APARA - American Pan-African Relief Agencies, Inc.

Reaching out to the AIDS orphans and vulnerable children in Uganda
War and famine refugees in Sudan
Economic empowerment programs in the Republic of Benin
Distribution of medical supplies in Uganda
Distribution of Medical Supplies and Treatment in Uganda.
Donation of Cash, Educational/ Administrative equipment to Charities and Schools in Nigeria, West Africa.( Watch out for detailed publications soon)

Since June 1999, APARA has been inundated with requests for help from African countries affected by war, famine, drought, and HIV/AIDS diseases. These African countries are among the poorest nations in the world. As a young organization trying to find its feet, it was not possible to immediately respond to their needs. The priority needs of these Africans are health care and medical supplies, food, economic empowerment through small financial grants to the needy and distressed, wells for clean and regular water supply, clothing, education, and better housing.

There is no single organization that can provide all the needed services, and APARA have established a strong working relationship with the African Christian Fellowship (ACF). The ACF was founded in 1976 in the United States by a group of African students many of whom are now successful professionals in various fields of endeavors. This relationship was a great blessing to APARA, as these African immigrants, who are very familiar with the needs of people from their former countries, are of great assistance to our organization in overcoming language barriers and reaching out to the people. Above all, these African immigrants are also assisting APARA by providing free professional services on regular, short-term missions, as most of them are Certified Public Accountants (CPA), Engineers, Architects, Medical doctors, Nurses, Pharmacists, and other health related professionals including teachers, etc.

In 2003, in response to the distress calls from the Pan-African regions, APARA, in partnership with the ACF, embarked on a project mission to Sudan and Uganda. Uganda is hard hit in terms of AIDS orphans and vulnerable children, while Sudan suffers with hundreds of thousands of refugees, as a result of prolonged inter tribal war, famine and drought. In Uganda, we visited Kigarama in Kabarole district in Western Uganda where the AIDS orphans and vulnerable children are most prevalent. In Sudan, APARA and ACF visited the refugee and displaced people's camp in Jeberawla. During this visit, relief materials such as food, clothing, medicines, medical treatment, etc. were provided to children and adult refugees.

The people in the areas we visited are living in abject poverty. Meager amounts of food to eat, only dirty and often contaminated water to drink, no medical and educational services and poor or no shelter. In short, they do not have the means to sustain their lives and they have no hope for the future. Looking at the videos and photographs we made during this visit, bring our eyes to tears as we think of the untold sufferings of these people. The destitute children from Uganda and the refugees from Sudan are traveling an endless circle of struggle and despair. The wanderer's song is their signature and longing for a better life is their ever present companion.

APARA is focusing on five essential human needs that are abundantly clear from our visit: Water, Food, Health Care and Medical Aid, Education, Shelter and support for the AIDS orphans and other vulnerable children and their families.

Health Care and Medical AIDS Relief : There are myriad causes of diseases and death in the poverty-stricken Pan-African regions where AIDS, war, famine, and drought-affected people are dying daily from lack of proper medical attention. APARA believes that many of the health problems in the region would be alleviated to a large degree by the establishment of charitable hospitals, and the provision of medical and pharmaceutical supplies to the affected people on a regular basis.

Water: The lack of sanitary drinking water compounds the already deteriorating health and terrible sanitation conditions. Contaminated water breeds disease and epidemic, which in turn produces unburied carcasses along fields and roadsides. The videos from the area show clearly the dirty and unclean drinking water available to these helpless children. According to the children we interviewed, the water seen in the video is from mosquito-infested pits. Anyone with a conscience needs to ask him or herself this: Is there anything I can do to help?

Shelter: To have a roof over one's head is something most of us take for granted. In our civilized world, it is usually when natural forces like fire, floods, hurricanes, earthquakes and volcanoes strike and wipe out people's homes, livelihoods and personal possessions that we understand the meaning of the word "homelessness". But when poverty, diseases, and war are the root causes of homelessness, then the issue of shelter becomes compellingly necessary and urgent. Click on the video to see for yourself the squalid huts where children are living and is the source or much illness and a cause of their hopelessness.

Education: A biblical scholar has said, "My people are dying for lack of knowledge". APARA believes that education is the bedrock upon which the cycle of poverty, diseases, and ignorance will be broken and is the foundation of any long term project, be it the building of hospitals, shelter, farming, water, irrigation, and/or the training offered to the local people. It is the avenue through which the region can achieve the goal of self-sustenance. From the video, you will see the frustrating conditions under which these children are learning. There is no infrastructure, equipment, or educational supplies. In 2004, we embarked on yet another building project mission to the same countries (Sudan and Uganda) to begin the implementation of the project buildings.

APARA/ACF's first building project seen in the video and photographs begun in 2004 will be called "Children's Center For AIDS Orphans and Vulnerable Children". Our goal is to attract the substantial financial contributions to complete this and other building projects. Major sponsorship will be honored by allowing them to select the name of the facility.

AIDS Orphans and Vulnerable Children: The most affected and hardest hit victims of this devastating disease are the growing numbers of children orphaned by AIDS. Most of these AIDS orphans can be found in Malawi, Swaziland South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Kenya, and Uganda. Some of the Ugandan children in Kigarama orphaned by AIDS can be seen in the video, as and photographs. These children have lost both of their parents to AIDS. The HIV/AIDS pandemic has struck millions of adults, leaving behind orphans, often left in the care of helpless older children or elderly grandparents who can barely take care of themselves. As a result of poverty and financial hardship, these children are forced to live on the streets, compelled into forced labor, while others, out of frustration engaged in prostitution to support their siblings. Some are rampantly abused and raped, like in the case of Ms. Joan, from Kigarama, Uganda,seen in the video, who was violently raped by her boss while serving as a domestic servant. Ms. Joan was pregnant as a result of the rape and had a baby boy- Ricky. She has no means of livelihood, and is taking care of the baby with help from good Samaritans and support from ACF/APARA partnership program.

The destitution and suffering of the AIDS's orphans and vulnerable children, victims of war and famine and drought refugees in the Pan-African regions, forces two important indeed critical questions into our thoughts: What can possibly be done about their suffering, and who will have compassion on them to relieve their suffering and make a difference in their lives? Will you or do you care enough to take action as you watch the video of the plight of these people as we saw it first hand? APARA and the ACF partnership are of the strong opinion, that those of us who have the means also have an obligation, or perhaps a deep responsibility, to answer these poignant questions with action.

Please send your generous donations and sponsorship interest to APARA. Also, child sponsorship and adoption in Africa are available through APARA/ACF partnership programs. And remember that all donations are U.S. tax deductible.

Your generous donations to help those in need can be made by credit card or e-check online through our secure website, or by regular mail using this form. We also welcome non-financial donations of medical, educational, computer and other supplies. Please tell us about your non-financial contribution using this form. All donations will be gratefully acknowledged for tax purposes.