Real progressWith the support of Plan, children and adults inGuinea Bissau are working together to developtheir communities and claim their right to abetter future. And real progress is being made.Last year, our work included:

• Helping increase rates of childrenenrolling in primary school in Bafata,from 20% in 2000 to 71.5% in 2005

• Constructing 15 boreholes, providing 15 communities with safe, clean drinking water near their homes all year round, and reducing waterborne diseases

• Building 23 school latrines and hand-washing facilities, and training 23 communities in safe hygiene practices, reducing diseases like choleraand diarrhoea

• Distributing 91,183 free bed-nets to protect against malaria, a major killerof children and pregnant women.

Plan’s greatest successes come from a joint effortcombining the hard work and determination ofcommunities, children, volunteers, staff, and partnerorganisations. The ongoing support of our sponsors isa vital ingredient, too. It’s their generosity andcommitment that allows us to continue to help childrenin 49 of the poorest countries in the world.

So on behalf of the children and communities we work with, thank you to all our sponsors!

Plan UK Registered Charity No: 276035

GNB

We encourage children’s groups like this one to takepart in community development, so our work meetstheir needs

p

Challenge and change in Guinea BissauGuinea Bissau is gradually recovering from past political turmoil, most notably the 1998Civil War and subsequent instability, which damaged the country’s economy anddevastated its infrastructure. The government is now trying to rebuild the economy butthe people remain desperately poor.

Plan’s priorities include improving the quality of basic education, healthcare, water andsanitation. Child labour and exploitation are widespread, so raising awareness ofchildren’s rights and child protection are crucial. Children are a key source of householdand farming labour, and traditional values mean that children have very little say inhousehold and community decision-making. We work to set up children’s clubs andmedia activities which give children the chance to express their needs and aspirations,

and to take part in decisions thataffect their lives.

One way children can take part is byencouraging their parents to vaccinatebabies against disease – a project welook at in detail in this CountryProgress Report.

Guinea Bissau country factsPopulation: 1.5 million

Capital: Bissau

UN Human Development Indexranking: 173rd (of 177 countries)

Life expectancy at birth: 45 years

People without adequate sanitation: 65%

Primary school-age pupils notattending school: 61%

(Sources: the UN, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office) Country ProgressReport 2007

Guinea Bissau

Admagic No:Bright No:

Client name:File name:

Date:Size:

Studio proof:

0407100647PLAN0407_Guinea Bissau04.12.07210x443.5mm FOLD TO A53 Client proof: 2

Any enquiries please contact:Nick Burton. e: nick@bright-uk.comm: 07884 367567. d: 020 7620 8150

Size (Prod) Colours(Prod) Art (A/D) Copy (C/W) Content (Acc.)

146.5mm FLAP 148.5mm BACK 148.5mm FRONT

Plan organised a Children’s Carnival in Bafata, northern GuineaBissau, to raise community awareness of the Rights of the Child.300 children took part

p

Real progressWith the support of Plan, children and adults inGuinea Bissau are working together to developtheir communities and claim their right to abetter future. And real progress is being made.Last year, our work included:

• Helping increase rates of childrenenrolling in primary school in Bafata,from 20% in 2000 to 71.5% in 2005

• Constructing 15 boreholes, providing 15 communities with safe, clean drinking water near their homes all year round, and reducing waterborne diseases

• Building 23 school latrines and hand-washing facilities, and training 23 communities in safe hygiene practices, reducing diseases like choleraand diarrhoea

• Distributing 91,183 free bed-nets to protect against malaria, a major killerof children and pregnant women.

Plan’s greatest successes come from a joint effortcombining the hard work and determination ofcommunities, children, volunteers, staff, and partnerorganisations. The ongoing support of our sponsors isa vital ingredient, too. It’s their generosity andcommitment that allows us to continue to help childrenin 49 of the poorest countries in the world.

So on behalf of the children and communities we work with, thank you to all our sponsors!

Plan UK Registered Charity No: 276035

GNB

We encourage children’s groups like this one to takepart in community development, so our work meetstheir needs

p

Challenge and change in Guinea BissauGuinea Bissau is gradually recovering from past political turmoil, most notably the 1998Civil War and subsequent instability, which damaged the country’s economy anddevastated its infrastructure. The government is now trying to rebuild the economy butthe people remain desperately poor.

