Category: Africa

Source: Africa Press Organisation – English

The Provincial Treasury (PT) is committed to creating opportunities for young people to access tertiary education and to address critical skills shortages in the fields of Economics, Accounting, Finance and Auditing.

Provincial Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities, Mireille Wenger, said, “I am excited to announce that applications for the Western Cape’s Provincial Treasury bursaries for the 2024 academic year are now open. I encourage young people with a passion for economics, accounting, auditing and even data science to apply now.”

Bursaries are available to Grade 12 learners and post- and undergraduate students interested in pursuing careers in:

• Economics
• Finance
• Accounting & Auditing
• Supply Chain Management
• Built Environment and Project Management (preferably Construction Economics/Management; Population Studies; Transport Economics or related courses)
• Information Sciences, Data Science and Statistics

To qualify for a full-time bursary from the Provincial Treasury, the following requirements apply:

• Be a South African citizen who resides in the Western Cape;
• Be between 17 and 35 years’ old;
• Obtained an average of 65% or higher for the previous year of study at high school or university;
• Not in receipt of any other bursaries or state funding; and
• (if a postgraduate applicant) already obtained a B. Degree within one or more of the targeted fields of study

Applications close on 15 September 2023. All prospective applicants can apply on the Provincial Treasury website here – https://www.westerncape.gov.za/provincial-treasury/bursaries-ca-academy/bursaries 

“The Western Cape Government is deeply committed to creating pathways for our young people to acquire the skills they and we, as the public service, need to succeed. This is also one of our Priority Focus Area’s of our new and bold economic action plan, ‘Growth For Jobs’, which understands that if we do not put the work in now to create a better fit between the needs of businesses and the available skills programmes,  we will not be able to achieve our ambitious target of a trillion-Rand economy in which people have access to the opportunities they need to prosper,” concluded Minister Wenger.

Source: Africa Press Organisation – English

Despite the Western Cape Government subsidising holiday security at 436 schools over the June/July holidays, our schools have unfortunately once again been targeted by criminals during this period.

Incidents of burglary and vandalism were reported by 38 schools during the holidays, mainly concentrated in the metro education districts. Thankfully only one of the incidents was considered major.

Items stolen or damaged ranged from water piping to windows, cables to computers, fencing to fire safety equipment, stationery to security gates, and numerous other items. The cost of replacing and repairing these is still being calculated, and will divert funding away from the essential task of educating our learners.

While the number of schools reporting incidents is a decrease from the 42 schools affected in the same holiday period in 2022, the number of incidents remains unacceptably high, and negatively affects our children’s education.

Recently, the theft of water pipes at Crystal High School resulted in a large portion of the school being flooded, forcing the school to close temporarily.  An entire group of learners had their teaching and learning time disrupted, despite us being able to accommodate them at another school while the water was drained.

At a time when we are providing extra classes to get our children #BackOnTrack, we simply cannot afford to have normal teaching and learning time disrupted by criminals targeting school property.

Someone, somewhere, knows who the perpetrators of these crimes are.

Someone, somewhere, will be offered the goods stolen from our schools.

We appeal to the public to report any details about these crimes, not matter how small, to the South African Police Services (SAPS) immediately, so we can shut down the criminal economy that is preying on our schools.

Source: Africa Press Organisation – English

Merck Foundation (http://www.Merck-Foundation.com) to mark a milestone of providing 126 scholarships to doctors in 39 critical specialties during their annual Alumni Summit – Celebrating  their legacy of transforming patient care landscape in Zambia; Merck Foundation Zambia Alumni Summit and Merck Foundation Awards Ceremony 2023 were conducted in Zambia chaired by Zambia First Lady and Merck Foundation CEO, Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej; Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej acknowledged Zambia First Lady for her great efforts as Ambassador of “More Than a Mother” Campaign; Merck Foundation CEO and Zambia First Lady announced the Call for Applications for 2 categories of 2023, that includes 8 Awards for Media, Musicians, Fashion Designers, Filmmakers, Students, and new potential talents in these fields. They also awarded past Award Winners; Merck Foundation launched their first Animation Story “Sugar Free Jude” with the aim to promote healthy lifestyle and raising awareness on the early detection and prevention of Diabetes.

Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany met and awarded H.E. Mrs. MUTINTA HICHILEMA, The First Lady of Republic of Zambia for her efforts as the Ambassador of “Merck Foundation More Than a Mother” to build healthcare capacity, break infertility stigma, and support girl education in the country, during the Merck Foundation Zambia Alumni Summit and Awards Ceremony held in Lusaka.

Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and President of “More Than a Mother” Campaign emphasized, “It was a great honor to meet my dear sister, H.E. The First Lady of Republic of Zambia and the Ambassador of “Merck Foundation More Than a Mother” to discuss our long-term partnership, celebrate our great achievements and mark an important milestone of success and impact of our programs. I am very happy to share that we have together provided 126 scholarships to Zambian doctors in 39 critical and underserved medical specialties like Diabetes, Endocrinology, Oncology, Fertility, Embryology, Gastroenterology, Respiratory Medicine, Cardiology, Clinical Psychiatry, Dermatology, Emergency and Resuscitation Medicine, Infectious diseases, Obesity and Weight Management, Pain Management and more.

I am also excited to share that we have provided scholarships to 21 young Zambian girls to help them to continue their education.

Moreover, we also launched Merck Foundation’s first animation story “Sugar Free Jude”. I am sure that our animation movie will prove to be very beneficial in promoting healthy lifestyle and raising awareness on the early detection and prevention of Diabetes, in a very entertaining way.”

H.E. Mrs. MUTINTA HICHILEMA, The First Lady of Republic of Zambia and the Ambassador of “Merck Foundation More Than a Mother” expressed, “I am very happy to meet and welcome Merck Foundation CEO and her team in our country. We have made a significantly progress in a very short time. Together, we are transforming the patient care in the country by building healthcare capacity by providing 126 scholarships to our local doctors. It is a history in the making.

Moreover, I am very happy that through Merck Foundation Educating Linda program we are supporting girl educating by providing 21 scholarships to young Zambian girls to cover their tuition fees of nursing schools and health sciences universities. This program is very close to my heart and very important pillar of my office strategy, as I strongly believe in girl education which faces many challenges, and also women education specially in science and technology where they are under-represented.”

Out of the total 126 scholarships provided in Zambia, Merck Foundation has provided 46 scholarships to doctors for Fertility, Embryology and Sexual & Reproductive Medicine.

51 scholarships have been provided for Diabetes, Cardiology, Endocrinology and Obesity & Weight Management. After completion of the course, these doctors will be able to establish diabetes or hypertension clinics their Health Centre or Hospital with the aim to help prevent and manage the disease in their own communities.

10 scholarships have been provided to Zambian doctors for Oncology. Merck Foundation and The First Lady of Zambia are together transforming the cancer care in the country.

Moreover, Merck Foundation has also provided 19 scholarships to Zambian doctors for other critical and underserved specialties like Gastroenterology, Respiratory, Clinical Psychiatry, Dermatology in Clinical Practice, Pain Management, Respiratory Medicine, Emergency & Resuscitation Medicine, and Infectious diseases.

Merck Foundation CEO and The First Lady of Zambia also met and acknowledged the Merck Foundation Alumni and Winners of their awards, from Zambia.

Senator, Rasha Kelej said, “It was a pleasure meeting and acknowledging our Merck Foundation Alumni who graduated to become the future healthcare experts of Zambia. It was also lovely meeting and acknowledging Merck Foundation Media and Fashion Awards 2022. We also met our past winners. All winners are our health and social champions.”

