Africa is the world's second largest continent. Its 1.2 billion people belong to more than 3,000 different ethnic groups and speak more than 2,000 languages. After many years of colonial rule, most African countries achieved independence by the end of the 1970s, but today, many countries in Africa face major problems.
Hunger in Africa is devastating hundreds of millions of people, and nearly one-third (16) of Africa's 54 countries are counted among the world's poorest countries. From armed conflicts to drought and famine to epidemics of AIDS, cholera, Ebola, COVID-19 and other diseases, poverty in Africa is hampering the economic progress of its people and destroying their future.
Compassion's Africa child development centers, started in 1980, now serve more than 317,400 children in eight countries and are helping release children from poverty through programs encouraging the healthy development of all aspects of a child — spiritually, physically, socially, emotionally, and even economically.