Plan’s priorities include improving the quality of basic education, healthcare, water andsanitation. Child labour and exploitation are widespread, so raising awareness ofchildren’s rights and child protection are crucial. Children are a key source of householdand farming labour, and traditional values mean that children have very little say inhousehold and community decision-making. We work to set up children’s clubs andmedia activities which give children the chance to express their needs and aspirations,

and to take part in decisions thataffect their lives.

One way children can take part is byencouraging their parents to vaccinatebabies against disease – a project welook at in detail in this CountryProgress Report.

Guinea Bissau country factsPopulation: 1.5 million

Capital: Bissau

UN Human Development Indexranking: 173rd (of 177 countries)

Life expectancy at birth: 45 years

People without adequate sanitation: 65%

Primary school-age pupils notattending school: 61%

(Sources: the UN, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office) Country ProgressReport 2007

Guinea Bissau

Admagic No:Bright No:

Client name:File name:

Date:Size:

Studio proof:

0407100647PLAN0407_Guinea Bissau04.12.07210x443.5mm FOLD TO A53 Client proof: 2

Any enquiries please contact:Nick Burton. e: nick@bright-uk.comm: 07884 367567. d: 020 7620 8150

Size (Prod) Colours(Prod) Art (A/D) Copy (C/W) Content (Acc.)

146.5mm FLAP 148.5mm BACK 148.5mm FRONT

Plan organised a Children’s Carnival in Bafata, northern GuineaBissau, to raise community awareness of the Rights of the Child.300 children took part

p

had died. Their mother said that

her children had never received

vaccinations. The health worker urged

the other mothers in the village to

protect their children by making sure

they had their vaccinations. From that

moment on, Djabu realised the

importance of defending her children

against life-threatening diseases.

Sadly, Fatumata’s neighbours were notthe only family hit by tragedy: in thisarea, children under five very often diedof measles as the number vaccinatedwas very low. Despite the fact thatvaccines save lives, most families likeFatumata’s did not realise the benefits.Many were also unaware when childrenshould receive different vaccinationsand of when these were available attheir local health centre. Shortages of vaccines didn’t help either. Andalthough vaccinations are free, manyfamilies didn’t realise this, and theydidn’t bring their children because theythought they couldn’t afford to.

Every child has the rightto protectionBut encouraging parents to get involvedis only part of the story. Providingvaccinations needs resources – not just

the obvious things like syringes, needlesand vaccines themselves, but trainedhealth workers and a refrigeration andtransportation system to keep thevaccines effective.

Plan carries out radio campaignsto make communities aware ofthe importance of vaccination,not just for children but also forwomen of child-bearing age.

Guinea Bissau doesn’t produce its ownvaccines, so all vaccines and equipmenthave to be imported. And even ifvaccines are available, lack oftransportation and poor roads can makeit difficult to get both vaccines andhealth workers out to the villages thatneed them. There is a shortage ofqualified health workers, and those thatare qualified are overloaded with work.

Plan tries to make it easier for allparents to get their children vaccinatedby providing vaccinations in local healthcentres as well as mobile clinics, wherehealth workers travel each month toisolated villages. Education is alsocrucial: Plan carries out radio campaignsto make communities aware of theimportance of vaccination, not just forchildren but also for women of child-bearing age.

148.5mm INSIDE 148.5mm INSIDE 146.5mm INSIDE

This national saying illustrates howmany parents in Guinea Bissau feelabout their children. Tragically, many of them lose their offspring early. The country has one of the highestrates of infant mortality in the world,and the most shocking thing is thatmost of these deaths are caused bypreventable diseases.

Every year, thousands of children dieunnecessarily from killer diseases likemeasles, tetanus, and whooping cough– although they could be easily beprotected by vaccination.

Fatumata is four years old and lives withher father Seco and mother Djabu inGuinea Bissau’s central Bafata region.Seco is a civil servant and Djabu looksafter their three children. The familylives in a cement house with stagnant,dirty water nearby, which can causewaterborne diseases.

Fatumata’s mother became aware of theneed for vaccination when a friend ofhers suffered a double tragedy. “For me, vaccination became very

important because of my pastexperiences,” she says. “In the year2000, a neighbour of mine lost two ofher children due to measles becausethey were not vaccinated.”

Every year thousands of childrendie unnecessarily from killerdiseases like measles, tetanus andwhooping cough.

