What happened on this blog last year's new year in the midst of covid-19?

 

Webisode 15

Happy New Year 

Our girls back to school campaign is ongoing. Day 15

In some places, children have been out of school for 9 months or more. Prolonged school closures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic are presenting an unprecedented challenge to children’s education, health and well-being worldwide. The longer a student stays out of school, the higher their risk of dropping out.

Our today's guest is Laurinda, she will share with us her academic experience during the time of Covid-19 pandemic.

As a result of covid-19, my school was transformed into a living-house

Hello! My name is Laurinda Mateus. I am 17 years old, I study 7th grade and I live in Angola.

Laurinda how did the coronavirus affect your studies?

Well, I spent a long time without studying, without writing, without seeing my colleagues and teachers.

Now that schools have reopened are you studying?

No, I am not studying. 

Why?

Because my school was put up for rent now it's people's home. The school was permanently closed. Some citizens living around my school tested positive for covid-19. This insident forced the government to isolate the entire neighborhood including my school. That area stayed for a long time in the sanitary fence. For this reason the owner of the school made the decision to eliminate all educational services and the school was rented out, thus transforming the school into a home. I saw people living there.

During this time that you are at home, have you done anything to continue learning?

Yes, I am taking a medical course.

Have you been following the coronavirus prevention measures?

Yes, I always wash my hands with water and soap, use alcohol gel and mask.

How do you feel, aren't you afraid of coronavirus?

I'm not afraid. Coronavirus is the one who should be afraid of me.

As we look to 2021, our wish is that as schools reopen their doors, we build on these trends and strategies to ensure that all children can thrive.

Happy New Year to you and your family! We hope this year will bring warmth of love and positivity in your life. We hope you embrace all that life has to offer, conquer your fears and reach new heights.

Click here to watch: https://sofoniedala.blogspot.com/2021/01/africa-educates-her-campaign-angola.html

We launched this campaign to ensure that every girl is able to learn while schools are closed and return to the classroom when schools safely reopen. Everyone can play a role in supporting girls ’education - whether you’re a teacher, parent, student, journalist, policymaker, or simply a concerned citizen.

Don't miss this opportunity to bring girls back to school. Tell us your story!

Do you have a personal experience with the coronavirus would you like to share? Or a tip on how your town or community is handling the poverty among women?

FIND SOMEONE TO SPONSOR TODAY

Your sponsorship will help the most vulnerable girls and women to take the first step out of poverty.

Posted 1st January 2021

CPLP president defends coordinated positions against inequalities

 Luanda – The president of the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries (CPLP) João Lourenço Friday defended a firmed and coordinated standing of the international body to fight the spread of the covid-19 virus and its variants, poverty and social and economic inequalities.

In a statement released by the Portuguese Radio and TV station (RTP) for the country members of the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries, the Angolan head of State also called for measures to fight climate crisis, emerging of extremists regimes, political and religious fundamentalism and other ways of oppression and exploration of the human being. 

The head of state hailed the citizens of the CPLP working in the international body projects and wished a festive Season in the spirit of helping each other and solidarity towards the most needy and in the certainty that they will continue to be united.

“It’s with great pleasure that in this Festive Season I address myself throughout the respective public Television channel to all viewers of Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, Mozambique, Sao Tome and Principe, Portugal, Brazil, East Timor and Equatorial Guinea, united countries not only due to the language and culture but especially because of deep friendship and solidarity ties”, stressed João Lourenço.

Regarding the covid-19 pandemic, João Lourenço considered that it  reinforced in an almost outrageous way the evidence of how still is unequal, unbalanced and selfish the current International Order.

The Angolan leader added that covid-19 and its social and economic effects have been showing that everyone depends on other and that only together is possible to fight all the challenges that passes by on the horizon in the safeguard of the humanity and earth planet.

The CPLP President considered as sad and regrettable that have been a virus to wake up our conscious for this reality. 

Angola assumed the rotating presidency of the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries for the period of 2021 to 2023 during the 8th Conference of Heads of State and Government of the organization that took place from 12 to 17 July 2102 in Luanda.

 

Angolan President congratulates Cuban counterpart

 Luanda – The Angolan Head of State João Lourenço Saturday congratulated the Cuban counterpart Miguel Díaz-Canel on the 63rd anniversary of the Cuban Revolution Triumph which was marked today.

In the message, the Angolan leader highlights the historical relationships of friendship and cooperation which both countries keep for several decades “as the results that reinforce the pillars in which they rest important and solid conquests of our respective people”.

