Tag Archives: United Nations

A Window of Opportunity in Somalia?

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Mid morning this morning I read what I consider the most deflating news yet about the crisis in the Horn of Africa: sacks of food aid meant for Somalis dying of starvation are being stolen and sold at nearby markets.

From the AP report: In Mogadishu markets, vast piles of food sacks are for sale with stamps on them from the World Food Program, the U.S. government aid arm USAID and the Japanese government. The AP found eight sites where aid food was being sold in bulk and numerous smaller stores. Among the items being sold were corn, grain, and Plumpy’nut – a specially fortified peanut butter designed for starving children.
An official in Mogadishu with extensive knowledge of the food trade said he believes a massive amount of aid is being stolen – perhaps up to half of aid deliveries – by unscrupulous businessmen. The percentage had been lower, he said, but in recent weeks the flood of aid into the capital with little or no controls has created a bonanza for businessmen.

Some families even told the AP that food handed out is taken back after photographers get their photos. The families have no choice to comply, they say, or face being kicked out of the refugee camps.
It sounds like a repeat of what happened in nearly 20 years ago. Despite the thefts, the World Food Program is continuing with distributing the food aid. To not do so would cause “many unnecessary deaths.” 
But a report from National Public Radio on Sunday highlighted what may be a cause for hope for Somalia, as strange as it sounds.
The famine and drought have taken their toll on the terrorist group al-Shabaab, which controls the regions experiencing the worst of the famine. Where there are no farmers, no agricultural yields, there are no shops and markets, and al-Shabaab’s “whole structure” collapsed, said J. Peter Pham, director of the Africa Program at the Atlantic Council in Washington.
“There is a narrow window of opportunity right now if the international community were to engage local communities, local leaders [and] assist them, strengthen them while [al-Shabaab] is weak,” Pham said. 
The World Food Program isn’t stopping its aid, and according to some, continuing to try to get aid into the region is the only way to continue to break down al-Shabaab’s hold on the region. Don’t give up hope for Somalia.  Help here. 

Insurgent Group Reportedly Blocking Somalis from Fleeing Drought, Famine

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Source: UNICEF Australia 
The situation is worsening in the two southern regions of Somalia affected by famine, as an insurgent group is preventing those who are trying to seek refuge in neighboring countries from escaping the area.

An article in The New York Times today reports that the Shabab Islamist insurgent group has set up a camp and is imprisoning people who are trying to flee the Shabab-controlled areas of Somalia—the only regions in which the United Nations declared famine nearly two weeks ago.

The Shabab is accused of stealing water during the worst drought in 60 years and diverting it to commercial farms, and the group has also long blocked Western aid organizations from working in their strongholds. The Shabab also called the famine declaration “an exaggeration,” and insisted that the Somalis in the camp are coming to it willfully because it creates a “sense of serenity and security.”
Meanwhile, tens of thousands are already dead and a half million children are on the brink of starvation. More are suffering from diseases like measles and cholera. A doctor treating the sick and malnourished said what he’s seeing is worse than the famine of 1992.
In addition, the United Nation’s humanitarian chief said yesterday that without a “massive increase in response” to the crisis in Somalia, “the famine will spread to five or six more regions.” They’ve also increased the amount needed to aid the 12.4 million people in crisis to $2.5 billion. You can see the breakdown of the funding status here.
It’s discouraging and horrifying news. But the Times article also points out that the U.N. has begun airlifting in emergency food, and that some members of the insurgent group have indicated they would allow aid to come in to their areas.
All hope is not lost for Somalia. While Heifer doesn’t work there, we urge you to take the time to consider what you can do to help. Keep up with what’s happening there, or donate to organizations who are on the ground providing aid.

Famine Declared in Somalia—What You Can Do

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Photograph by Geoff Oliver Bugbee

Yesterday, the United Nations officially declared famine in two southern regions of Somalia, brought on by the worst drought there in 60 years.
UN humanitarian coordinator for Somalia Mark Bowden said that if action isn’t taken now, “famine will spread to all eight regions of southern Somalia in two months due to poor harvests and infectious disease outbreaks.” (Read the entire AFP story on the announcement here.)
While Heifer has no projects in Somalia, about 78,000 Somalis have fled to neighboring Kenya and Ethiopia, where we do work. The influx has placed further strain on those countries, which are also dealing with drought.
We will continue to closely monitor the situation, and will update you on how our projects are faring as soon as we hear from our staff there.
However, about $1.6 billion is needed right now to help combat the crisis. There are a number of organizations already providing aid and relief in the Horn of Africa.
CNN posted this story that includes a number of ways you can help the relief efforts underway. Other organizations assisting in aid and relief can be found here.
We said this a couple of weeks ago, but it bears repeating: If you can’t spare money to donate, share news of this crisis with friends and family. Follow the organizations on the ground via Twitter and Facebook. Even these small actions can make a difference.

