It was 70 years ago when President Harry Truman canceled the White House Easter egg roll.
Why?
He wanted to lead by example in conserving food when so many people were facing hunger
Famine threatened to claim hundreds of thousands of lives because of food shortages in Europe. World War II had left such destruction that famine was inevitable.
Read my full commentary in the Free Lance-Star.
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Nimdoma Sherpa raises the Zero Hunger flag in Nepal to kick off the campaign to end world hunger (World Food Programme photo)
Nimdoma Sherpa, at just the age of 17, became the youngest woman ever to climb Mount Everest. This was just the beginning of her amazing feats. She has gone on to scale numerous mountains with her team of Nepalese climbers called the Seven Summit Women.
Never forgetting her roots, Nimdoma has become an ambassador for the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), the largest hunger relief organization. As a child growing up in Nepal, Nimdoma received school meals from WFP. She knows firsthand what a difference food and nutrition can make for a hungry child.
Last year after devastating earthquakes struck Nepal, Nimdoma and the Seven Summit Women faced their greatest challenge. The United Nations also called upon Nimdoma for a special mission for Sustainable Development Goal Number 2, Zero Hunger. Read more in the following interview with Nimdoma.
Last September you were chosen by the United Nations for a special flag raising in Nepal. What was this mission?
Last September I was chosen from Nepal by the United Nations to raise the flag which represent Zero Hunger and the main mission was to end hunger, achieve food security and improve nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture around the world capturing the attention of the world.
Why did you select the town of Kerauja in Gorkha district to raise the flag?
Because Kerauja is one of the nearest village of epicenter of the first devastating earthquakes. And villagers were totally hopeless by losing their family, house, friends, domestic animals, farm, etc. So we give them a hope to survive and possibilities ahead.
When I reached Kerauja with the team and mules with the supplies villagers were so surprised and happy to see us besides the tough trail damaged by earthquakes. We made it. And community members welcomed us.
I shared with the villagers that I’m going to raise the Flag which represent Zero Hunger and the message is going to be transferred all over the world. Local Chandra Bagadur Gurung said after all the hardship our village has suffered following the earthquakes, we are proud to have been chosen to carry this message to the world.
Now you led a team from the UN World Food Programme to the village? What supplies did you bring to the village?
We reached Kerauja village with the supplies like rice, pulses, and cooking oil by using mules and the trail wasn’t safe.
As the Seven Summit Women Team are continuing rebuilding efforts in Nepal, what are the greatest needs you see?
Still the rebuilding process is going on and transferring from temporary school to permanent school. Funding is little more challenging and still students need more encouragement and motivation to come school. And school meal is helping students to come to school.
What would you say about the international response to Nepal’s earthquake? Does this give you hope that Nepal will rebuild in full?
International response gave a hope and energy to rebuild and to stay strong because of their support and help. Since tourism is the main financial source of Nepal now most of the countries are encouraging their people to visit Nepal and forwarding the message that Nepal is safe to travel which is going to help Nepal become financially strong in many ways.
Do you think it’s within reach of every child in Nepal to receive school meals? Could Nepal be the model for every nation?
After the devastating earthquakes to encourage children to come school and to stay, school meal is playing a vital role. And parents are happy to send their children to school and they don’t have to worry about food when children are in school.
Now in most of the remote places affected by devastating earthquakes school meals are served and especially WFP is working hard on that to keep children in school.
Yes, Nepal is already a role model for every nation because even after the hardship following the earthquakes, every single person are playing a very important role to rebuild and recover and to light the future of their children.
How many miles do you think you have climbed since the earthquake in order to deliver supplies?
Now emergency period has been recovered and now mostly permanent rebuilding process is going on especially rebuilding School, Trail, Bridge, community building, health post, temple, monastery etc. Besides the blockade of India, Nepal has suffered from crises of fuel, gas, medicine etc, but still managed to keep ongoing process.
