AJF:Newsletter[quarterly]"Africa NOW" No.88

Africa Japan Forum (AJF) works with African People for African People's better life.

Africa NOW No.88

Issued on July 31, 2010 by Africa Japan Forum (AJF)

Special Topic : Empowering children through sports

The 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa also served as a kickoff for introducing activities of African top athletes to Japan. However, actually, sports culture in Africa has been spreading to other areas as well, unconnected to the World Cup. Roles of sports are grabbing attention, as sports are used as a means for people to empower themselves and grasp life skills in struggle or education support activities against poverty or AIDS. This special topic carries two reports: one activist supporting street children through surfing in Durban, South Africa talks about his challenges, and the other about his experiences as a sports coach in the project of sports activities for supporting orphans in Ghana.

pp.3-6 Sandile Cyril Mqadi's talk : Supporting street children through surfing in Durban
Umthombo, a NGO in Durban, South Africa, is promoting activities where former street children could play a central role in changing public awareness of issues of street children and its response in South Africa. Sandile Cyril Mqadi working as an instructor of surfing and life skills at Umthombo explained to us his activities for making street children get out of life on the street to be back to their family or the community without thinner sniffing, presenting them with such programs as sports or art.

pp.7-9 What is the possibility of sports for children in Ghana?, written by TANAKA Michitaro
Here's an experience report by TANAKA Michitaro who was sent to Ghana as a short-term volunteer of JOCV (Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers) and participated in sports activity projects carried out by a NGO, OrphanAid Africa. Referring to children's living conditions in rural areas in Ghana, he pointed out current issues on sports activities and what possibilities sports have for children's life and their growth there.

pp.10-15 Ethiopia: verification of hunger, aid and AIDS in the 25th year, written by HAYASHI Tatsuo
When mighty famine hit Ethiopia in 1984-1985, HAYASHI Tatsuo, current Head of AJF, joined urgent support activities as a member of JVC (Japan International Volunteer Center) there. In October 2009 when twenty five years had passed since then, the media, international institutions or NGOs issued a warning of draught and famine in Ethiopia again. Hayashi revisited a site for urgent support activities for the first time in 25 years, and checked if a similar catastrophe would happen again and how Ethiopian or global struggle against famine or infection such as AIDS changed during 25 years.

pp.16-18 On the spot in Africa: Nigeria and Lesotho, written by KAIDA Kiyomi
Many peoples have different lifestyles in Nigeria, however, their weddings have something in common. On the other hand, in a less-density city Lesotho, funeral services are held on every Saturdays. KAIDA Kiyomi who stayed in Nigeria for four years (2005-2010) and in Lesotho for two years (2000-2002) talked about weddings in Nigeria and funeral services in Lesotho, and how to enjoy strolling around the local market in Nigeria which could make us feel something familiar to Nigerian life.

p.19 Funeral ceremonies in South Africa,, written by KOYAMA Eriko
We often see tents for funeral services over the weekend in Township in South Africa. Even if persons died of AIDS, their HIV infection is generally kept in secret. KOYAMA Eriko concerned with care counselling for HIV-positive persons in South Africa talked about the death landscape which made a strong impression on her through her experiences in attending the funeral ceremonies, calling on the bereaved, visiting graves, or the like.

4th cover “Hitotsu no musubime toshite” ( “To readers” in English) and daily report
Information from the secretariat of AJF to readers.

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