Rotary: Bill Gates signs football in Nigeria to support final push to kick polio out of Africa

Rotary clubs in Nigeria and across the continent unite as ball’s 4-month journey comes to a close in Egypt...

Here is the full story in a press release from Rotary International (via APO) - Monday, 7 June 2010:

ABUJA, Nigeria (June 7, 2010) – Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, gave the Kick Polio Out of Africa (KPOA) campaign a boost today by signing the football which is traveling from Cape Town to Egypt ahead of the 2010 World Cup. During the ball’s epic journey through 22 polio-affected and high-risk countries, Rotary clubs throughout Africa are mobilizing the public for massive immunizations and raising awareness for polio eradication. Gates lauded Rotary’s efforts to help kick polio out the continent -- and eventually out of the world.

Gates also commended Nigeria for making significant gains in the fight against polio and urged them to finish the job. He joins Nigerian officials in bringing attention to the current immunization rounds throughout Africa targeting more than 100 million children under the age of five.

Since Rotary and its partners began their fight against polio in 1988, the incidence of the disease has been reduced by 99 percent. In Africa, only Nigeria remains polio-endemic, but the disease still affects children in many other high-risk countries, emphasizing the importance of protecting all African children from polio. According to the World Health Organization, only three cases of polio were reported in Nigeria through 25 May this year, compared with 276 cases reported during the same time period in 2009.

“Nigeria’s recent progress against polio is an achievement that all Nigerians should be proud of,” said Gates. “Thanks to political and traditional leaders, dedicated health workers, and loving parents who want to protect their children, Nigeria is on a path toward eliminating polio.”

After traveling for almost four months across the continent, the football is close to reaching it final destination in Alexandria, Egypt. The grand campaign finale will be held at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, on 12 June, under the auspices of First Lady Suzanne Mubarak. African Cup of the Nation champions will kick the ball -- symbolically kicking polio out the continent and into the Mediterranean Sea. Also attending the event will be film star and polio goodwill ambassador Hany Salama, polio-infected children, government officials, and dignitaries.

Says Bibliotheca Alexandrina Director Dr. Ismael Serageldin, “Polio still exists, but polio can be eradicated. We cannot let forgetfulness or disinterest keep so many unfortunate victims in misery. We are so close. Let us all together give the final push.”

On 23 February, Rotary launched its “Kick Polio out of Africa” awareness campaign in Cape Town, one of the host cities to the 2010 World Cup, with the symbolic kicking of a ball signed by Emeritus Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Afflicted with polio as a child, Tutu joined the campaign as goodwill ambassador. From Egypt, the ball will travel to Montréal, Canada, to be presented at the Rotary International Convention later this month. The ball’s journey is being underwritten by DHL Express.

In support of the campaign, Rotary launched a virtual ball inviting football fans and supporters around the world to sign the ball. With a few simple clicks of a mouse, one can sign the online ball at www.kickpoliooutofafrica.org and join the global movement of solidarity to save all children from this crippling and sometimes fatal disease. The signatures will be formally presented to the spearheading partners of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative after the 2010 World Cup.

“We are calling on the continent's football players to bring their enormous influence to this campaign. Only unified efforts which galvanise whole societies towards these goals will succeed in kicking this virus, that looks so much like a football, out of Africa and eventually, out of the world,” declared former South African President Nelson Mandela, in his 1996 address at the Organization for African Unity Summit as he formally kicked off the “Kick Polio out of Africa” campaign.

“As the volunteer arm and private-sector partner in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, Rotary has contributed $388 million for polio eradication efforts in Africa,” says June Webber, Rotary’s South African campaign organizer. “As we celebrate the first World Cup on African soil and the 20th anniversary of the release of Nelson Mandela from prison, Rotarians and our global partners are determined to provide Madiba (Mandela’s Xhosa title) with a lasting legacy.”

Nigerian national team captain Nwankwo Kanu joined the campaign announcing that he has two goals for 2010: Kanu wants Nigeria to shine at the upcoming World Cup and also wants to eradicate polio from Africa.

Polio eradication has been Rotary’s top priority for more than two decades. The international humanitarian service organization has contributed more than US$900 million toward a polio-free world, and is a spearheading partner in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, along with the World Health Organization, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and UNICEF.

Rotary recently pledged to raise US$200 million to match $355 million in challenge grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. All of the resulting $555 million will be spent in support of eradication activities.

Great progress has been made, and the incidence of polio infection has plunged from about 350,000 cases in 1988 to fewer than 2,000 in 2009. More than two billion children have been immunized in 122 countries, preventing five million cases of paralysis and 250,000 paediatric deaths.

The football’s journey can be followed on http://kickpoliooutofafrica.wordpress.com
To sign and kick the virtual ball, go to www.kickpoliooutofafrica.org.
For video and still photos, go to: www.thenewsmarket.com/rotaryinternational

# # #

Rotary is an organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide to provide humanitarian service and help to build goodwill and peace in the world. It is comprised of 1.2 million members working in over 33,000 clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas. Rotary members initiate community projects that address many of today’s most critical issues, such as poverty, disease and illiteracy.