To learn more about the Goal of Zero Hunger visit the United Nations.
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The Syrian Civil War just reached its fifth dreadful anniversary. The war has led to the worst humanitarian crisis of our generation.
Millions of Syrians have fled their homeland seeking refuge in other Middle Eastern countries and even onto Europe. The refugees can escape the fighting, but hunger and poverty follow them.
They need the help of humanitarian agencies like Catholic Relief Services (CRS). Since World War II, CRS has come to the rescue of displaced civilians and the Syria crisis is one of its biggest operations ever.
Caroline Brennan of CRS is a senior communications officer in their Humanitarian Response Department. She recently took time to answer questions about the hunger crisis facing the Syrian refugees and what people can do to help.
How many Syrian refugees has CRS fed since the war started five years ago?
We have provided assistance (see details below), along with our partners on the ground, to one million war-affected Syrians since the beginning of the war.
In which countries is CRS providing the food?
In collaboration with our Church and other local partners, we provide support for food assistance in Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and Greece. From our offices in Turkey, we currently provide direct food distributions (“food baskets”). We also provided vouchers to uprooted Syrians in areas where diverse food items are available in the local markets.
In Jordan and Lebanon, CRS’ food assistance is provided primarily in the form of cash or vouchers for refugees to purchase food items of their preference in the local market. In Greece, we are supporting a soup kitchen that provides hot meals to refugees and migrants who have recently arrived from war-torn countries, or are stranded in the country as borders have recently closed to any refugee movement into the Balkan countries.
What do you see as the benefits of the food vouchers to the refugees?
As noted above, we provide food vouchers across the Middle East in our support to Syrian refugees. This is an ideal form of assistance when markets are open and have available supplies: the use of vouchers makes for faster assistance to a larger number of needy families; vouchers support the local economy and local shop owners, as direct distributions of food or supplies might otherwise displace their business—this way, they can keep their businesses going as we redeem the vouchers with the pre-identified vendors; lastly, vouchers (and cash grants) offer those who use them the dignity of choice—something so fleeting in an uprooted context.
Refugee families aren’t given food or assistance they might not want or need; rather, they can go to a shop and purchase what their family wants and needs the most. Wherever possible in emergency responses, CRS prioritizes market-based recovery, and vouchers and cash grants are a vital way of doing that when local conditions allow.
What are the biggest causes of hunger among Syrian refugees once they reach another country?
The needs to keep families fed is significant, and finding help is challenging and overwhelming. A majority of Syrian refugees are women and children. In Jordan alone, 76 percent of the Syrian refugee population is women and children. One of the biggest challenges we hear are from new mothers, who struggle to breastfeed with the physical impacts of trauma or stress.
The United Nations reported a shortfall of $15 billion in global humanitarian financing as thousands of Syrian refugees in Lebanon and elsewhere struggle to cope with a lack of aid. The deteriorating conditions in Lebanon and Jordan, particularly the lack of food and healthcare, have become intolerable for many of the 4 million people who have fled Syria, driving waves of refugees towards Europe.
What kinds of initiatives does CRS have to help lift the refugees out of hunger and poverty?
In our emergency response and recovery efforts like that of the Syrian refugee crisis, CRS takes a comprehensive approach that addresses urgent lifesaving assistance with an eye toward a full recovery. Our goal is to help people survive with dignity, get back on their feet, rebuild their homes and lives, and strengthen their long-term stability and resilience.