After the measles outbreak of 2000,

a health worker came to the village

where Fatumata and her family live,

and asked to see the vaccination cards

belonging to the two children who

An enthusiasticresponseThe results of all these effortshave been impressive, provingthat once parents know thebenefits of vaccination, they arekeen to protect their children. Inone area, Contuboel in northernBafata, 100% of children havebeen vaccinated againstmeasles. A fixed weeklyvaccination clinic along with awareness-raising sessions was organised in thelocal health centre. A total of 88,707children between six months and 14years old were vaccinated. The numberof children under five dying from measles and other preventable diseaseshas been reduced dramatically: at Contuboel Health Centre, there wereno reported cases of measles in childrenunder five in 2006.

The vaccination programme is part ofPlan’s programme to improve motherand child health and to reduce thenumbers of children dying in childhoodor infancy. As well as increasingvaccination rates, we are working hardto decrease Guinea Bissau’s high ratesof malaria, malnutrition and diarrhoea,

to improve healthcare for pregnantwomen and to raise awareness ofHIV/AIDS.

Djabu makes sure that all her childrenare protected: “My children have nevercaught any vaccine-preventable diseasesand I always try to respect thevaccination calendar.”

Some names have been changed for privacy and childprotection reasons.

In Guinea Bissau, thousands of children die of preventable diseaseslike measles and whooping cough

p

Saving children’s lives“Children are the flowers of our communities and societies.”

Plan is helping to make sure children like these get the vaccinationsthey needp

had died. Their mother said that

her children had never received

vaccinations. The health worker urged

the other mothers in the village to

protect their children by making sure

they had their vaccinations. From that

moment on, Djabu realised the

importance of defending her children

against life-threatening diseases.

Sadly, Fatumata’s neighbours were notthe only family hit by tragedy: in thisarea, children under five very often diedof measles as the number vaccinatedwas very low. Despite the fact thatvaccines save lives, most families likeFatumata’s did not realise the benefits.Many were also unaware when childrenshould receive different vaccinationsand of when these were available attheir local health centre. Shortages of vaccines didn’t help either. Andalthough vaccinations are free, manyfamilies didn’t realise this, and theydidn’t bring their children because theythought they couldn’t afford to.

Every child has the rightto protectionBut encouraging parents to get involvedis only part of the story. Providingvaccinations needs resources – not just

the obvious things like syringes, needlesand vaccines themselves, but trainedhealth workers and a refrigeration andtransportation system to keep thevaccines effective.

Plan carries out radio campaignsto make communities aware ofthe importance of vaccination,not just for children but also forwomen of child-bearing age.

Guinea Bissau doesn’t produce its ownvaccines, so all vaccines and equipmenthave to be imported. And even ifvaccines are available, lack oftransportation and poor roads can makeit difficult to get both vaccines andhealth workers out to the villages thatneed them. There is a shortage ofqualified health workers, and those thatare qualified are overloaded with work.

Plan tries to make it easier for allparents to get their children vaccinatedby providing vaccinations in local healthcentres as well as mobile clinics, wherehealth workers travel each month toisolated villages. Education is alsocrucial: Plan carries out radio campaignsto make communities aware of theimportance of vaccination, not just forchildren but also for women of child-bearing age.

148.5mm INSIDE 148.5mm INSIDE 146.5mm INSIDE

This national saying illustrates howmany parents in Guinea Bissau feelabout their children. Tragically, many of them lose their offspring early. The country has one of the highestrates of infant mortality in the world,and the most shocking thing is thatmost of these deaths are caused bypreventable diseases.

Every year, thousands of children dieunnecessarily from killer diseases likemeasles, tetanus, and whooping cough– although they could be easily beprotected by vaccination.

Fatumata is four years old and lives withher father Seco and mother Djabu inGuinea Bissau’s central Bafata region.Seco is a civil servant and Djabu looksafter their three children. The familylives in a cement house with stagnant,dirty water nearby, which can causewaterborne diseases.

Fatumata’s mother became aware of theneed for vaccination when a friend ofhers suffered a double tragedy. “For me, vaccination became very

important because of my pastexperiences,” she says. “In the year2000, a neighbour of mine lost two ofher children due to measles becausethey were not vaccinated.”

Every year thousands of childrendie unnecessarily from killerdiseases like measles, tetanus andwhooping cough.

