December is a time to reflect on contributions and accomplishments. I was thinking of this when reading the report of the Commission on Africa, addressed to the G8, the international community, Africa and the world at large. It is a comprehensive package which aims to support and strengthen Africa's development, addressing its weaknesses while building on its strengths. The report calls for action in five areas of promoting human development and, not surprisingly, nursing is active in all five. Many nurses in Africa are working together and in partnership with colleagues in other countries to address critical issues in development. As I read the report, I reflected on ICN's contributions in the five areas. Funding basic education of children. In 2005, ICN launched an exciting new initiative to educate the orphaned daughters of nurses, beginning in selected countries in Africa. Education plays a key role in health and in poverty reduction. It leads to lower fertility and infant mortality rates, better health and nutrition, higher productivity and gender equity. Girls account for 60% of the estimated 113 million out-of-school children, the majority of whom are in sub-Saharan Africa. For $200 (US) a year we can provide fees, uniforms, books and lunch money for these children. The response from nurses has been tremendous and we hope many more of you will help. Contributions can be made through the ICN website (http://www.icn.ch). Strengthening health systems and eliminating diseases that devastate poor people. Each year, there are more than 300 million cases of malaria worldwide. It is the number one killer in Zambia. ICN is working with the Zambia Nurses Association, the Zambia National Malaria Control Center and Novartis to educate nurses, midwives and the public about the disease, its prevention and treatment. Addressing HIV/AIDS. ICN addresses HIV/AIDS in a number of ways: working with the UN system, developing policy, guidelines and fact sheets, and working with national nurses associations on specific projects. ICN believes treating healthcare workers and their families is an important step in strengthening health systems, tackling the disease and serving as an incentive for health professionals to continue working in the country. Projects are being developed in Swaziland and Zambia to offer support services, antiretroviral medicines and related care to HIV infected healthcare workers and their families. Protecting orphans. Today in Africa, 16 million children have been orphaned by AIDS alone. By 2010, it is estimated that one in five children in Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland and Zimbabwe will be orphaned by this disease. ICN's Girl Child Education Fund and safe water initiative are helping some of these orphans. Safe water. Globally, an estimated 6000 children die every day from diseases that can be prevented by improved water. When such illnesses don’t kill the children, they weaken and impoverish them even further. In Uganda, less than 60% of the population has access to safe water or sanitation. ICN is working with the Ugandan Association for Nurses and Midwives and P&G Health Sciences Institute to provide a water purifying agent to two orphanages. The results are impressive – no cases of diarrhoea reported in the first seven months! Five years ago the world adopted the Millennium Development Goals. These are ambitious targets to cut poverty, achieve universal primary education, promote gender equality, reduce child mortality and improve maternal health, combat disease, ensure environmental stability and develop a global partnership for development. Nurses are doing their part and we will continue to do so in the year ahead. On behalf of ICN I wish each of you a new year filled with health, hope and help for those in need.