countries will receive COVID vaccines from COVAX at no cost. In addition to COVAX efforts, the African Union has secured 670 million vaccine doses for Africa, to be distributed in 2021 and 2022, as countries secure their own financing.
In what will be Africa’s largest ever mass vaccination campaign, COVAX will start shipping nearly 90 million vaccine doses to Africa this month. The initial phase of vaccine deployment will enable the immunisation of 3% of the African population, starting with health care workers. By the end of the year, COVAX aims to vaccinate at least 20% of people in Africa.
However, COVAX shipments will depend on the production capabilities of vaccine manufacturers, as well as the readiness of countries. Recipient countries are required to submit adequate national deployment and vaccination plans, if they are to receive vaccines. In January, the WHO assessed African nations, on average, to be 42% ready for their mass-vaccination campaigns. Despite showing progress, much work is required for African nations to reach the desired readiness benchmark of 80%.
Health systems must be strengthened if COVID vaccination is to be rolled out effectively across Africa. However, it is encouraging to see current advances across all sectors, as the world comes together in the fight to eliminate the global pandemic.
Africa in 2021 – progress and challenges
Despite significant challenges, and persistent uncertainty, Africa has made extensive progress in recent years.
Since the year 2000, violent conflict in Africa has greatly declined. Data from the World Health Organization showed a 95% decrease in African conflict deaths between the year 2000 and 2012. Although localised conflict increased between 2012 and 2015, conflict is once again experiencing a downward trend in Africa, with the main persistent threat now that of militant Islamic groups.
In the last 10 years, 34 of 54 African countries have improved their governance, leading to significant improvements in human rights. Although some elections have been tainted by corruption, and new democracies challenged by autocratic leadership, generally, there has been a continent-wide push towards democracy in Africa. Democracy has contributed to the alleviation of African poverty, but in countries where it has stalled, economic progress has been hindered.
Overall, Africa has made gains in reducing poverty. With high economic growth rates in most African countries, the proportion of African people living in poverty decreased from 54% in 1990, to 41% in 2015.
However, due to rapid population growth, the absolute number of poor people in Africa has actually increased. Also, inequality means that economic growth does not always eliminate poverty for ordinary people. While the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim to eliminate all forms of poverty by the year 2030, recent estimates by the Africa Growth Initiative expect poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa to have reached 25% (at best) or 30% (at worst) by the year 2030.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on Africa’s economic growth. In 2020, Sub-Saharan Africa experienced its first recession in 25 years. Per capita income in the region decreased by over 5% in 2020, reducing the average individual’s income to 2013 levels.
It is difficult to assess the health impacts of the pandemic in Africa, as COVID testing remains low in most regions. Africa’s reported death rates for COVID-19 have been low, attributed by some to its young population. However, the pandemic has placed additional pressure on the fragile health systems of African countries, placing previous health gains at risk.
In 2021, the global pandemic has made life uncertain for all of us. But uncertainty is no stranger to Africa. Sub-Saharan Africa, with its 1 billion people, half of whom will be under 25 years old by 2050, does face an uncertain future.
However, in Christ, with your support and the partnership of the local church, Africa’s uncertainty is turned to hope.