"It gives one hope, this great strength of Africa."  -Stephen Lewis, former Canadian ambassador to the United Nations.  For over 40 years, CPAR has made a commitment to long-term change in rural East Africa. Founded in 1984 in response to the famine in Ethiopia, Canadian Physicians for Aid and Relief (CPAR) is a registered non-profit organization working in partnership with vulnerable populations and diverse organizations to overcome poverty and build healthy communities in Africa. CPAR has field offices and programs in Ethiopia, Malawi, and Tanzania.We have witnessed transformations – large and small – that have brought safe, clean water to communities where the source of life was also a source of disease.We have seen women take on leadership roles in their villages, marshalling the knowledge and the know how to bring economic stability and healthy livelihoods to their communities.We have seen African medical professionals work creatively and responsibly to overcome obstacles to deliver life-saving care.And we have taken note of something else Mr. Lewis has remarked upon: "It is always the village women who drive these things."Which is why we’ve launched a new campaign to encourage our supporters to put their trust in the hands of the women of Africa."In Her Hands” is more than a campaign theme, it is a philosophy that permeates all that we do, and this year, it is more important now than ever before.With extreme poverty on the rise for the first time in 22 years due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, women and girls will bear the brunt – threatening the progress made over the last several years. CPAR staff on the ground in Africa are seeing a concerning rise in child marriages and violence against women and girls. Schools that have closed for the pandemic are reopening to far fewer girls in the classroom. Women who already performed most of the work for the least amount of pay – if any at all – are finding fewer economic opportunities with which to sustain their families.We’re inviting Canadians to join us in our work to build healthier communities in rural Africa. Find out more by reading about our programs, and consider giving what you can to put health and hope in her hands.