The head of state also expressed the interest of the Angolan Government to continue straightening friendship bonds and solidarity that unite the people, countries and governments of Angola and Cuba.

João Lourenço ends the message wishing good health, personal well being and prosperity for the Cuban people.

Angola and Cuba has political, diplomatic, economic, commercial and cultural and historical ties, based on the reciprocity of advantages, dating back several decades.

Covid-19: Angola records 805 new cases, 87 recoveries

 Luanda – The health authorities have recorded in the last 24 hours, 805 new cases, 2 deaths and the recovery of 87 patients.

According to data contained in the daily bulletin, 407 cases were diagnosed in Luanda, 127 in Benguela, 63 in Huambo, 62 in Uíge, 46 in Cuanza Sul, 45 in Moxico, 38 in Cuanza Norte, 10 in Bié, 6 in Lunda Sul and 1 in Namibe.

Among the new cases, whose ages range from 3 months to 86 years, 438 are male and 367 are female patients.

In the last 24 hours, the laboratories processed 2,396 samples, with a daily positivity rate of 33,6 percent.

The deaths were registered in the provinces of Luanda and Moxico.

According to the daily bulletin, the recovered patients 85 reside in Luanda and 2 in Benguela.

Angola has 82,398 confirmed cases, 64,620 recovered 1,772 deaths and 16,006 active. From the active patients, 10 are in critical condition, 46 are severe, 98 are moderate, 109 are mild and 15,743 are asymptomatic.

However, 263 patients are hospitalized in treatment centers, while 213 are in institutional quarantine.

India wants to expand areas of cooperation with Angola

 Luanda - The Indian ambassador to Angola, Pratibha Parkar, Friday in Luanda said her country intended to expand areas of cooperation in Angola, as she considered the African country to have several investment opportunities.

The Indian diplomat, who was speaking during a briefing with journalists on the occasion of the celebration of Christmas and 75 years of independence of her country, said they planned to expand cooperation in the areas of agriculture, using new technologies, diamonds, telecommunications, traditional medicine and pharmaceutical products, amongst others.

The Indian diplomat noted that this factor was due to the fact that bilateral relations between the two countries were satisfactory, so they have been working to diversify relations in other areas of mutual interest, taking into account the huge opportunity for cooperation between the two countries.

Pratibha Parkar explained that the interest in the diamond sector arose due to Angola being one of the world's biggest producers and India being a leader in polishing, focusing on generating jobs for Angolans.

She said that Indian companies were willing to take advantage of investment opportunities in Angola in the telecommunications and information technology sector, as well as to share information and help in the digitalisation process of the Angolan government.

According to Pratibha Parkar, the two countries can work mutually and join synergies with the aim of achieving common benefits.

He recalled that every year the Indian government has provided 40 scholarships for Angolans to study in the Asian nation.

Trade between the two states, in the 2017-2019 period, reached US$3 billion in exports and US$4.3 million in imports, dominated by shipments of Angolan oil to India.

As per the data advanced, the trade balance between Angola and India is favourable to Angola, a noticeable increase in the last three years, compared to previous years, having gone from about USD 4.0 billion to USD 4.5 billion between 2017 and 2018, USD 4.4 billion in the period 2018-2019 and USD 4.0 billion in the period 2019-2020.

In this period (2019-2020), imports from India were USD 3.7 billion and exports were USD 0.3 billion.

Angola imports from that Asian country, essentially, pharmaceutical products, agricultural machinery, electrical materials, motor vehicles, among others.

India and Angola have shared relations since pre-independence times, when it supported the African country's liberation struggle.

Bilateral diplomatic cooperation dates back to 1985.

International net reserves set at USD 9.8 billion

 Luanda – The International Net Reserves (INR) until 30 December 2021 fixed up to USD 9,8 billion related to a period of 11 months of importing goods and services.

Comparing to the end of 2020 it is verified a break of more one billion USD taking view that until 31 December of that period as the INR were set at USD 8,7 billion. 

According to data released by the Central bank of Angola regarding to the Daily Evolution of the International Net and Importing months, the Gross International Reserves (GIR) until 30 December 2022 stayed at USD 15.4 billion.

In 2020, the GIR closed the year in USD 14.8 billion observing as well that from August to 03 December the GIR remain at 16 billion dollars.

However, on this matter the SADC demands related to importing months are six months having the indicators of the Central Bank of Angola, above the average underlined in the region.