ALLENTOWN, SIERRA LEONE–Since March of 2014, more than 26,000 Africans in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone have contracted Ebola Virus Disease (EVD)––an imperialist imposed virus––which in this recent period has claimed the lives of more than 11,000 African men, women and children.
Ebola is an infectious and generally fatal disease marked by fever and severe internal bleeding. It is spread through direct contact with infected bodily fluids.
Because of the imperialist theft of Africa's resources, there is almost no infrastructure to speak of––health or otherwise––in the Ebola-affected states. This results in the rapid spread of the disease in the region.
Similar to Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, the West African Ebola epidemic highlights the vulnerable position Africans are in.
As Africans, we are a people without a government of our own to protect and defend the lives and interests of the masses of African working people, as opposed to the interests of the colonizers.
As seen in New Orleans and Haiti, international charities like the Red Cross mobilized quickly to collect billions of dollars in the name of our suffering people, but moved slowly and inadequately to actually confront the virus. This contributed to thousands of unnecessary deaths.
Unlike during Hurricane Katrina and the Haiti earthquake, however, African people have achieved a limited but growing capacity to respond to crises that affect us.
The All African People's Development & Empowerment Project (AAPDEP), is an African-lead non-profit and the development arm of the Uhuru Movement.
AAPDEP organizes agricultural, health care and educational initiatives in Africa and African communities around the world.
Project Black Ankh Details
With an organizational presence in Sierra Leone since 2008, AAPDEP was in a unique position to develop an African Internationalist response to the Ebola epidemic: Project Black Ankh.
Project Black Ankh is focused on reversing deep social and cultural impacts of the Ebola virus, issues that––as organizers––we are concerned about.
Features of the project include:
1. The training of 40 community health workers in the identification and prevention of EVD, as well as psychosocial counseling techniques.
2. Providing resources and support for communities working toward the positive reintegration of Ebola survivors and their families.
3. Community outreach through radio discussions, community drama and jingles as a means of spreading awareness of Ebola and bringing the message of inclusion of eEbola survivors and their families.
4. Material support for 40 EVD survivors and their families in the Lungi, Allentown and Jui communities. The items distributed include food, water, medicines and sanitary supplies.
When asked about the significance of Project Black Ankh, Fenty Tholley, Chair of the African People's Socialist Party Sierra Leone had this to say:
“Despite the wealth of natural and human resources in Sierra Leone, the average person, even before Ebola, lived on less than $1 a day. People survived by working together and living collectively. Now, we find it hard to even mingle with each other.
"Ebola survivors and children who are now orphans because of the disease face stigma and are having a difficult time being accepted by their communities due to fear. AAPDEP is working very hard to turn this around.”
To donate to Project Black Ankh or to join AAPDEP and contribute your skills to this effort, please visit us at www.developmentforafrica.org or email us at info@developmentforafrica.org.
Smash Ebola!
Build Project Black Ankh!
Join AAPDEP today!