At this time of such upheaval, we help people with comprehensive assistance that addresses the diverse needs of the individual, and the most relevant needs in the context. For refugees in the Middle East, our priority assistance is food, shelter, medical assistance, living supplies, trauma healing, education and care for children. In Europe, our support is tailored to the rapidly-evolving context: food, winter clothing and supplies, soap and hygiene material for people on the move, safe shelter options, and—perhaps most importantly—clear information about legal options for seeking asylum and international protection
Since the onset of the crisis in 2011, CRS has helped more than 1 million Syrians across the Middle East and southern Europe. In this effort, we are working to build the capacity of individuals, the local Church and thousands of small, local grassroots agencies for long-term resilience in these areas. We work with local partners who share our focus: to serve the poorest of the poor, to respect local customs and tradition, to empower communities to address their own development and to apply long-term, integrated, sustainable solutions. With locally relevant programs that are led by community members and flexible to evolving needs on the ground, people can rise above adversity with dignity, start the process of healing, and strengthen their opportunity to rebuild their lives.
Where does CRS get its funding to help the war victims?
CRS receives funding for the Syrian refugee crisis response from a number of different donors, including private, government, and others.
What can citizens in the United States do to help the refugees?
We’ve compiled a short list of what people can do:
http://www.crs.org/media-center/syrian-refugee-crisis-7-things-you-can-do-help
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On Friday the Task Force on Humanitarian Access in Syria met in Geneva to discuss plans for bringing life-saving supplies immediately into besieged areas. There are currently 500,000 Syrians who are starving in areas blocked off by the combatants of the brutal civil war.
Humanitarian relief agencies have been previously denied access to these areas. Jan Egeland, the director of the Norwegian Refugee Council, chaired the task force meeting.
Egeland says, “We have already submitted requests for access to the parties surrounding besieged areas. We expect to get such access without delay.” Egeland is an advisor to Staffan de Mistura, the UN Special Peace Envoy for Syria.
The Task Force was set up this week by the International Syria Support Group (ISSG), a coalition of nations that are now committed to ending the war in Syria. The group includes the United States, Russia, Iran and many other nations.
Secretary of State John Kerry said after the ISSG meeting “Everybody today agreed on the urgency of humanitarian access.” Syrians are trying to live off leaves and grass in besieged areas, as there are no food supplies because of the war. Medical care is non existent.
The ISSG must now pressure the Syrian government and the opposition to allow food and other aid into all areas now under siege. The United Nations relief agencies and its partners will deliver the supplies. The humanitarian deliveries have to begin right away to save lives. Children suffer lasting physical or mental damage, or death from lack of food and nutrition.
A cessation of hostilities is to take place within a week between the warring sides, with the exception of terrorist group such as ISIS. The pause in fighting is expected to lead to a long-term ceasefire and peace talks to end the war. What’s left of Syria must be saved.
The five year civil war has killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions. The Middle East and Europe are overwhelmed by the number of refugees from the war.
Dropping the guns and sending in food will inspire hope for Syrians, which they have not had for five years. Egeland added, “the civilians who have been deprived of their basic right of humanitarian access for so long, will have hope. Let us not fail them.”
On Friday the Task Force on Humanitarian Access in Syria met in Geneva to discuss plans for bringing life-saving supplies immediately into besieged areas. There are currently 500,000 Syrians who are starving in areas blocked off by the combatants of the brutal civil war.
Read the full article at Examiner:
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Secretary of State John Kerry said tonight that agreement has been reached in war-torn Syria for the delivery of life-saving humanitarian aid to civilians. Kerry stated “We have agreed to accelerate and expand the delivery of humanitarian aid beginning immediately.”
Kerry made the announcement at a meeting in Munich, Germany with Russian foreign minister Sergey V. Lavrov and the International Syria Support Group, which consists of the U.S., Russia and multiple nations.
Kerry also announced a nationwide cessation of hostilities to take place within a week. The hope is for a political solution to follow, which would finally end the five-year civil war.
The fighting between the government and the opposition has killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions. There are over 13 million Syrians in need of humanitarian aid.
But there are an estimated half a million Syrians currently blocked from receiving food, medicine and other supplies. Civilians have been starving to death as the warring sides have prevented food convoys from reaching besieged areas.