Famine will be Declared in Horn of Africa Today

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Below the photo is a news release from InterAction. The gist of it is this: in southern Somalia, drought has given way to famine and will be announced as such by the United Nations sometime today.
While Heifer does not have projects in Somalia, we do work in Kenya, which has been hit hard by the drought as well, particularly as Somalian refugees flood into Kenya seeking relief. In an email from Alex Kirui, our Kenya country director, I have learned our Kenya staff is currently assessing the drought situation in the pastoral parts of the country. We expect to hear back next week, but a bit of good news in the meantime regarding Heifer participants in Kenya is that our dairy project areas have not been affected by the drought, because the region has received normal rains. We will keep you posted on how our project participants are faring. In the meantime, I urge you to a) keep up with news coverage of this crisis, and b) give generously what you are able to organizations who are on the ground providing aid and relief.
We feel lucky to report that our dairy project participants have received enough rain.
Please continue reading to learn more about the drought-turned-famine in East Africa.


U.S. NGOs urge strong global response to East Africa crisis

WASHINGTON (July 19, 2011)—The United Nations is expected to officially declare famine in parts of southern Somalia tomorrow (Wednesday, July 20), marking a new phase in a crisis that has affected the East Africa region.

“Governments need to wake up to the severity of this crisis and meet critical funding needs. Severe malnutrition rates, acute hunger and alarming refugee flows demand an extraordinary international response,” said Samuel A. Worthington, president and CEO of InterAction, an alliance of U.S.-based international NGOs.

At least 25 of InterAction’s members are responding to the crisis in East Africa, which has been hit by the worst drought in 60 years, spiraling food prices and ongoing conflict. More than 11 million people are at risk, according to U.N. estimates, and hundreds of thousands have fled Somalia to overcrowded refugee camps in Ethiopia and Kenya.

The response by the humanitarian community has been hampered by complex security issues as well as legal restrictions in place to prevent donor funds from reaching extremist groups such as al-Shabaab, which controls much of southern Somalia.

Al-Shabaab has said it will allow international humanitarian groups access to affected areas, a promise it needs to keep if aid is to reach populations most in need.

“For aid to flow into southern Somalia at the levels required, al-Shabaab will have to cease its harassment of international aid agencies and staff, while the U.S. and other donor governments will have to trust the procedures of experienced aid organizations to ensure that aid reaches vulnerable people without diversion,” said Worthington.

The U.S. government has provided $383 million in fiscal year 2011, including emergency food, water and hygiene supplies.

“While the United States has been more generous than other nations, we need to do more. We appeal to U.S. lawmakers not to cut budgets that could affect millions affected by this crisis. It is the right thing to do,” said Worthington.

G20 Report Receives Mixed Reviews

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We shared last week about the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) stated how higher agriculture commodity prices are here to stay.  Global warming has already raised food prices by as much as 20% and the global price for a basket of basic food is still 37% higher than it was this time last year.

After a two-day meeting, the G20 released their Action Plan on Food Price Volatility and Agriculture. Though this was the first time the agriculture ministers of the group have held a summit, reactions seem mixed but all have the same tone.
Below are some of the readings breaking down the G20’s action plan and discussing how this will have a global impact.
IRIN Global – FOOD: G20 not biting off more than they can chew
Guardian.co.uk – G20 agriculture ministers dodge the big questions on food prices  
UN News Centre – UN agency welcomes G20 decisions aimed at boosting food security
AFP – G20 grapples with speculation, food security
You can read the G20’s report here, and let us know in the comments what your thoughts are regarding their plan. One step forward or two steps back?