After the measles outbreak of 2000,

a health worker came to the village

where Fatumata and her family live,

and asked to see the vaccination cards

belonging to the two children who

An enthusiasticresponseThe results of all these effortshave been impressive, provingthat once parents know thebenefits of vaccination, they arekeen to protect their children. Inone area, Contuboel in northernBafata, 100% of children havebeen vaccinated againstmeasles. A fixed weeklyvaccination clinic along with awareness-raising sessions was organised in thelocal health centre. A total of 88,707children between six months and 14years old were vaccinated. The numberof children under five dying from measles and other preventable diseaseshas been reduced dramatically: at Contuboel Health Centre, there wereno reported cases of measles in childrenunder five in 2006.

The vaccination programme is part ofPlan’s programme to improve motherand child health and to reduce thenumbers of children dying in childhoodor infancy. As well as increasingvaccination rates, we are working hardto decrease Guinea Bissau’s high ratesof malaria, malnutrition and diarrhoea,

to improve healthcare for pregnantwomen and to raise awareness ofHIV/AIDS.

Djabu makes sure that all her childrenare protected: “My children have nevercaught any vaccine-preventable diseasesand I always try to respect thevaccination calendar.”

Some names have been changed for privacy and childprotection reasons.

In Guinea Bissau, thousands of children die of preventable diseaseslike measles and whooping cough

p

Saving children’s lives“Children are the flowers of our communities and societies.”

Plan is helping to make sure children like these get the vaccinationsthey needp

had died. Their mother said that

her children had never received

vaccinations. The health worker urged

the other mothers in the village to

protect their children by making sure

they had their vaccinations. From that

moment on, Djabu realised the

importance of defending her children

against life-threatening diseases.

Sadly, Fatumata’s neighbours were notthe only family hit by tragedy: in thisarea, children under five very often diedof measles as the number vaccinatedwas very low. Despite the fact thatvaccines save lives, most families likeFatumata’s did not realise the benefits.Many were also unaware when childrenshould receive different vaccinationsand of when these were available attheir local health centre. Shortages of vaccines didn’t help either. Andalthough vaccinations are free, manyfamilies didn’t realise this, and theydidn’t bring their children because theythought they couldn’t afford to.

Every child has the rightto protectionBut encouraging parents to get involvedis only part of the story. Providingvaccinations needs resources – not just

the obvious things like syringes, needlesand vaccines themselves, but trainedhealth workers and a refrigeration andtransportation system to keep thevaccines effective.

Plan carries out radio campaignsto make communities aware ofthe importance of vaccination,not just for children but also forwomen of child-bearing age.

Guinea Bissau doesn’t produce its ownvaccines, so all vaccines and equipmenthave to be imported. And even ifvaccines are available, lack oftransportation and poor roads can makeit difficult to get both vaccines andhealth workers out to the villages thatneed them. There is a shortage ofqualified health workers, and those thatare qualified are overloaded with work.

Plan tries to make it easier for allparents to get their children vaccinatedby providing vaccinations in local healthcentres as well as mobile clinics, wherehealth workers travel each month toisolated villages. Education is alsocrucial: Plan carries out radio campaignsto make communities aware of theimportance of vaccination, not just forchildren but also for women of child-bearing age.

148.5mm INSIDE 148.5mm INSIDE 146.5mm INSIDE

This national saying illustrates howmany parents in Guinea Bissau feelabout their children. Tragically, many of them lose their offspring early. The country has one of the highestrates of infant mortality in the world,and the most shocking thing is thatmost of these deaths are caused bypreventable diseases.

Every year, thousands of children dieunnecessarily from killer diseases likemeasles, tetanus, and whooping cough– although they could be easily beprotected by vaccination.

Fatumata is four years old and lives withher father Seco and mother Djabu inGuinea Bissau’s central Bafata region.Seco is a civil servant and Djabu looksafter their three children. The familylives in a cement house with stagnant,dirty water nearby, which can causewaterborne diseases.

Fatumata’s mother became aware of theneed for vaccination when a friend ofhers suffered a double tragedy. “For me, vaccination became very

important because of my pastexperiences,” she says. “In the year2000, a neighbour of mine lost two ofher children due to measles becausethey were not vaccinated.”

Every year thousands of childrendie unnecessarily from killerdiseases like measles, tetanus andwhooping cough.

