Angola is still suffering from the effects of a civil war that lasted 27 years, and completely destroyed the country and mined the land. The fighting claimed the lives of 1.5 million people, and over four million Angolans were expelled from their villages and rendered refugees in their own country. The war officially ended in 2002, and people have begun to return home. However, in rural areas, the road conditions, hospitals, schools, and water supply systems remain in a catastrophic state.Despite a recent economic growth fuelled by Angola’s vast oil reserves, approximately 75 percent of the population still lives below the poverty level. Less than a third has access to basic medical care, and less than half to clean water. Hospitals and health stations face a real lack of qualified staff, functioning medical equipment, and medical supplies. As a direct result, thousands of Angolans die of curable diseases such as diarrhoea, malaria, or respiratory illnesses annually.