Nepal Running a Strong Race Toward Millennium Development Goals

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Article by Puja Singh, Heifer Nepal Communication and Networking Officer
The Millennium Development Goals (MDG), when declared in September 2000 must have seemed unreal to most with any grasp of the world’s poverty situation. However, more than 10 years after, it seems like the goals were exactly what the world needed to get the ball rolling in an organized fashion.
Global Monitoring Report 2011: Improving the Odds of Achieving the MDGs—an update on meeting the targets, published by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund—says that two-thirds of developing countries are on track or close to meeting key targets for tackling extreme poverty and hunger. It also predicts that with improved policies and faster economic growth, these countries can still achieve the targets in 2015 or soon after.
Trends are positive, as latest stats show that the number of people living on less than $1.25 a day is projected to be 883 million in 2015 as compared with 1.4 billion in 2005 and 1.8 billion in 1990. With more commitment from development partners and governments, the situation could be even better. The report places Nepal in the group of nations that have achieved more than 50 percent of their targets on most key issues.
Heifer’s projects in Nepal address key issues of the Millennium Development Goals. Through the Values-Based Holistic Community Development model, Heifer helps poor families overcome poverty using livestock, agriculture, improved skills and microcredit. Families move out of poverty to start contributing to the economy. Heifer also strengthens social structures and bonds, creating a strong community social capital. This modality creates a safety net for people who have recently overcome poverty, assuring that they don’t fall back into poverty with the next fluctuation.
Perhaps in the race to the MDG finish line, the implementers and development partners need to look back at the work done and assess its sustainability. It only takes a small mishap, economic, environmental or others, for the stats to change to negative. Social safety nets and community development foundations assure that the community is proactive in predicting these fluctuations and has a plan to mitigate their effects.
No doubt Heifer’s model works. Now it’s time to accelerate our work and do more. It’s time to put the pedal to the metal.

World Water Day: Let’s Unite for Clean Water

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Written in collaboration by Brooke Edwards and Maegan Clark

In 1992, the UN designated March 22 of each year as World Water Day. Although Heifer International’s focus is on ending hunger and poverty, clean water (for people and livestock) is absolutely essential for our project families and communities to thrive. In observance of this year’s World Water Day, we thought we would shine a light on how water plays an important part of our work all over the world and give you a few ways you can help bring safe drinking water to the world’s poor.

In many of our project communities, the lack of access to clean potable water is one of the most critical challenges. Many communities depend on unsafe water from unprotected shallow wells or rivers. Lack of access to water is a threat to the livelihood of a community in many ways. Inadequate access to water negatively affects the productivity of livestock and crops, and unsafe drinking water is a health hazard to both communities and animals. It is primarily the responsibility of women and girls to fetch water for household and animal use, often walking long distances in harsh conditions. Water scarcity is believed, for this reason, to affect the enrollment rates as well as educational performance of girls.


(Please note that there is no audio due to the high winds.Video by Geoff Oliver Bugbee)


In this video you’ll see Fatou Dione walking in oven-hot wind churning with dust to fetch water for her husband and four children. It’s the dry season in her village of Diarrere in Senegal, and both water and food are running low. At the time this video was shot, they were eagerly anticipating the rains the following month.


To address water scarcity in our project communities when needed, Heifer partners with organizations specializing in water projects to bring deep-water wells and pumps to the area. Consistent with our methodology of helping families and communities become more self-reliant, local people are trained to maintain the wells with locally available resources. And to ensure the sustainability of the boreholes, water management committees are established and trained.
Improved sanitation is also crucial for our projects. In Uganda, Heifer participants are using a clever hand-washing station called a Tippy Tap. It allows you to wash your hands without touching anything in the process. 
Tippy Tap System
Image from www.cdc.gov

These really make sense when running water isn’t available. Much better than a bucket, that’s for certain. We all know hand washing is a key way to stop the spread of many diseases. In a country like Uganda, which has a life expectancy of 52.98 years (yes, in large part a result of HIV/AIDS), avoiding disease like bacterial diarrhea is of the utmost importance.



The Tippy Tap is a cheap device made of locally available materials. It was initiated by Heifer Uganda at this farm and others as one way of ensuring that family members and their visitors wash their hands with soap each time they use the pit latrine. In so doing, the possibility of spreading disease is minimized.


So what can you do to help?

  1. Help fund our Building a Sustainable Way of Life Project in Peru, which will improve community wells to ensure the availability and quality of water in wet years and dry.
  2. Team up with US-based groups who are calling for increased commitments by the US government to help increase access to safe drinking water and improved sanitation for millions around the world.
  3. Find and attend an event near you.
  4. Visit a local restaurant participating this week in UNICEF’s Tap Project, and pay a $1 (or more!) donation for otherwise free tap water.

