NPA in Angola

NPA’s competence in Angola is based principally in its long-term operational existence in the country. NPA has operated a permanent office in Angola since 1989 and started its activities in Angola when the 1975 – 91 war was at its height.

Over the years NPA Angola has managed to positively affect various communities in ‘normalizing’ their lives in an environment of war and hostilities. As the areas of intervention increased and diversified, NPA gained a comparative advantage in some sectors of intervention.

Such projects as the " Icole e Bengo Rural Development Project " in the commune of Cassoneca assisted people in rehabilitating and constructing the infrastructures of their communities (health, education, water). The project also qualitatively improved people’s lives during the war in the nineties and sustained their hopes for a better future. Later NPA started a similar project in the Kwanza Sul province, focusing on rural development through agricultural production in partnership with local organisations.

The Cambambe/Dondo Primary Health Care Project in N’dalatando attended to people’s medical needs and achieved impressive results in reducing the incidence of trypanosomiasis in the project area. Most important is, however, that in spite of the war, crisis and emergencies, the PHC project assisted the establishment of a functional primary health care network in the Municipality. When phasing out the project in 2000, the experiences gained were carried over to and formed the basis for a still ongoing health PHC intervention in the province capital of N’dalatando.

During the last years, NPA's development programme in Angola has developed its partnership-oriented strategy with civil society institutions, Angolan NGOs and community-based organisations, in order to strengthen their institutional capacity. This ongoing process of joint project activities and NPA support for Angolan institutions has cumulative benefits and is considered a way to assure sustainability by transfer of responsibilities to them, and to place the self-reliance principle firmly in the recovery process.

Since 1995 the mine action program has given a comprehensive contribution to solve the huge problem that landmines represent to people’s lives and livelihood. The removal of landmines has been and continues to be of invaluable importance in accessing and providing emergency assistance to the displaced and hunger-stricken people in remote areas. Clearing roads and agricultural areas is also a development issue, and NPA will continue its efforts to assist Angola’s economic and social recovery by removing landmines.

The development programme of NPA in Angola is mainly funded by NORAD, while the Mine Action programme is currently financed by the Norwegian Embassy in Luanda (NMFA), US Departement of State and Netherlands’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In addition, Statoil provides valuable, financial support to both programmes. Previous donors include  SIDA, USAID, DANIDA and the EU.