This Easter, spending on candy, gifts, clothing and food is expected to pass $16 billion, according to the National Retail Federation. Even the Easter Bunny would say, “Wow!”
See my full column at the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Tag Archives: Syria
Charity continues life-saving tradition
In my History New Network feature on the Syrian crisis, I wrote about the Near East Relief Charity of the World War I era. Their original name was the The American Committee for Syrian and Armenian Relief.
They got started in 1915 in response to the humanitarian crisis of World War I. Near East Relief’s life-saving work during those years has been a model for humanitarian aid ever since.
This charity is still going strong over a hundred years later and helping Syrian refugees. In fact, they tweeted me after I wrote the article!
Now called the Near East Foundation, they are helping Syrian and Iraqi refugee women earn a living. They are helping them regain an income, which many have lost because of the war.
They also have expanded their work to Africa, including Mali and Senegal. They are fighting malnutrition in these countries.
Near East Relief also works in Sudan, helping that country deal with the effects of war. You can visit the Near East Foundation web site for more information.
lief.
Read the full article at Examiner.
Filed under global hunger
WFP director appeals to donors to save Syria
The director of the UN World Food Programme (WFP), Ertharin Cousin, is attending a donor conference in Kuwait with one objective: to save the starving people of Syria. WFP is leading hunger relief in the war-torn country, but depends on voluntary donations.
Read the full article at Examiner.
Filed under global hunger
Future being made now for Syria’s children
On Tuesday a conference will be held in Kuwait to raise funds to feed the starving people of Syria. This crucial donor meeting can draw a little inspiration from history.
Read the full article at Examiner.
Filed under global hunger
WFP officer says world must stand by Syria
Dina El-Kassaby of the UN World Food Programme (WFP) will never give up on Syria. Traveling inside the war-torn country, El-Kassaby is trying to bring the world the stories of Syrians, who might otherwise be forgotten.
WFP/Rein Skullerud
The WFP officer recently penned an essay on the desperation felt by Syrians, who have now suffered through 4 years of civil war. She also published a story featuring the lives of 12 Syrians affected by the conflict.
WFP is leading the hunger relief mission, feeding almost seven million Syrians. This includes refugees in Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, Turkey and Iraq.
It’s one of the largest humanitarian operations since World War II. It’s one of the most dangerous. The support of the international community is vital to sustain this relief, until peace can ensue.
El-Kassaby’s plea to help Syria has been quoted in the New York Times and on the History News Network. You can read her full article at the World Food Program USA.
Read the full article at Examiner.
Filed under global hunger
Syrians under siege are blocked from humanitarian aid
The United Nations reports that humanitarian aid cannot reach 212,000 Syrians who are living under siege. The situation for these war victims is becoming more desperate each day.
Read the full article at Examiner.
Filed under global hunger
Hunger in Syria and Iraq
We must also remember the other enemy Iraqis and Syrians are facing: hunger.
See my full letter in the New York Times section Helping the Victims in Syria and Iraq. It is the second letter from the top.
Filed under global hunger
Syria’s Road to Peace Must End Hunger Too
As Syria’s tragic civil war enters its fifth year, we can’t forget the silent enemy that civilians face daily: hunger. We, the international community, must do everything possible to feed Syria’s war victims.
Read the article at The Huffington Post.
Filed under global hunger
Four Years On: A WFP Staffer Reflects On Her Experience In Syria
WFP Communications Officer Dina El-Kassaby has been working on the relief effort in Syria, including visiting hundreds of refugees and other people whose lives have been destroyed.
Here, she provides a personal account of the current conditions on the ground, and the efforts WFP is making to help those affected. She also sounds a note of hope for the future.
Read her article at the World Food Program USA.
Filed under global hunger
International School Meals Day: From the U.S., Central African Republic to Syria
On Thursday, March 5, we can all celebrate International School Meals Day. Food for education matters whether here in the United States or in lands far away.
Read the full article at The Huffington Post.
Filed under global hunger
Author William Lambers 