A special task force would oversee the humanitarian access throughout Syria. In a statement also released tonight the International Syria Support Group said:
sustained delivery of assistance shall begin this week by air to Deir Ez Zour and simultaneously to Fouah, Kafrayah, the besieged areas of Rural Damascus, Madaya, Mouadhimiyeh, and Kafr Batna by land, and continue as long as humanitarian needs persist. Humanitarian access to these most urgent areas will be a first step toward full, sustained, and unimpeded access throughout the country.”
Five years of civil war has caused extreme food shortages. In recent weeks increased fighting and a blockade of Aleppo has caused massive suffering among Syrians.
Jakob Kern of the World Food Programme (WFP) in Syria said this week “The situation is quite volatile and fluid in northern Aleppo with families on the move seeking safety. We are extremely concerned as access and supply routes from the north to eastern Aleppo city and surrounding areas are now cut off but we are making every effort to get enough food in place for all those in need, bringing it in through the remaining open border crossing point from Turkey.”
The WFP and other agencies need quick access to Aleppo. But it was not clear if the Syrian government offensive, backed by Russia, would cease. Russian airstrikes have been supporting the Syrian regime.
A nationwide Syria ceasefire, if implemented, can allow humanitarians to bring life-saving aid to war victims in Aleppo and elsewhere. The ceasefire would not include ISIS and other terrorist groups which have benefited from the chaos caused by the conflict.
The Syrian civil war has brought their country to ruin. Only a ceasefire, peace agreements and humanitarian aid can save Syria.
Read the full article at Examiner.
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Never again. We hear those words in reaction to atrocities committed against mankind. But we have to put actions behind those words.
Syrian civilians under siege from a civil war are trying to survive eating leaves and grass. They are pleading for the international community for help. But the war and hunger goes on.
Read the full commentary at The Huffington Post.
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Republican presidential candidate John Kasich today spoke out against the blockade of humanitarian aid in Syria. In a town hall meeting in Atkinson, New Hampshire Governor Kasich said, “Men, women and children are dying of malnutrition” inside Syria.
The Syrian regime, backed by Russian bombings, is preventing humanitarian convoys from reaching besieged cities. Kasich’s remarks came while answering a question about nuclear weapons reductions with Russia. You can view the video of the remarks here.
Malnutrition causes lasting physical and mental damage in children, or death. Humanitarian agencies like UNICEF try to bring the children life-saving food, such as the enriched peanut paste Plumpy’nut. Tragically, they are often blocked by military forces from reaching Syrian cities.
Peace talks in Geneva between the Syrian government and the rebels have stalled. Meanwhile, the Russian bombings of the opposition are escalating the conflict and displacing more civilians.
The five year civil war has killed hundreds of thousands and left over 13.5 million in need of humanitarian aid. Those in the besieged areas are the most desperate.
Ertharin Cousin, the director of the UN World Food Programme, told the UN Security Council ” we estimate that there are 18 besieged areas and close to half a million people completely cut off from food and other crucial humanitarian assistance. In many of these areas, people are running out of food or may have already run out of food.”
Children have starved to death in the besieged areas, sometimes within miles of life-saving aid. Over 100 humanitarian organizations appealed last month for “unconditional, monitored ceasefires to allow food and other urgent assistance to be delivered to civilians, vaccinations and other health campaigns, and for children to return to school.”
A nationwide ceasefire, with humanitarian access, is the first goal of the Geneva talks. However, the talks are not expected to resume until later in February.
Kasich is campaigning ahead of the New Hampshire primary next Tuesday. A Republican debate is also scheduled for Saturday.
The war and hunger in Syria is one of the top foreign policy issues facing the candidates. Largely as a result of the Syrian conflict, there are more war refugees globally than anytime since World War II.
Read the full article at Examiner.
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The UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, visited drought-ravaged Ethiopia last week. He urged support to prevent another famine in the East African nation.
The food shortages and suffering in Ethiopia reminded the Secretary General of his own experiences growing in the Korean War. There was hunger and displacement caused by the conflict between the North and the South.
