Word of Welcome

Theogene Rudasingwa President, CEO and Founder

The dawn of a new decade opens on a note of anxiety as prices of food and energy have soared against a background of climate change, global economic recession, and deepening social and economic crisis in many parts of the world. The hope of attaining shared prosperity and peace becomes even more challenging. One of the likely impacts of the recent developments is to reverse the achievements in human development over the last 30 years, and to swell the ranks of those already living on less than a dollar per day, about one billion globally. At the bottom of the global and national socio-economic pyramids, not easily captured in statistics, are real individuals, families and communities that are hurting.

Nowhere is this paradox of suffering in abundance so evident as in Sub-Saharan Africa, characterized by high levels of poverty and hunger, infant and maternal mortality, incidence of HIV/AIDS, TB, malaria and other infectious diseases; high and increasing impacts of climate change; gender disparities; very low human capacity; and, dependence on foreign aid. Nowhere is this tragedy displayed more concretely than in the fact that every year more than 500,000 mothers die from preventable causes during childbirth, and almost 9 million children worldwide die annually from preventable causes before they reach their fifth birthday. Across Africa, we see pregnant mothers carrying pots of water on their heads, candle in hand, as they go to deliver babies because there is neither water nor lighting in the clinics. We see patients being carried on wheelbarrows and oxen-pulled carts, itself a mark on how human beings can improvise when faced with a problem. We see hospitals with anti-retroviral drugs, but no HIV/AIDS patients to receive them, simply because there is no doctor to dispense them, or because the hospital is far beyond the reach of the sick and tired.

We now know how important it is to think creatively and act smartly to put women, children and communities at the center of the development enterprise. It is evident that this enterprise can only be built to last as long we invest in knowledge, skills, and capital so crucial to creating sustainable communities and nations. This means the knowledge and skills of a mother, nurse, village health worker, home-based caregiver, teacher, farmer, small business owner, social enterprise, an NGO, a community-based organization, and the community itself. It means accessing affordable tools and capital.

This is not the work of sole individuals, communities, nations or even development agencies, however well meaning and altruistic. Nor can this important work be done by outsiders for the community. It is the patient work of local, national, and international partners to mobilize and deploy knowledge, skills, and capital equitably and sustainably, with the community leading the way.

On behalf of Haradali, it is my honor to invite you to become an active member of the Haradali family- Haradali Health, Haradali Ventures or The Haradali Institute- dedicated to planting, nurturing, and harvesting the seeds of health, wealth and wellness of communities. Haradali welcomes your support in time, knowledge, skills, tools, and money. Please give us a call or send us an e-mail if you have any question.

We appreciate your help very much.

May God bless you.