Angola
Young people in Angola receive education about HIV through Caritas. Community leaders and educators feel that reaching children early on is critical. Photo by David Snyder for CRS
Despite Angola's rich natural mineral resources, a civil war that lasted more than 30 years devastated the country and left its infrastructure and institutions in shambles. Since the war ended in 2002, people have resettled in their villages and huge construction projects abound, but poverty is still a reality for the majority of Angolans. The country's health care and education systems are weak, and the gap between the rich and poor is not shrinking. Malaria and child mortality rates are high and HIV rates are on the rise. Catholic Relief Services works with the Catholic Church to help Angolans thrive in a more peaceful and equitable society.
Stats
| Population: | 18,056,072 (July 2012 est.) |
| Size: | 481,353 sq mi; slightly less than twice the size of Texas |
| People Served: | 1,736,920 (2012 est.) |
History
Catholic Relief Services has worked in Angola since 1989 at the invitation of the country's Bishops' Conference to support the emergency response throughout the war, in particular food distributions to those displace by the conflict. From 2002–2009, CRS supported reconstruction and peacebuilding efforts and since 2010, CRS' biggest focus has been on strengthening our partners', especially Church partners', ability to address the needs of the poor.
Programs
Civil Society and GovernanceHealth
HIV and AIDS