Virtual Tour: Tanzania

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Virtual Tour Tanzania
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Tanzania is located in east Africa and is known
for sites such as Mount Kilimanjaro, the islands
of Zanzibar and the Serengeti plains. It is also
home to more than 40 million people comprising
120 diverse ethnic groups. Over 75 of the
population lives in rural areas where small farms
produce the maize, sorghum, rice and cassava that
serve as the staples of the Tanzanian diet.
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Despite its natural beauty and bountiful
resources, Tanzania faces serious challenges.
Nearly 20 of Tanzanians live on less than a
dollar a day, recurring drought and poor farming
techniques cause food shortages, and HIV
prevalence stands at 7.
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To help address these problems, Catholic Relief
Services and its local partners directly serve
more than 600,000 Tanzanians. Primary programming
areas include HIV and AIDS, agro-enterprise,
microfinance, and peacebuilding.
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Currently 1 million adults in Tanzania are living
with HIV, and many have traditionally had poor
access to health care. To help these people
receive the services they need, CRS Tanzania
provides antiretroviral therapy, support to
children orphaned by AIDS and other vulnerable
children, home-based care to improve health and
encourage community support. These initiatives
include training in essential life skills,
disease prevention and ways to live positively
with HIV.
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AIDS is one of the largest and most complex
threats to human health. In 25 years, HIV has
infected more than 65 million people, mostly in
Africa. By 2010, it is estimated that 80 million
people will be infected and 25 million children
will have been orphaned. HIV and AIDS
disproportionately affect the poor and vulnerable.
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In 2004, CRS Tanzania began assisting orphans who
had lost one or both parents to HIV-related
diseases. Through the primary support of Church
partners, these programs now support 35,000
orphans and other vulnerable children. Services
focus on education, health and nutrition, shelter
assistance, protection, and vocational training
for older clients.
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Many children in Tanzania like, Sophia Nyoni,
have lost both their parents to AIDS. Through
CRS Orphans and Vulnerable Children program,
these children are able to complete school and
receive the training they need to find jobs.
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Committed to assisting other children orphaned by
AIDS, Sophia is using the computer skills she
learned in school to work on the Orphans and
Vulnerable Children database for CRS Tanzania.
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Your participation in Operation Rice Bowl
supports Catholic Relief Services efforts to
assist our brothers and sisters affected by HIV
and AIDS, including children orphaned by AIDS.
Your prayers, fasting, learning and giving in
solidarity with the poor will transform the
world. Visit our website to learn more about CRS
work in Tanzania.
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Tanzania