Moreover, Merck Foundation Health Media Training was also held for the journalists, to emphasize on the important role that media plays to influence society to create a cultural shift with the aim to address wide range of social and health issues such as: Breaking Infertility Stigma, Supporting Girl Education, Women Empowerment, Ending Child Marriage, Ending FGM, and/ or Stopping GBV at all levels; to underscore the importance of Empowering Girls and Women in Education and to understand the Influence of infertility stigma and other social issues like GBV, Child Marriage, FGM etc. on women and couples – Social and Psychological Impact. Apart from this, the media training also included a session on the importance of increasing the awareness of early detection and prevention of Diabetes and Hypertension. The training session was addressed by prominent Medical and Media Experts.

Moreover, Merck Foundation CEO together and The First Lady of Zambia launched and signed together four children’s storybooks titled: “Jackline’s Rescue” to emphasize on the importance of empowering girls through education, “Not Who You Are” to teach boys to love and respect their future wives and eliminate domestic violence, “Ride into the Future” to emphasize on the importance of empowering girls through education and “Sugar free Jude” to promote a healthy lifestyle and raise awareness on the early detection and prevention of Diabetes. Thousands of  copies of these storybooks are going to be distributed to school students of Zambia.

Winners from Zambia in partnership with The First Lady of Zambia, H.E. MUTINTA HICHILEMA & Ambassador of Merck Foundation “More Than a Mother” are:

Merck Foundation “More Than a Mother” Media Recognition Awards 2022

• Jessie Ngoma, Times of Zambia (Print – Second Position)
• Muuba Gabriel Josias, Radio Musi-O-Tunya (Radio – Second Position)
• Eva Hatontola Chanda, Radio Christian Voice (Online – Second Position)
• Lucy Nambela,  Capital FM (Radio – Third Position)
• Henry Ngosa,  Prime Television Zambia (Multimedia – First Position)
• Mushota Mpundu, Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) (Multimedia – Second Position)

Merck Foundation “More Than a Mother” Fashion Awards 2022

• Chanda Chola

Merck Foundation “Diabetes & Hypertension” Fashion Awards 2022

• Nelly Banda
• Chewe Manase

Merck Foundation “More Than a Mother” Media Recognition Awards 2021

• Eva Hatontola Chanda, Radio Christian Voice (Online – Third Position)
• Prudence Chibale Siabana, Radio Phoenix (Radio – First Position)

Merck Foundation “Mask Up with Care” Media Recognition Awards 2021

• Effie M. Mphande, Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (Multimedia – FIRST Position)
• Prudence Chibale Siabana, Radio Phoenix (Radio – FIRST Position)

Merck Foundation “More Than a Mother” Fashion Awards 2021

• Kasonde Makangila
• Gibstar Makangila jr

Merck Foundation “Make Your Own Mask” Fashion Awards 2021

• Tepwanji Mpetemoya & Mwiche Songolo
• Linda Ngwira

The following winners of past editions of Merck Foundation Awards were recognized:

Merck Foundation “More Than a Mother” Media Recognition Awards 2020

• Jessie Ngoma –Simengwa, Times of Zambia (Print – FIRST Position)
• Effie Mphande, Zambia Broadcasting Corporation Radio (Multimedia – FIRST Position)
• Josias Muuba, Radio Musi-O-Tunya (Radio – FIRST Position)

Merck Foundation “Stay at Home” Media Recognition Awards 2020

• Henry Sinyangwe – Zambia Daily Mail (Print – FIRST Position)
• Violet Mengo – Zambia Daily Mail (Print – SECOND Position)
• Prudence Siabana – Radio Phoenix (Radio– THIRD Position)

Merck Foundation “More Than a Mother” Fashion Awards 2020

• Nelly Banda
• Ruth Chimbala
• Cecilia Njobvu
• Linda Ngwira
• Naomi Soko
• Gibstar Makangila
• Kasonde Makangila

Merck Foundation “More Than a Mother” Media Recognition Awards 2019

• Ngoma –Simengwa, Times of Zambia (Print)
• Regina Kalinde, Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (Multimedia)

Merck Foundation “More Than a Mother” Fashion Awards 2019

• Kasonde Nkole
• Varinder Kaur Virdy
• Gibstar Makanglia
• Kasonde Makanglia
• Chimwemwe Kalirani     
• Saandime Shisholeka  

Merck Foundation also announced the Call for applications for their 8 important awards in partnership with The First Lady of Zambia for Media, Musicians, Fashion Designers, Filmmakers, students, and new potential talents in these fields. Details of the awards below:

1. Merck Foundation Africa Media Recognition Awards “More Than a Mother” 2023: Media representatives and media students are invited to showcase their work to raise awareness about one or more of the following social issues such as: Breaking Infertility Stigma, Supporting Girl Education, Women Empowerment, Ending Child Marriage, Ending FGM, and/ or Stopping GBV at all levels.

