CHALLENGE AIDS AND MALARIA IN AFRICA (CHAMA)

 
CHALLENGE AIDS AND MALARIA IN AFRICA  (CHAMA)

BY IBEM ONWUKA IBEM, MEDIA AID/PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER, CHAMA. 

WHAT IS CHAMA? 

CHALLENGE AIDS AND MALARIA IN AFRICA is an international faith-based MISSION ORGANISATION- with international head office in Canada and mission headquarters in East Africa that aspires to challenge the menace of malaria and AIDS, and cater for the total person through medical mission and education, sustainable grassroots development, project initiatives, rural evangelism and faith based counseling to interested and needy individuals in rural African hard-to-reach villages through the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and personal savior.
Our MISSION theme at any point in time remains, but seeks first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Mathew 6:33). Despite the increase in development assistance, the development process and its benefits largely
 continue to by-pass indigenous people. Although there are larger valuable charities in the development sector, rendering great services to the world, unfortunately, they tend to focus on city-centers and easily accessed locations. Unfortunately, many of the world`s most dire situations exist in the more remote and isolated areas that are seldom heard of. Tropical diseases such as malaria, dysentery and cholera, are known as poverty disease, disease that are preventable, treatable and curable. Malaria is not a difficult disease to eradicate. Yet, every 30 seconds, a child under five dies of malaria in the world. Clean water, education and anti malaria medication are all that is needed. Can you imagine taking your baby to the hospital and being told they will die because there is no clean water or no money to purchase anti-malaria medication? To those of us fortunate enough to afford it, this would be inconceivable. Yet to many parents in too many places in this world, this is a reality. According to UNICEF, every 21 seconds, a child dies from a water-related illness. More than 3.4 million children die every year from water related diseases in Africa – that’s almost the entire city of Los Angeles. Nearly all deaths, 99 percent, occur in the developing world, according to WHO, UNICEF, 2009. 780 million lack access to clean water – that is almost 2 and half times the United States population. Lack of access to clean water and sanitation kills children at a rate equivalent of a jumbo jet crashing every four hours, according to WHO, UNICEF, 2009. Ignorance and fear perpetuates the plagues of HIV and AIDS, and CHAMA works to educate people providing them with medical assistance and education on causes and prevention. CHAMA has come on board to bridge this gap, taking development directly to rural African communities in order to reduce these needless deaths in the needy African and third world’s remote rural villages that often elude development officers. Our top priority is service to humanity.
 OBJECTIVES OF CHAMA Our goals at CHAMA aspires to sustainably challenge the scourge of malaria in rural, hard to reach areas in Africa without access. Since malaria is not something out there to throw punches, we challenges malaria through the following projects and programmes through the name of JESUS CHRIST. Our mission motto is seek ye the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things (including good health shall be added unto you. This week, we shall be creating awareness by providing details of the accomplished objectives so far. For a start, the lists of our projects are below:
CLEAN WATER: To provide clean water to needy rural African communities. “Every minute at least one child dies from a water-related illness.”
SANITATION AND HYGIENE: To provide sanitary facilities (toilets) to needy rural African villages. “More people in America have a mobile phone than people have a toilet.”
BED NETS: To provide mosquito bed nets to needy rural African communities. “Bed nets remain the most cost-effective malaria control measure.”
 EDUCATION: To provide school for supplies children and trainings for teachers for better education to needy rural African communities. We also aspire to build small class room blocks (schools) to needy rural African communities where none exist. “Let us remember: One book, one pen, one child, and one teacher can change the world.” “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
MALARIA AND HIV/AIDS AWARENESS CAMPAIGN: To provide awareness and enlightenment campaign on malaria and AIDS to needy rural African villages where ignorance of the diseases remains high. “Ignorance is a curse that only consciousness raising can cure.” GENDER, WOMEN EMPOWERMENT AND SKILL ACQUISITION: To provide skills and trainings for youths and single mothers in needy rural African communities (including agricultural empowerment, and gender sensitization). “No nation can be free from any “disease” or develop when one half of it is discriminated against.” 
AND SKILL ACQUISITION: To provide skills and trainings for youths and single mothers in needy rural African communities (including agricultural empowerment, and gender sensitization). “No nation can be free from any “disease” or develop when one half of it is discriminated against.” SCHOOL NUTRITION PROGRAMME: To provide rich nutrition based breakfast programme for children in primary schools in needy rural African villages. “According to naturopathy, the real causes of malaria are wrong feeding.” 
MEDICAL MISSION: To provide medicine and total healthcare to children and seniors at risk of tropical diseases (malaria, diarrhea, dysentery, cholera, measles, simple surgeries, eyes defects) and other poverty diseases for rural African communities. "Missionary zeal does not grow out of intellectual beliefs, nor out of theological arguments, but out of love. Love needs no logic for its mission.” 
RURAL EVANGELISM: To provide rural evangelism by supporting prison and rural missionaries, providing faith based counseling to interested and needy individuals in rural African villages. “If you want to be respected by others, the great thing is to also respect their faith while helping them, not forgetting those languishing in the prison. Only by that, will you have cared for the total person.” 
WHAT WE DO: In partnership with local organization, 
CHAMA makes a biennial mission trip to targeted communities in Africa. During our mission trips, our volunteers work with orphaned and vulnerable children who have malaria, HIV/AIDS and provide them with healthcare, clothing, and food. In the local community, (Halifax Regional Municipality), needy migrants new to the area are given the resources they need to get settled. OUR MISSION: CHAMA reaches out the community in service and love. Recognizing the dignity and worth of every person, we pledge compassionate and practical action to challenge and overcome malaria, HIV, illiteracy, poverty, and injustice. We work to build a healthy, caring community where all people, regardless of national origin or religious persuasion, may live in harmony and freedom. 
OUR PROMISE: Locally and internationally, our goal is the same: to create equal opportunities for a better life for everyone in our communities. 
WHO CAN BE A MEMBER Any person, organization, churches, ministries, corporations, business or partnerships who subscribes to the purpose, vision, mission and values of CHAMA or any person that has suffered malaria, or is a malaria survivor or someone who is sympathetic of the innocent African children dying needlessly of malaria and AIDS and wants to make a difference, change the world shall be eligible to apply for CHAMA membership. 
Faith is not a requirement to be a member, rather a caring, loving and passionate heart of love to help the needy and make the world a better place. In order to be officially recognized as a bonafide member though, please, you are hereby advised to complete a membership application form and mission ID card. They are free to every committed member. 
CHAMA has branches in 12 African countries.