People in Need, a Czech NGO that aids thousands of people in Angola
11.04.2018 / 17:12 | Aktualizováno: 03.05.2019 / 16:54
With the aim of supporting healthier lives and better futures for the population of Angola, Czech non-governmental, non-profit organization People in Need (PIN) has been implementing relevant programmes in the sectors of community health, water and sanitation, sustainable agriculture and nutrition, gender and civil society, education, and most recently, addressing emergency needs for Congolese refugees in the north of the country.
PIN has been operating in Bié, one of the regions most affected by war and poverty, since 2006. Some of our first activities were focused on improving access to quality primary education and developing more productive agriculture. We later widened our focus, including new sectors and expanding activities to new provinces. At present, we also help in Huambo, Huíla, and Lunda Norte provinces.
As part of humanitarian aid to Congolese refugees in northern Angola, People in Need focuses on monitoring water quality and water tank installation and campaigning about the risks of poor hygiene and measures to improve hygiene practices. This work is funded by UNICEF and PIN’s Club of Friends emergency fund.
Angola - PIN 2
Photo credit: Petr Stefan/PIN
Gender equality and maternal health
In Bié and Huíla provinces, PIN has been supporting local women’s groups and CSOs in the fight against poverty and domestic violence. Projects funded by the Czech Republic Development Cooperation and European Union focus on improving the quality of advisory services for survivors of gender-based violence, fostering joint action of young women-only associations to raise awareness of gender equality, and strengthening the capacities of local CSOs – especially their women members – to improve their dialogue with local authorities.
Village People, Angola
Photo credit: Petr Stefan/PIN
With the aim of contributing to the improvement of neonatal and maternal health, People in Need implements an mHealth programme in three provinces, delivering voice messages to beneficiaries’ mobile phones with information on maternal and neonatal care. Traditional birth attendants are also trained in safe delivery practices under the programme, which is funded by the largest Angolan telecommunication company, Unitel, together with the Angolan government and African Innovation Foundation.
A nutrition project aims to foster women’s empowerment through the creation of cooperatives to install mills in villages of Bié and Huambo provinces. The cooperatives are majority women members and women are in charge of the cooperatives’ management. The project aims to improve food and nutritional security for the most vulnerable population while encouraging co-operative work among women towards income generation.
In 2017, PIN celebrated the 10th anniversary of its work in Angola. During that decade PIN has supported over 875 000 people in the country. PIN will continue its work towards an Angola where equality and opportunity are realised by everyone, and people are empowered to make their own decisions for their best futures. Link to a video of the activities of PIN in Angola during the last 10 years
