We can’t let civilians starve to death because of this tragic civil war in Syria. But right now in the town of Darayya, in Southern Syria, thousands of innocent civilians have no food or medicine.
Read my full commentary at The Huffington Post:
Syria airdrops are “glimmer of hope” in darkness of war
United Nations advisor Jan Egeland said Thursday that the World Food Programme (WFP) made two airdrops in one day of life-saving food into the besieged Syrian city of Deir ez-Zor.
Deir ez-Zor has been under attack by the ISIS terrorist group since 2014. There have been alarming reports of food shortages and hunger in the city.
Humanitarian convoys cannot travel by road into Deir ez-Zor because of the ISIS threat. So the WFP decided to resort to airdrops to reach around 200,000 starving civilians.
To avoid being shot down by ISIS, the planes have to fly at a very high altitude. This makes the food drops much more difficult to reach the landing zone. So it took extra time for WFP to improve the consistency of the food drops.
WFP has now done 15 total airdrops of food, which are distributed on the ground by the Syrian Arab Red Crescent. Egeland said, “there are large distributions inside Deir ez-Zor and we are reaching now soon everybody with food rations for civilians in Deir ez-Zor.”
The Syrian civil war, now five years old, has caused a severe hunger crisis. Peace talks and ceasefires between the government and opposition have not held.
Humanitarian access remains limited or non-existent in many areas throughout Syria. The combatants often block aid agencies from delivering supplies. In the city of Darayya the “nutrition situation is very bad” and the UN is urging the Syrian government to let humanitarian aid through.
Over 4 million people inside Syria depend on life-saving food from the WFP. Reaching the starving civilians is the great challenge WFP and other humanitarian agencies are facing. That is why a peace settlement is so urgent.
The emergence of ISIS from the chaos of war has worsened the situation drastically. The terrorists occupy a large amount of territory and have caused widespread displacement and hunger.
There is also the challenge of funding. The airdrops, for example, are extremely costly.
Will WFP have enough funding to continue to provide food into the besieged areas by air? That is an extreme concern as noted by UN special envoy Staffan de Mistura who said “they will be requiring more funds, but I hope there will be no problem because for an operation like that, which is quite unique and can be replicated elsewhere, funds should not be a problem.”
The United States Food for Peace program is a major source of funding for the humanitarian mission. Will Congress give Food for Peace the funding it needs to meet the Syria emergency and others around the globe, especially with so many at once? Will other countries be encouraged to keep up donations?
Until the war ends, hunger will remain a powerful enemy of Syria. The international community needs to support millions of innocent Syrians who are victims of a savage civil war.
Read the full article at Examiner.
Filed under global hunger, Uncategorized
Food for Peace aids earthquake victims in Ecuador
The United States Food for Peace program is coming to the aid of earthquake victims in Ecuador. An initial donation of half a million dollars is helping the UN World Food Programme feed those displaced by the 7.8 magnitude quake.
Food for Peace, which was started by President Dwight Eisenhower, is the main tool of the United States for feeding the hungry overseas. It’s run by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Food for Peace is the single biggest donor to the UN World Food Programme’s relief work in over 70 nations.
The earthquake has left hundreds dead and over 25,000 people displaced. With the destruction has come food shortages.
According to a United Nations appeal for Ecuador, “Loss of livelihoods and assets, as well as damage to roads and markets in rural areas, have reduced an estimated 518,000 people ́s access to food.” As many families in Ecuador were already living in poverty, there is little for them to fall back on after a disaster.
The first Food for Peace donation is providing high energy biscuits for quick nutrients to those left hungry by the quake. In addition, food vouchers will be provided to people in areas where markets are still open.
Food for Peace officers are still assessing the damage in Ecuador and this will determine additional donations. Many impoverished families will likely need support for the coming months. There could be significant damage to agriculture in the earthquake zone.
The World Food Programme says it plans to feed at least 260,000 people in the coming months. This number could change at anytime. The food distributions will include hospitals, where food shortages have been reported.
Read the full article at Examiner.
Filed under global hunger, Uncategorized
Ecuador: earthquake victims receive food aid, more needed
The UN World Food Programme (WFP) said Thursday that emergency food deliveries are underway in earthquake-devastated Ecuador. It’s just the beginning of a larger relief mission as the 7.8 magnitude quake has left many families with little or no supplies.
The WFP distributions started April 19 with the arrival of food kits to 8,000 people in the town of Portoviejo in Manabí province.
