ATCnet Information Dimension of Development PRESS RELEASE Washington, July 13, 2001 ATCnet is an organization with tax exempt status for charitable contributions in the United States and is an African network of networks in Africa and among the African Diaspora. ATCnet is using modern and information technology (ICT) to make it possible for value adding development to become the norm in Africa, building on the incredible wealth and resources of the continent. Modern ICT makes it possible for the first time to build a single database for all the many African organizations and individuals doing work on the crisis and for the information to be easily accessible via the Internet anywhere there is Internet access. Health and HIV-AIDS is a huge crisis in Africa. The health and HIV-AIDS crisis threatens everything. HIV-AIDS appears to be out of control and other even more infectious diseases could easily emerge from the crisis and bad practices of the health sector. ATCnet regards health and HIV-AIDS a priority issue for Africa. The enormity of the crisis is difficult to comprehend. Between 5,000 and 7,000 Africans die every day as a result of AIDS related infection. More than 12,000 a day become infected. Millions of young people have nobody to take care of them, because parents and all the adults of the extended family have died. Old people are also living with nobody in the extended family left to help care for them. The ATCnet database documents information about the organizations in Africa that are presently doing incredible work to confront the health and HIV-AIDS pandemic with extremely limited financial and material resources. But the enormous value of the work that these organizations are already doing is not at all reflected in the deliberations of policy makers regarding the crisis, yet it is a powerful resource for success in the battle against the pandemic and it is already deployed around Africa. The new ATCnet database makes it possible to identify the successes that there have already been in addressing the health and HIV-AIDS crisis. Though the gross statistics are horrible, they might encourage inaction because the problem appears so huge. The ATCnet database makes it possible to recognize that there is already an existing deployment of people and organizations that can easily be assisted to do even more valuable work in Africa. The ATCnet database makes it possible for money and in kind donations to be mobilized for use by registered organizations doing work in Africa. The ATCnet database and search engine will now make it easy for American philanthropists to select specific projects to support. The ATCnet network in Africa makes it possible to ensure that the resources are used as the donors intend. The ATCnet database and the financial analysis system makes it possible to ensure that funds are used effectively to improve the health environment in Africa and contain the HIV-AIDS pandemic. The database will help African organizations publicize their priority needs in a systematic way. The database will help the global community help African organizations improve their productivity in the work by making it much easier to get access to critical resources. It is recognized that there are many resources that are needed, both financial and material. There is also the need for resources associated with education and training. The ATCnet network provides a link between those with resources and those in need of resources. The database will make it possible for organizations that can donate materials to do it easily, and to know that the materials are being used in the manner intended. During the next few weeks ATCnet will be registering organizations in the database. The goal is for several thousand leading organizations to be registered in that time. The registration program will continue so that in time all organizations doing valuable work in the health sector and against the HIV-AIDS pandemic are registered. Additional critical information will be obtained as fast as possible so that critical needs can be identified and a process of resource mobilization implemented. At the same time steps will be taken to confirm the validity of the information to ensure that it can be relied on as a basis for decision making. Information in the ATCnet database originates from a variety of sources, including the concerned organizations and from secondary sources. The information is validated by independent inquiry using third parties. More information is available on the ATCnet website: www.atcnet.org The primary contact and communications with ATCnet and its network is through email and the Internet. Check the website at www.atcnet.org. or send information requests to info@atcnet.org. If you do not have email send an email request to ATCnet to obtain an ATCnet email account. Otherwise use regular mail. For more information or to help, contact: Kirimi Kaberia ATCnet 5851 Quantrell Avenue # 501, Alexandria, VA 22312 Tel. 703 658 6333 Fax. 703 658 3993 EMAIL - kirimik@atcnet.org Web: www.atcnet.org