Submission deadline: 30^th September 2023. Click here (https://apo-opa.info/40MAi5e) to view more details.

2. Merck Foundation Film Awards “More Than a Mother” 2023:

All African Filmmakers, Students of Film Making Training Institutions, or Young Talents of Africa are invited to create and share a long or short FILMS, either drama, documentary, or docudrama to deliver strong and influential messages to address one or more of the following social issues such as: Breaking Infertility Stigma, Supporting Girl Education, Women Empowerment, Ending Child Marriage, Ending FGM, and/ or Stopping GBV at all levels.

Submission deadline: 30^th September 2023. Click here (https://apo-opa.info/3zDx1sW) to view more details.

3. Merck Foundation Fashion Awards “More Than a Mother” 2023: All African Fashion Students and Designers are invited to create and share designs to deliver strong and influential messages to raise awareness about one or more of the following social issues such as: Breaking Infertility Stigma, Supporting Girl Education, Women Empowerment, Ending Child Marriage, Ending FGM, and/ or Stopping GBV at all levels.

Submission deadline: 30^th September 2023. Click here (https://apo-opa.info/3nVDAoj) to view more details.

4. Merck Foundation Song Awards “More Than a Mother” 2023 All African Singers and Musical Artists are invited to create and share a SONG with the aim to address one or more of the following social issues such as: Breaking Infertility Stigma, Supporting Girl Education, Women Empowerment, Ending Child Marriage, Ending FGM, and/ or Stopping GBV at all levels.

Submission deadline: 30^th September 2023. Click here (https://apo-opa.info/3ZKyUi9) to view more details.

5. Merck Foundation Media Recognition Awards 2023 “Diabetes & Hypertension”:

Media representatives are invited to showcase their work through strong and influential messages to promote a healthy lifestyle raise awareness about prevention & early detection of Diabetes & Hypertension.

Submission deadline: 30^th October 2023. Click here (https://apo-opa.info/40yUJTn) to view more details.

6. Merck Foundation Film Awards 2023 “Diabetes & Hypertension”: All African Filmmakers, Students of Film Making Training Institutions or Young Talents of Africa are invited to create and share a long or short FILMS, either drama, documentary or docudrama to deliver strong and influential messages to promote a healthy lifestyle raise awareness about prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension.

Submission deadline: 30^th October 2023. Click here (https://apo-opa.info/43c8poX) to view more details.

7. Merck Foundation Fashion Awards 2023 “Diabetes & Hypertension”: All African Fashion Students and Designers are invited to create and share designs to deliver strong and influential messages to promote a healthy lifestyle raise awareness about prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension.

Submission deadline: 30^th October 2023. Click here (https://apo-opa.info/41dRh0l) to view more details.

8. Merck Foundation Song Awards 2023 “Diabetes & Hypertension”: All African Singers and Musical Artists are invited to create and share a SONG with the aim to promote a healthy lifestyle raise awareness about prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension.

Submission deadline: 30^th October 2023. Click here (https://apo-opa.info/3KDU38v) to view more details.

Entries for all the awards are to be submitted via email to: submit@merck-foundation.com

Source: Africa Press Organisation – English

The Western Cape Cabinet today agreed to proceed with applying to the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) to have a provincial disaster declared due to damages suffered from the severe weather which affected the province from 14 to 19 June 2023.

Cabinet was presented with a consolidated damage report compiled by the Department of Local Government, Anton Bredell, Western Cape Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning said today.

