Angola

Angola, a country with a turbulent past but a promising future!

Angola is a fertile country in Southwestern Africa. The country borders Namibia to the south, Congo to the east and Cameroon to the north. Angola is connected to the Atlantic ocean to the west. The country has a population of 11 million people. It is an agrarian society, with up to 70% of it's work force engaged in agriculture. Rice, cassava and corn are the most commonly grown crops.

Angola has thousands of miles of beautiful beaches, and fishing provides food and work for most people living by the coast. Angola's economy depends heavily on offshore oil production. This production comprises 90 % of the exported goods from Angola.

Although a growing oil producer - at times the eighth-largest supplier to the United States -Angola is one of the poorest countries on the African continent. The life expectancy in Angola is only 46 years, and up to 75% of the adult population can not read and write.

There is a great need for Development Instructors in Angola!

Angola gained independence from Portugal in 1975. A civil war broke out shortly after that, which ended in 1992. The ruling party, MPLA won the UN controlled multy party election in 1992 after a peace agreement. There has been sporadic fighting after that, from the opposition party called UNITA. This situation has led to 2 million people being displaces and thousands of orphans and displaced children. Since early 2002, Angola has stabilized and seen peace.

With peace and stability comes huge tasks for this young nation!

ADPP Angola, a member of Humana People to People, started it's work in Angola in 1986 with the construction of the Children's Town in Caxito. At that time the war had left Angola with a huge number of orphaned children. A big effort was done by the Ministry of Social Welfare to find families to the children who lost their parents. The Children's Town is offering new opportunities to some of these children in need. During peaceful periods and war conditions, ADPP has stayed in Angola and established 26 projects located in 7 provinces covering a wide spectrum of life in Angola. As a Development Instructor in Angola your work will be within:

* Teaching at Teacher Training colleges. Angola is in great need of teachers that have good education and stamina for what it takes to educate the children and youth growing up in a postwar society. Our Development Instructors teach English, science, pedagogic and other subjects. The volunteers arrange weekend- and evening programs, work shops and teaching practice periods for the teachers in training.

*Development Instructor at Hope. The overall goal of the HOPE project is to reduce the infection rate of HIV positive people in Angola, and to take good care of the ones who are already infected. As a Development Instructor you will give lessons in schools and at work places on prevention and health issues. You will work in Hope clubs where HIV positive people come to get advise, nutritional information and learn how to take care of themselves in the best possible way.

*Teachers at Street Kids schools. There is a great need to take care of and educate the many children who fall outside of the ordinary school system. At the street kids schools you will be in charge of a group of children. Your role will be both as a teacher in theoretical skills as English and math, but also in vocational skills as farming, baking and building. You will also be a social worker; teaching the children how to work together, and how to take proper care of themselves and others.