    For more information about World Water Day please visit http://www.worldwaterday.org/ and http://oneweekforwater.org/. 


How Heifer is Helping the World Feed Itself

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Earlier today I posted about a Heifer project participant being included in The Economist’s report, The 9 billion-people question: A special report on feeding the world. And if you’re keyed in to media coverage of sustainable agriculture, you’ve probably seen the conversation around the web on the United Nations Report, Agroecology and the Right to Food (Mark Bittman has written about it on the New York Times Opinionator blog, and Paula Crossfield for Huffington Post, to name a couple).
Both reports look at the seemingly impossible challenge of feeding all 9 billion people who are estimated to be living on Earth by 2050, and they offer different perspectives. Will we feed the world by investing in the highest-yielding crop or livestock species? Or by investing in agroecology? (Heifer has been practicing agroecology all over the world since the mid 1980s and established an Agroecology Initiative in 2000.)
I worry, though, that the theme of “feeding the world” diverts our attention from the local, on-the-ground work that needs to be done. Heifer takes on the task of ending hunger and poverty with this sort of community approach, and it’s an approach that we’ve proven works.
Ours is a bottom-up approach. We work with the very poor to help them rebuild assets and develop agriculturally and economically active livelihoods. We build strong community groups where people work together to share their limited resources and to plan their vision of a better life. At this stage, much training takes place. Participants learn improved ways to tend animals, how to best use animal by-products, water management and erosion control practices, and often even improved literacy and leadership skills.
A transformation process begins to happen within the community when the members realize that improvements in knowledge lead to improvements in health, income, relationships and eventually to their values. We call this a holistic transformation.
Once this transformation is underway, the community uses their knowledge to impact the policies, systems and practices that impact their surroundings (both societal and environmental). Community empowerment at the grassroots level can lead to changes in infrastructure to help build local commerce–roads, electricity, commodity storage and transportation, as well as market associations and structures.
We’ve seen our model work again and again, in all corners of the world (and even in our own backyard). Our challenge now is to ratchet up this model so we can begin to see our impacts on a larger scale, as we have with our East Africa Dairy Development Project. As communities begin to feed themselves, international hunger statistics will begin to come down. The need for wealthy countries to ship commodities to poor countries will decrease–countries will be growing their own food.
Left: Bolivia (photo by Geoff Bugbee), Top: Cambodia (photo by Matt Bradley)
Botton: Armenia (photo by Russ Powell), Right: Zambia (photo by Jake Lyell
And then the question of whether conventional agriculture is more productive or if sustainable/organic/agroecological agriculture is better will become a non-issue.
Can we do it alone? Of course not. We need help from individuals like you, from partner nonprofits and non-government organizations, and from governments–wealthy and poor alike.

Quality of Life: How Do We Rate?

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For the eighth time, Norway tops the United Nations’ Human Development Index, a guide to the best countries to live in. Life expectancy, average income, years of schooling, gender equality and political freedom are just some of the indicators used to determine the ranking.
The United States came in fourth, also behind Australia and New Zealand. Zimbabwe, a country Heifer works in, comes in at the very bottom of the 169 nations ranked, where it has been for the last five years.
Read more on the U.N. report here. It’s worth it to dig down into the actual report: Particularly notable are Chapter 2, “The advance of people,” which has a separate section on hunger, and Chapter 5, “Innovations in measuring inequality and poverty.”

Saving Animals, Plants and People At the Same Time

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This week, members of the U.N. Convention on Biological Diversity are meeting in Japan to talk about how to protect the planet’s flora and fauna. It’s a noble and challenging goal, especially considering that they hope to do it without displacing or disenfranchising any of the world’s poor, 70 percent of whom live in rural areas and are therefore more likely to look to hunting, fishing and resource extraction for their livelihoods.

The online magazine Slate takes a look at this challenge today and considers ways that biodiversity can be preserved at the same time poverty is reduced. Agroforestry, in which trees and agriculture are integrated, is one solution that Heifer promotes in many of its projects. Protecting soil by planting trees simply makes sense for the farmers who rely on healthy soil to produce healthy crops. You can learn more about some Heifer’s work with partner Green Mountain Coffee to preserve biodiversity in Mexico in the Winter 2010 issue of World Ark magazine.

Read more about the Convention on Biological Diversity here.