The international medical relief organisation Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) has started an emergency feeding and medical programme in Chipindo, in Angola's southern province of Huila, to aid 18,000 isolated people in severe need.

Sinethemba Children's Care Centre received a R60000 boost to renovate its dilapidated building. The centre cares for 30 Aids orphans, physically and mentally disabled children.

South Africa’s Nobel laureate launched his foundation in the United States, which is designed to work with universities nationwide to create leadership academies emphasising peace, social justice and reconciliation.

UK-based pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithkline has announced a donation of 100 million doses of its drug albendazole to treat lymphatic filariasis, also known as elephantiasis, which currently infects more than 120 million people worldwide. The company has promised to provide the drug for free until the disease is eradicated.

Funding has been made available to non-governmental and community based organizations to start up /expand residential and day care facilities for adults with severe psychiatric disabilities. Priority will be given to facilities providing for person from historically disadvantage communities and to those discharged from long –term psychiatric hospitals. Funding is for operational costs only and is not for building or purchasing of premises
For further details kindly contact Radisha Sukhla (27) 11- 355-3402 or
Lehlogonolo Rakate (27) 11 355-3351

The pandemic of HIV/Aids, and the poverty associated with it, is hitting children with a force no one foresaw, according to a new study. In Africa, in particular, it has already undone the achievements in social development of the last half century. Life expectancy has fallen by between 18 and 23 years in the worst affected countries; malnutrition has risen; immunisation rates have dropped; more than 13 million children have been orphaned by Aids, 95% of them in Africa; and four million children have died of Aids since the epidemic began. "These are shameful statistics for a world possessing such extraordinary wealth, knowledge and technological capacity," says the study, prepared by Unicef for this week's United Nations Special Session on Children.

Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE) with support from Ford Foundation will convene a meeting of East African researchers and activists working to promote alternative and transformative leadership. The meeting of 40 participants to be held in Uganda will review the existing forms of leadership and explore alternative and transformative modes of leadership and share strategies. The perspectives and experiences of the participants will be documented and disseminated widely in the region in order to strengthen institutions working in this field.

About 65 world leaders and delegates from more than 150 nations this week will take part in the U.N. General Assembly Special Session on Children in New York City, the Washington Times reports. The event, which will begin Wednesday and run through Friday, was orginally scheduled to take place Sept. 18, 2001, but it was postponed following the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon (Washington Times, 5/6). While HIV/AIDS was only a "blip on the world agenda" at the 1990 children's summit, it is expected to be a focus issue this year, Agence France-Presse reports, noting that the final document to come out of the conference should "have a clearer reference [to HIV/AIDS] than was possible in 1990."

At least 47 schools are unlikely to re-open today due to havoc caused by the heavy rains. The schools, in western Kenya, have either been cut off completely due to floods or have had classrooms and dormitories submerged in water.

Most Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) need to relate with their specific public such as Donor Agencies and development partners, in order to secure the necessary support for their projects. Among the tools to achieve this objective is their capacity to effectively budget, execute and transparently account for non-profit projects. The purpose of this Seminar is to help NGOs develop a more professional approach to project conception, budgeting and financial reporting which are critical to their project evaluation, implementation and sustainability. A selection of cases will be used to address these issues. Closing date for registration is June 11 2002.

Ethiopia has been awarded more than US $7 million as part of the Global Fund to tackle diseases, backed by computer billionaire Bill Gates. The award is part of a multi-million dollar package announced in New York recently, and which gives a large proportion of the money to African countries.

The value of the Border Community Chest in helping deserving organisations throughout its region was illustrated again on Tuesday when the distribution committee decided to make annual grants for 2002-3 of just under R200 000. It was agreed to allot R135 000 to organisations and R60 000 to food distribution.

The Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria on Thursday awarded its first batch of grants - worth $378 million - to fight the world's deadliest diseases in 31 countries.

JEP believes that young people have the inherent right to contribute to and be nurtured by South African society, which recognises and responds to the full range of needs and gifts of young women and men. The JEP is seeking a Training Co-ordinator.

Gun Free South Africa is looking for a person who has a passion for peace and against violence; who does not own a gun and is committed to remaining gun free at home and at work.

The Foundation for Human Rights is looking for a Project Officer, to be based in Pretoria.

RAU University offers a two week intensive study and completion of assignments leading to a certificate, recorded at SAQA, worth a quarter of an MA.

Learn How to develop and implement strategies in areas such as fund raising, income generation, volunteer recruitment, financial management, cross sector partnerships and media engagement.

Umhlaba Development Services is a development consultancy company providing a range of support services to NGOs, donors, and government departments. It is looking for a Financial Services Consultant.

The education minister says schools should not arbitrarily increase fee to unaffordable levels. He wants schools to take written permission from the government before any fee hike is considered.