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| Listed as 4th to last on the Human Development Index Burkina Faso 2009. |
S1A aspires to excell in the domain of Humanitarian documentaries and reporting. Increased media exposure for "under reported" humanitarian crises in Sub-Sahara Africa will inevitably result in more popularized support for humanitarian actions/aid in these regions. Or will it? New forms of popularized media outlets create new opportunities to spread the urgent message that humanitarian aid is gravely needed in some of the
poorest countries in the world; specifically those in Sub-Sahara Africa.
The presence of nearly extinct maladies such as Noma, is unacceptable and should be abolished from existence.
The primary problems are rooted in the availabilty of proper education and access to modern medicine. In countries
such as Burkina Faso, children suffer today, in the year of 2011, from this horocious malady sometimes refered to as
as a gangrenous flesh consuming cancer. In most developed countries, Noma has been driven to virtual non-existence since the early 19th century.
Yet why is that it exists today in Burkina Faso?
Approximately one quarter of all Burkina Faso's population have witnessed a friend or relative who has been affected by this malady.
You may ask the question, "Is that a very important amount of people?" Then ask yourself this question, 'Have you ever
seen what the malady Noma looks like?'
If you have ever seen the atrocities that Noma causes you would be astonished to know that at least one quarter of Burkina Faso's population
has seen or knows someone who has been attacked by the Noma malady. And just to reiterate the seriousness of this malady, let me remind you; If
you ever see a serious case of Noma, YOU WILL NEVER FORGET IT.
These children need our help, the world's help. How can we accomplish this objective?
News media is the primary spark allowing us to ignite a wave of recognition for this problem. However, there is something about this disease that makes it a very sensitive topic; A quality that incites a certain tabu. The Noma malady is so horrific that most media producers do not even want to come
near it in their diffusions. It's just too horrific! The image of Noma could be "bad for business"; so why not focus on the message instead?
This is how the world's media hides the atrocities that exist in the world; they simple neglect diffusing it. Some of the most urgent humanitarian crises never receive coverage ().
MSF has an annual publication that they call the most unsung humanitarian crises. This report documents what they claim to be the most serious humanitarian urgencies that remain "forgotten" since they do not receive significant media exposure; in comparison to other emergencies such as natural disasters i.e. Thailand (2004), New Orleans(2005), Haiti (2010) and Japan(2011). These abrupt humanitarian urgencies incited waves of "emotional altruism". People are triggered to donate on impulse as they feel a wave of emotion urging them to help out in the best way they can; by making a donation. The key is getting people exposed to the targeted media and letting the humanitarian urgency speak for itself.
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William Samuel Ravatua-Smith
Président et Fondateur
Researcher
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SHAPE 1 AFRICA
WE CAN CHANGE THE WORLD
-http://shape1africa.org/
