Info from UNICEF

Tanzania, long considered an island of stability in the region, hosts the largest refugee population in Africa, due to conflicts in neighbouring Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The past decade has been marked by successful reforms and steady economic growth. Tanzania’s challenge for the future is to control the spread of HIV/AIDS and create better living conditions for the rural poor.

Issues facing children in Tanzania

* More than 400,000 refugees from other nations were living in camps in Tanzania at the end of 2004. Basic health services and facilities in the camps are good, but the rate at which refugees are returning to their own countries has slowed.
* Malaria is the leading killer of children.
* The HIV/AIDS prevalence rate is nearly 9 per cent, though some studies say the infection rate is higher. The virus has orphaned nearly a million children and forced others to assume household responsibilities beyond their years in order to care for ailing parents.
* School enrolment rates have risen significantly since 2000. However, increased enrolment has led to a teacher shortage. Less than 20 per cent of students continue to secondary school.