Good planning has helped the disaster response. WFP had disaster rations already prepared including quinoa, rice, pasta, tuna, sardines, oatmeal and lentils.
Kyungnan Park, the WFP Representative in Ecuador, explains, “WFP was ready to react swiftly to this emergency thanks to joint efforts with the Ecuadorian Government to prepare a response to the El Niño weather phenomenon, which is currently affecting the country.”
But the needs are massive and WFP is planning to feed at least 260,000 earthquake victims. Hospitals are reporting shortages. WFP is sending emergency rations to these and other locations at the request of the government.
WFP, the largest hunger relief organization, relies entirely on voluntary donations from governments, the public and the business sector.
WFP spokesperson Steve Taravella says PepsiCo Foundation just donated US $500,000 to the Ecuador relief effort. WFP is accepting donations for the emergency operation at its home page.
Read the full article at Examiner.
Filed under global hunger, Uncategorized
WFP to aid earthquake victims in Ecuador
Following a massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Ecuador, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) is mobilizing to help affected families. WFP spokesperson Steve Taravella said today, “WFP is coordinating with the Ecuadorian Government and mounting an emergency response to assist the most vulnerable of the people affected.”
The earthquake, which struck the central coast on Saturday, has left hundreds dead and destroyed homes and roads. The Ecuadorian Red Cross “estimates that the numbers of affected people could reach up to 70,000 and 100,000 and with 3,000 to 5,000 needing emergency shelter.”
WFP, the largest hunger relief organization, will assist with food aid. While full needs are still being assessed, WFP will be preparing cash transfers to about 20,000 people who will be at risk of hunger because of the disaster. The charity Action Against Hunger is also deploying emergency teams and has stocks of food ready if needed.
WFP has operated in Ecuador prior to this disaster. Hunger has been a crisis for the impoverished country and poor families have little to fall back on when disaster strikes. WFP says “Around 42 percent of indigenous children under five are stunted” in Ecuador from malnutrition.
Maria Villalobos of Save the Children warns, “Children are among the worst affected by this disaster, with many being injured and left without homes.” Ecuador is also host to refugees from Colombia.
UNICEF says it has delivered 20,000 water purification tablets to the affected areas. The UN Children’s Agency, along with WFP and others, will continue to assess the needs and respond as needed.
Read the full article at Examiner.
Filed under global hunger, Uncategorized
Food for Peace to the rescue in Iraq
Iraqis displaced by the war with ISIS are desperate for food. The United States Food for Peace program has come through again to help these war victims.
Food for Peace, run by the U.S. Agency for International Development, has just donated $ US 41 million to the UN World Food Programme (WFP) in Iraq. The WFP, the lead hunger relief agency, will distribute the Food for Peace donations.
Jane Pearce, the WFP country director in Iraq, says “I am delighted that the United States remains committed to working with WFP to deliver food assistance to Iraq’s most vulnerable populations. This generous and timely contribution from USAID’s FFP will help mitigate the suffering of many, as humanitarian needs outpace available resources.”
The donations will allow WFP to feed more than one million Iraqis for two and half months. Food vouchers and emergency rations will also be provided.
WFP relies on voluntary donations and Food for Peace is their largest source. Food for Peace, started by President Dwight Eisenhower, has fed billions since 1954. The program was started in order to send U.S. surplus food overseas to feed the hungry.
However, cuts to Food for Peace funding have been proposed in the latest presidential budget. This move is seen as a disaster by relief agencies and advocates as food aid is crucial with the record number of refugees around the world.
Read the full article at Examiner.
Filed under global hunger, Uncategorized
My Easter Column in the Free Lance-Star newspaper
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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My Interview with Nimdoma Sherpa, Mt. Everest climber and humanitarian hero
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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Syrian refugees and hunger: An interview with Caroline Brennan of CRS
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
Filed under global hunger, Uncategorized
Yet One More Factor May Affect the Election of 2016
The coming primaries will decide who the Republicans will nominate for President. They would be wise to look to someone who can tackle issues of great national and international importance like hunger. For America usually goes with the candidate who shows leadership in feeding the hungry. John Kasich has. Governor Kasich has been praised by the Ohio Association of Foodbanks as “a true champion for our emergency hunger relief efforts.”
Read the full article at The History News Network.
Filed under Hunger in America, Uncategorized
Author William Lambers 