After taking into account insured damages, damages not associated with the flooding, and the ability to reprioritise funding within existing budgets, unfunded damages have been calculated to be R703.3million, according to the cabinet report.  

“The declaration of a provincial disaster by the NDMC will allow us to approach the National Government for funding support, as the scope of damages are beyond the ability of the provincial fiscus, “Minister Bredell said.

 Unfunded agricultural damage of R500million is the largest amount, and of great concern to the province. The Department of Agriculture has reprioritised R18.6million to assist the sector. Commenting on the WC Cabinet’s decision to request the NDMC to declare a Provincial Disaster Western Cape Minister of Agriculture, Dr Ivan Meyer said: “During my oversight visits to parts of the West Coast, Cape Winelands, Overberg, I gained first-hand knowledge of the devasting impact the floods had on our rural communities.  The damage to agriculture irrigation, fencing, orchards, vineyards, crops as well as the damage caused by the removal of sediment upstream and which was later deposited downstream in the rivers and riparian zone was extensive.  The decision to approach the national government is therefore welcomed.”

Unfunded damages to provincial infrastructure have been calculated to be R18.8million.  The Department of Infrastructure has reprioritised R4.6million from its appropriated budget for the 2023/24 financial year to address immediate repairs to critical infrastructure.  Minister Tertius Simmers emphasized the importance of requesting the classification of a provincial state of disaster.  “The aftermath of the devastation of the floods still lingers and is there for all to see. Although we were able to reconnect our towns and reopen parts of our roads within days of the floods, the declaration of a state of disaster will assist in accelerating the economic recovery. The restoration of infrastructure will enable a seamless movement of goods and services to market as well as enable the commute of residents.  As a province that exports more than 50% of the country’s agriculture products, we must ensure that our infrastructure enables the sector to operate optimally. This will further ensure that the stature of the infrastructure is preserved and help mitigate future erosion.”

Unfunded damages to municipal infrastructure, after reprioritised budgets were taken into consideration was calculated to be R21.5million. This includes damages of R4.4million in Overstrand, R1.4million in Theewaterskloof, R350 000 in Swartland, R8million in Cederberg, R435 000 in Drakenstein, R5.6million in Stellenbosch and R1.4million in the City of Cape Town.

Minister Bredell said although the province should be grateful that our dams are full due to the heavy and widespread rain this winter, the flood damages should also be seen in the context of climate change and the understanding that future flooding and droughts will be of a more intense nature. “When we rebuild from this disaster, we need to ensure our planning and design is with our eyes on the future. Well maintained ecosystems, such as catchments and river courses that are clear of alien vegetation allows for better water retention, less erosion, and free flowing rivers that prevents expensive damage to infrastructure or possible loss of life.”

Source: Africa Press Organisation – English

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) raises a dire warning about the escalating food crisis in the Sudan. As conflict and economic decline continue to ravage the country, urgent and intensified humanitarian support for rural communities is urgently needed.

According to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase (IPC) projections, over 20.3 million people, representing more than 42 percent of the population in the country, are experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above) between July and September 2023. Compared to the results from the last IPC analysis conducted in May 2022, the number of highly food insecure people has nearly doubled.

With 14 million people facing Crisis (IPC Phase 3) and nearly 6.3 million people facing Emergency (IPC Phase 4) levels of acute hunger, the situation is critical. The states most severely affected are grappling with active conflict, including Khartoum, South and West Kordofan, and Central, East, South and West Darfur, where over half of the population is facing acute hunger.

The violence has resulted in the large-scale displacement of over 2.6 million people across the country and forced over 700 000 individuals to seek refuge in neighboring countries. Critical infrastructure, including healthcare facilities, power sources, and telecommunications, has suffered significant damage, further exacerbating food insecurity and malnutrition. Market disruptions and soaring food prices have compounded the population’s struggle to access essential goods and services.

