DREAM FOR AFRICA - NEVER ENDING GARDEN PROJECT

April 13, 2006
Orion Hotel

Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I appreciate being asked to address this Dream for Africa group, not the first time I have been asked to do so. 

I want to tell you first that your presence in Swaziland speaks volumes about the will and determination of Americans of all stripes to contribute to an undertaking greater than yourselves—in the great tradition of community service, volunteerism and faith of good US citizens around the world. You are one of the good and honorable faces of America and I sincerely thank you for your service here.  In my almost two years in Swaziland, I am continually struck by its physical beauty, its beautiful children and its potential for economic development. Since the last country where I served was Iraq, I have been grateful for the relative peace and tranquility offered by Swaziland.  But the beautiful surroundings of Swaziland mask another reality: that of poverty, unemployment, hunger and HIV/AIDS. Swaziland has the world’s highest incidence of AIDS in the world at 42.6%. AIDS is killing Swaziland: some 20,000 died of complications of the virus last year, there are currently some 70,000AIDS-related orphans with the projected number of orphans up to 120,000 by 2010—in a country of about a million. That’s an eighth of Swaziland’s entire population--an astounding statistic. I visited a school last week in rural Swaziland and of 540 students, 360 of them were orphans. There are similar statistics in many schools throughout Swaziland and rural communities where whole generations are missing. Thousand of families are headed by an aging grandmother or by orphans themselves. Life expectancy is 33 years and falling. Swaziland is in trouble.

There is the equivalent of the SE Asian tsunami that is happening every month in Swaziland and unlike SE Asia it is happening outside the glow of the TV cameras and without the presence of the TV talking heads.

I recall the relentless the news coverage of Iraq—which made no provision for the good news---and which was my life for 15 months.  There was unceasing media coverage of, say, attacks on convoys or IEDs.  But there is so much less coverage of AIDS here perhaps because, unlike car bombs, AIDS make no noise and is the silent killer away from the glare of television. 

Swaziland has miles to go in order to begin to conquer HIV/AIDS.  First, it must treat this national emergency with the urgency and priority it deserves.  So many parts of the government’s response remain weak and ineffectual. Prevention programs—especially through effective behavior change messaging reflecting the ABC message of abstinence, being faithful to one’s partner and consistent condom use--- must be improved and spread. Better yet, good examples and messages from government would be a good start.

Human capacity development programs must be increased. Systems for procurement and service delivery within the MOH must be improved. Programs for tens of thousands of Swaziland’s orphans need to be increased and given emphasis. Stigma in testing must be overcome. The national response to TB—HIV’s most widely spread associated disease to AIDS—must also be made more effective.

On our part, the US is firmly dedicated to aiding Swaziland to respond to the
HIV/AIDS crisis—this is officially our highest priority here. We have 5 USG agencies working in Swaziland on HIV/AIDS—including USAID/CDC, the Depts of Labor & Defense and the Peace Corps which has PCVs in rural Swaziland communities working entirely on AIDS programs. Our bilateral funding total of some $7.1 million per year continues to grow and the USG contribution to the Global Fund is a third of the total provided worldwide, putting the contribution to GF programs in Swaziland at about $20m.

So, the USG is determined to do our share on AIDS in Swaziland---hopefully more—and increasing the funding and effectiveness of our programs is, as I say, our highest priority in this country. The money needed is not insignificant nor is the effort from everyone to assure that these funds are used as effectively as possible. But there is hope—as we work together to turn hope into progress and progress into real results.

A final word to the young volunteers participating in this important program—some of you are overseas or in the developing world, or in Africa for the first time. As you consider what to do with as your life’s work, consider work where you can make a difference to the lives of people overseas.  Our world needs more understanding, better health, democracy, economic development and faith, backed and bolstered by the good works of capable men and women. There are many ways to make this happen.  Thank you again for asking me to be here.