Child Sponsor Guinea-Bissau

Life is tough for children in Guinea-Bissau, a country in west Africa that has suffered from ongoing political instability following its declaration of independence from Portugal in 1974 and the civil war of the 1990s left it as one of the poorest countries in the world, massively in debt and reliant on foreign aid to prevent its total collapse as a nation state. Most children live below the poverty line with a chronic malnutrition rate of over 25% and a child in Guinea Bissau can expect to live to just 58.32 years (2019) with 29% of children of official primary school age are out of school (28% of boys, 31% of girls). As ever there is a large disparity between urban and rural children. Youth literacy runs at 60% which is lower than the average youth literacy rate in other low income countries. While Guinea-Bissau has made large strides in water and sanitation since 2000, outbreaks of cholera from contaminated water through food and drinking water are common. In 2019, 702,974 cases of diarrhoea diseases were reported in the country. In rural areas water access is not an issue during the rainy season but at other times rivers and boreholes run dry.

Guinea-Bissau is a source country for children subjected to trafficking, primarily for forced labour although many end up on the streets begging to survive. Many children are sold by poor families often to work in Senegal as farm labourers or in domestic servitude. Whilst the government has pledged to crack down on this practise their commitment has often been little more than passing aid to NGOs to help victims rather than any proactive stance. Child sponsor programs in Guinea-Bissau include working with families towards sustainable farming, care of orphans and abandoned children, developing safe water supplies as well as promoting education and access to health care. You can help when you sponsor a child in Guinea-Bissau.

Child Sponsor Programs

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Child Sponsor Guinea-Bissau: The Lighthouse Project In a shameless bit of self-promotion, read this novel by the African Volunteer Network team about volunteering in Uganda. "Well worth the read especially for those working with non-profits abroad. In fact, it should be required reading." More >

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Child Sponsor Guinea-Bissau: SOS Children's Villages With SOS Children, you can help orphaned and abandoned children when you sponsor a child in Guinea-Bissau. Visit >

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Child Sponsor Guinea-Bissau: Plan With Plan you form a unique connection with a named child and their family in Guinea-Bissau. Visit >

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Child Sponsor Guinea-Bissau: Volunteer in Guinea-Bissau As well as sponsoring a child why not explore volunteering opportunities in Guinea-Bissau? More >

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Child Sponsor Guinea-Bissau: Country Profile In another of our African country profiles, find out all about Guinea Bissau in a series of information articles, latest daily news, videos, and images together with volunteering and child sponsorship opportunities. More >

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