Distributed by the African Press Organization on behalf of Rotary International / Distribué par l’Organisation de la Presse Africaine au nom de Rotary International

CONTACT: Sandra Prufer, + 1 847 866-3208 sandra.prufer@rotary.org
Kiki Melonides, +1 847 866-3134 kiki.melonides@rotary.org

Media Contact: +1 847 866-3237
e-mail: pr@rotary.org
www.rotary.org

A refugee from Darfur in Sudan, explains how he risked everything trying to move to Israel

• Increasingly Sudanese, Ethiopians and Eritreans travel directly to Israel's border after arriving in Egypt.

• Israel says the arrival of almost 15,000 refugees and asylum-seekers has put strain on security and welfare systems.

• Israel always accuses Egypt of not playing an active role to prevent smuggling and illegal immigrants entering Israeli land.

The Africans risking all on the Egypt-Israel border
Report from BBC News online at 10:10 GMT, Sunday, 6 June 2010 11:10 UK
By Yolande Knell, BBC News, Cairo:

Motorised rickshaws wind their way through the crowded alleyways of Ard al-Lawa as street vendors call out their wares.

This poor Cairo neighbourhood is home to an increasing number of African migrants and refugees, but many do not want to stay.

In his sparsely decorated apartment, Yahya Mohamed Idris, a refugee from Darfur in Sudan, explains how he risked everything trying to move to Israel.

"I decided to go to Israel because people who went before told me the situation was much better over there," he says.

"I left my country looking for safety and security but in Egypt I found harassment and more problems.

"Work here is difficult and they throw stones and tomatoes at me on the street. They curse at me and call me 'the black'."

Quickly spotted

Like hundreds of others each month, Idris, 31, paid Bedouin people-smugglers to take him and his family on the risky journey to the Egypt-Israel border.

It costs more than $600 (£414) travelling by bus and then hidden on a lorry. Finally, they were left in the Sinai desert late at night.

Egyptian forces quickly spotted them.

"While we were crossing the border they opened fire," Idris recalls.

"We surrendered and sat on the ground and they started beating us and shooting all around. My wife fainted and the kids were screaming."

Idris was arrested and imprisoned for a year. Since his release several months ago, he has been unable to find his wife and two children.

For others, the situation is even worse.

At least 16 sub-Saharan African refugees and migrants have been shot dead at the border this year. Many others suffered injuries.

Warnings ignored

"This is a common problem. When people try to cross the border to Israel, the Egyptian security shoot and kill them," comments Abdalla Hanzal, who works with a refugee support group.

"Sometimes when they do not shoot them, they arrest them and deport them. Our centre tries to report when someone's deported or put in prison."

Egyptian officials insist they only shoot at the border after those crossing ignore repeated orders to stop and point out that human-trafficking gangs carry guns.

However, the United Nations and human rights groups have asked Egypt to stop excessive force being used.

There was also criticism of a recent statement by Egypt's Foreign Ministry which pointed out that the fatalities "did not exceed 2% in 2008 and 4% in 2009 of the total number of illegal crossers".

The regional representative of the UN refugee agency, Mohamed Dayri, is hoping new policies are in the works.

"We have recently initiated a discussion with the government to provide Egypt with a set of measures and concrete proposals on humanitarian grounds how to manage this issue of the illegal crossing to Israel from Egypt," he states.

'Hot return'

For now though the problem seems to be growing.

A deal struck between Libya and Italy in 2009 has cut off a popular sea route to Europe for illegal African migrants and helped direct the flow towards Israel, which is seen as offering better work opportunities and more Western standards.

Increasingly Sudanese, Ethiopians and Eritreans travel directly to the border after arriving in Egypt.

Israel says the arrival of almost 15,000 refugees and asylum-seekers has put strain on security and welfare systems.

It introduced a controversial policy of "hot-returns", immediately returning migrants back across the border.

"Israel always accuses Egypt of not playing an active role to prevent smuggling and illegal immigrants entering Israeli land," says Emad Gad, an expert on Israel at the Al Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies in Cairo.

He points out that forces are limited in this politically sensitive area under the terms of the 1979 peace deal with Israel.

"According to the peace treaty Egypt is allowed to deploy only 450 soldiers. After 2007, they increased the number to 750," he says.

"But if we speak about a border of over 240km (149 miles), it's not enough to secure it."

In January, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved plans to erect a barrier along part of the border and install surveillance equipment to keep out illegal migrants and militants.

However, back in the busy market of Ard al-Lawa, Idris remains undeterred. He has not stopped dreaming of a new beginning in Israel.

"If I had my wife and kids, I would go through this nightmare again. When I'm older, I want to have a good life."

"If I could find a way to Italy or Canada I would go there but as far as I know this is the closest border we can reach. I only know how to get to Israel."