FAO’s Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for the Near East and North Africa, Abdulhakim Elwaer, expressed his deep concern about the situation, stating, “The conflict has had devastating consequences on the food and nutrition security and well-being of millions of people. Families are facing unimaginable suffering, and it is vital that FAO is stepping in to support more than 1 million farmers this season to produce enough food for Sudanese people.”

FAO’s response

FAO’s response to the crisis has been swift and comprehensive. Despite the complex security conditions, the Organization has procured 8 840 tonnes of cereal (sorghum and millet) and okra seed, reaching more than half million farming households across the country with the support of the Government of the United States of America, Norway, Germany and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and the Central Emergency Response Fund. The emergency seed distribution campaign aims to expand to reach up to 1 million farmers in time for the planting season, ensuring sufficient cereal production to cover the needs of up to 19 million people for a year.

With the support of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), FAO became the first UN agency to reach West Kordofan since the conflict began. This milestone has facilitated access to North, East, and South Darfur, allowing FAO to broaden its assistance to vulnerable communities.

FAO’s efforts to combat the food crisis are hampered by limited resources. The Organization urgently requires USD 65 million to reach 1 255 000 vulnerable households (almost 6.3 million people) and provide agropastoral households with quality seeds and training for the 2023 winter and 2024 summer farming seasons; restore and improve access to milk for pastoral households; protect the livestock assets of vulnerable households through animal vaccinations; and provide fishing gear and equipment to support the livelihoods of vulnerable fishing households.

Looking ahead

The projections for the upcoming period from October 2023 to February 2024 paint a concerning picture, with around 15 million people likely to face IPC Phase 3 or above levels of acute food insecurity— the highest recorded figure coinciding with the country’s harvesting season. Greater Darfur, Greater Kordofan, and Khartoum State are expected to be the regions with the highest number of people in IPC Phase 3 (Crisis) and 4 (Emergency). During this period, millet and sorghum harvests are expected to increase slightly, which will help replenish household stocks, improve livestock health, and enhance milk production. However, this improvement may not be sufficient to meet the growing food needs, especially in states heavily reliant on rain-fed agriculture. The high cost of agricultural inputs (seeds, tools, fertilizer), labour and disrupted agricultural activities are threatening crop production and exacerbating the food crisis.

“We remain committed to supporting rural families in the Sudan during these challenging times. But this crucial work cannot be sustained without timely resources. Agriculture is a lifeline; and as the main agriculture season begins, urgent action is required to prevent further deterioration of the food security situation and to save lives and livelihoods,” said Hongjie Yang, FAO Representative in the Sudan.

FAO is on the frontlines working with local partners and the humanitarian community to provide lifesaving assistance to vulnerable rural communities in the Sudan.

Source: Africa Press Organisation – English

Responding to the publication of the FCDO’s ODA Equality Impact Assessment by the IDC, International Rescue Committee UK Executive Director, Laura Kyrke-Smith, said,

“The Government’s own assessment of the impact of reductions to its aid budget confirms what we already know: cuts have serious consequences for the most vulnerable and marginalized people in the world.

The International Rescue Committee has seen this firsthand in Sierra Leone, where our long-running programme to develop Sierra Leone’s health system was cut by 60% since 2021. In 14 hospitals and 92 community health centres, UK government support was reducing the number of preventable deaths, including women who die in childbirth. 3 million people were being supported. One of the leading causes of death in childbirth is hemorrhaging, and thanks to our work 84% of hospitals had sufficient blood stock to save women who experience this (up from 33% when the programme started in 2018). This means more women are now at risk of dying.

Britain should take great pride that its support has enabled IRC to save lives in Sierra Leone. But it has been in the UK’s interest too. For example, Covid taught us that infectious diseases aren’t contained by national borders. In a country prone to infectious diseases, a stronger health system is good not just for Sierra Leone but for the world.

Today’s stocktake of suffering must act as a wake-up call to the Chancellor: curb the diversion of foreign aid towards domestic refugee costs, set out a path to reinstate the aid budget in full, and make sure it reaches those in fragile and conflict-affected countries most at risk of being left behind.”