US financier George Soros is to invest $50 million in a development project that aims to show how targeted investment can end extreme poverty in African villages. His donation is being matched by other donors to bring in $100 million for The Millennium Villages program which involves small, focused investment in community-driven projects in the health, education and agriculture sectors…
78 villages in 10 African countries — each village, averaging about 5,000 people — will get five years of support from experts to help lift themselves out of poverty. For about $60 per villager per year, support includes cleaning up water sources, provision of basic education, and teaching people how to diversify crops and make the best agricultural choices. (AP and AU News)