After the measles outbreak of 2000,

a health worker came to the village

where Fatumata and her family live,

and asked to see the vaccination cards

belonging to the two children who

An enthusiasticresponseThe results of all these effortshave been impressive, provingthat once parents know thebenefits of vaccination, they arekeen to protect their children. Inone area, Contuboel in northernBafata, 100% of children havebeen vaccinated againstmeasles. A fixed weeklyvaccination clinic along with awareness-raising sessions was organised in thelocal health centre. A total of 88,707children between six months and 14years old were vaccinated. The numberof children under five dying from measles and other preventable diseaseshas been reduced dramatically: at Contuboel Health Centre, there wereno reported cases of measles in childrenunder five in 2006.

The vaccination programme is part ofPlan’s programme to improve motherand child health and to reduce thenumbers of children dying in childhoodor infancy. As well as increasingvaccination rates, we are working hardto decrease Guinea Bissau’s high ratesof malaria, malnutrition and diarrhoea,

to improve healthcare for pregnantwomen and to raise awareness ofHIV/AIDS.

Djabu makes sure that all her childrenare protected: “My children have nevercaught any vaccine-preventable diseasesand I always try to respect thevaccination calendar.”

Some names have been changed for privacy and childprotection reasons.

In Guinea Bissau, thousands of children die of preventable diseaseslike measles and whooping cough

p

Saving children’s lives“Children are the flowers of our communities and societies.”

Plan is helping to make sure children like these get the vaccinationsthey needp

Real progressWith the support of Plan, children and adults inGuinea Bissau are working together to developtheir communities and claim their right to abetter future. And real progress is being made.Last year, our work included:

• Helping increase rates of childrenenrolling in primary school in Bafata,from 20% in 2000 to 71.5% in 2005

• Constructing 15 boreholes, providing 15 communities with safe, clean drinking water near their homes all year round, and reducing waterborne diseases

• Building 23 school latrines and hand-washing facilities, and training 23 communities in safe hygiene practices, reducing diseases like choleraand diarrhoea

• Distributing 91,183 free bed-nets to protect against malaria, a major killerof children and pregnant women.

Plan’s greatest successes come from a joint effortcombining the hard work and determination ofcommunities, children, volunteers, staff, and partnerorganisations. The ongoing support of our sponsors isa vital ingredient, too. It’s their generosity andcommitment that allows us to continue to help childrenin 49 of the poorest countries in the world.

So on behalf of the children and communities we work with, thank you to all our sponsors!

Plan UK Registered Charity No: 276035

GNB

We encourage children’s groups like this one to takepart in community development, so our work meetstheir needs

p

Challenge and change in Guinea BissauGuinea Bissau is gradually recovering from past political turmoil, most notably the 1998Civil War and subsequent instability, which damaged the country’s economy anddevastated its infrastructure. The government is now trying to rebuild the economy butthe people remain desperately poor.

Plan’s priorities include improving the quality of basic education, healthcare, water andsanitation. Child labour and exploitation are widespread, so raising awareness ofchildren’s rights and child protection are crucial. Children are a key source of householdand farming labour, and traditional values mean that children have very little say inhousehold and community decision-making. We work to set up children’s clubs andmedia activities which give children the chance to express their needs and aspirations,

and to take part in decisions thataffect their lives.

One way children can take part is byencouraging their parents to vaccinatebabies against disease – a project welook at in detail in this CountryProgress Report.

Guinea Bissau country factsPopulation: 1.5 million

Capital: Bissau

UN Human Development Indexranking: 173rd (of 177 countries)

Life expectancy at birth: 45 years

People without adequate sanitation: 65%

Primary school-age pupils notattending school: 61%

(Sources: the UN, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office) Country ProgressReport 2007

Guinea Bissau

Admagic No:Bright No:

Client name:File name:

Date:Size:

Studio proof:

0407100647PLAN0407_Guinea Bissau04.12.07210x443.5mm FOLD TO A53 Client proof: 2

Any enquiries please contact:Nick Burton. e: nick@bright-uk.comm: 07884 367567. d: 020 7620 8150

Size (Prod) Colours(Prod) Art (A/D) Copy (C/W) Content (Acc.)

146.5mm FLAP 148.5mm BACK 148.5mm FRONT

Plan organised a Children’s Carnival in Bafata, northern GuineaBissau, to raise community awareness of the Rights of the Child.300 children took part

p