Ban Ki-moon said, “more than 60 years ago when I was young, a young boy in Korea, early 1950s. As you may know, Korea had war at the time. When the war broke out, we were [in a situation] as difficult as people are now here, even more difficult at the time.”
Humanitarian aid was crucial for Koreans. The United Nations Civil Assistance teams provided food, medicine and shelter for displaced war victims.
The United States Food for Peace program helped with post-war relief in Korea including school meals for millions of children. When the United Nations World Food Programme was created in the 1960’s, one of its earliest project was helping South Korea recover.
Ban Ki-moon added, “At the time, humanitarians and United Nations support came and I am feeling very much moved that the boy, the young boy who went through that kind of difficulties is now standing before you as UN Secretary-General.”
The Secretary General is urging donors to come forward and support Ethiopia in their time of need. The number of humanitarian emergencies including Syria, Ethiopia, Yemen have created a huge strain on relief agencies.
Civilians in these war and disaster torn nations are lacking food, shelter, medical care and education. The Secretary General added, “The Sustainable Development Goals agreed last year are based on the promise to leave no one behind. Humanitarian crises are the main reason why some hundred million people are currently left far behind, in the Horn of Africa and elsewhere.”
Read the full article at Examiner.
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Secretary of State John Kerry said today it’s urgent that humanitarian access be granted to besieged areas of Syria. The warring forces continue to block food and other supplies from reaching starving civilians.
Kerry, in a video message, said Syrians are starving to death, including in the town of Madaya. The World Food Programme, UNICEF and other relief agencies have been blocked repeatedly from reaching the town and others. Kerry said there are “walking skeletons” in Madaya.
Kerry welcomed the Syrian opposition’s decision to attend peace talks in Geneva to end the five year civil war. He added, “The world is hoping that both sides will move quickly to meet the needs of millions of desperate Syrians, to reduce the pressure on neighboring countries, to reduce the levels of migration, and to help restore peace and stability.”
A nationwide ceasefire is the first step being urged in the Geneva talks. This would allow humanitarian aid to pass freely to the suffering civilians and give a chance for peace talks to succeed.
The UN World Food Programme (WFP) and its partners are pleading for access to the hungry. There are about 4.5 million Syrians living in besieged or hard to reach areas of the country.
Each day that passes means more people starving to death, and Syrian children suffering the irreversible effects of malnutrition. Syrians must take this opportunity for peace or there will be nothing left of their country.
Read the full article at Examiner.
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With the first primaries and caucuses of the 2016 presidential election about to start, voters will be checking out each candidate’s track record. For Hillary Clinton, this includes an award for leadership in the fight against world hunger.
The World Food Program USA, in 2010, awarded Clinton the George McGovern Leadership Award “for her commitment and visionary approach to ending global hunger.” The World Food Program USA supports the work of the UN World Food Programme, the lead agency fighting hunger worldwide.
Clinton, who was Secretary of State at the time, helped create The Feed the Future initiative to help small farmers across the globe. The ability of each nation to produce their own food is the key to ending hunger.
Fighting hunger is a vital element of foreign policy. Clinton, upon receiving the award, stated “We know very well that hunger is a drain on economic development. It is a threat to the stability of governments and it certainly it deprives us of the talents and energy of nearly a billion people worldwide.”
Today, conflicts in Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Ukraine, South Sudan and the Central African Republic have led to the most hungry refugees since World War II. Droughts in East Africa and Central America are increasing the ranks of the hungry.
For the next president, fighting hunger will need to be a major aspect of foreign policy. It will be for domestic policy as well. Early voting states South Carolina and Nevada have child hunger rates over 25 percent according to Feeding America. Iowa comes in at over 19 percent in terms of child hunger.
Definitely more can be done to fight hunger at home and abroad. Food will certainly need to be a major theme of the campaign season.
Read the full article at Examiner.
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Author William Lambers 