resPonse

Action Against Hunger’s Quarterly newsletter | SPRING 2010

BUILDING
CAPACITY
IN D.R. CONGO
ACF partners
with Ministry of
Health staff to treat
malnutrition

REBUILDING
LIVES: RECOVERY
IN UGANDA
Families returning
from exile get clean
water and sanitation

THE VIEW FROM

SOUTHERN
SUDAN
A report on the
region’s food
shortages and
rising tensions

HAITI
UPDATE:
ACF Delivers Clean
Water, Sanitation,
& Nutrition to
Thousands of
Survivors
Page 2

116911.indd 1 4/29/10 12:32:03 PM

 We treAteD
THE IMAGES AND REPORTS POURING
IN FROM OUR TEAM IN HAITI WERE
GUT WRENCHING: A major city flattened,

soMe 30,000 vital infrastructure destroyed, hundreds of

thousands dead, and more than a million
left homeless. Our hearts go out to the

CAses oF families of the victims, including an ACF

staff member killed during the earthquake,
as we continue to do what we can to help

seVere ACUte these communities recover.

During a crisis of this magnitude, it’s crucial that humanitarian
aid arrives as quickly as possible. Delays of even a few hours can
MALnUtrition mean the difference between life and death. Thanks to our expertise
preparing for these types of emergencies, the generosity of our sup-

in D.r. Congo
porters, and our more than 25 years of experience in Haiti, Action
Against Hunger had the capacity and resources to act swiftly.
We were one of the first to provide drinking water after the

LAst YeAr—
earthquake struck, setting up distribution stations for over 75,000
people in Port-au-Prince and establishing water treatment centers
throughout the capital and surrounding areas. Our life-saving

tHe Most services have since reached thousands of people with nowhere else
to turn, including mothers who rely on us for support and a secure
place to feed their infants.

eVer treAteD While the world’s eyes were turned to Haiti, crises in other parts
of the world also claimed our attention. In the Democratic Republic
of Congo, for example, we uncovered some of the highest rates of

BY ACF in acute malnutrition we have ever seen while carrying out routine
nutrition surveys in two southern regions. As detailed in our lead
article (see page 4), our strategy focuses on strengthening local
A singLe institutions to detect and treat outbreaks of acute malnutrition. In
collaboration with the Ministry of Health, we treated nearly 30,000

CoUntrY.
cases of severe acute malnutrition in D.R. Congo last year—the
most ever treated by ACF in a single country.
Meanwhile, in northern Uganda, where hundreds of thousands
of people displaced by two decades of violent conflict are returning
home, Action Against Hunger is bringing clean water and sanitation
to villages where infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed. And
just over the border, in southern Sudan, we’re feverishly working
to help families facing severe food shortages generate income and
provide for the most vulnerable.
Thanks to your continued support and the commitment of our
unflagging staff who serve under very difficult, and often dangerous,
conditions, Action Against Hunger is able to respond to crises when
they arise and help entire communities fight hunger and get back on
their feet.
We hope you enjoy the latest issue of RESPONSE, and share it
with your friends and loved ones!

NAN DALE
Executive Director

RESPONSE // sPring 2010 www.actionagainsthunger.org

116911.indd 2 4/29/10 12:32:06 PM

 CONTENTS

4 7 8

ACTION AGAINST HUNGER | 2 NEWS & UPDATES

ACF INTERNATIONAL Haiti Updates: ACF’s Emergency Response, Haiti by the
is a global humanitarian organization Numbers, and Private Sector Support
committed to ending world hunger.
Recognized as a leader in the fight against 4 PROGRAM FEATURE
malnutrition, ACF works to save the lives Capacity Building in D.R. Congo: ACF Partners with
of malnourished children while providing Ministry of Health Staff to Treat and Prevent Malnutrition
communities with access to safe water and
sustainable solutions to hunger. With 30 6 SUCCESS STORY
years of expertise in emergency situations of Recovery In Northern Uganda: Families Returning from
conflict, natural disaster, and chronic food Years in Exile Get Access to Water and Sanitation
insecurity, ACF runs life-saving programs in
over 40 countries benefiting some five million 8 FIELD PERSPECTIVE
people each year. The View from Southern Sudan: A Report on the Region’s
Failed Harvests and Rising Tensions
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
   10 PARTNERSHIPS
Raymond Debbane Nan Dale G Movement Athletes Take Off: Our G Movement Athletes
The Invus Group, LLC Action Against Hunger
are Fired Up and Ready to Tackle Hunger
  Yves-André Istel
Burton K. Haimes Rothschild, Inc. 12 ANNOUNCEMENTS
Orrick, Herrington & The Roundup: Restaurants Against Hunger Events, Donor
Sutcliffe, LLP Ketty Maisonrouge
Ketty Maisonrouge &
Profiles, and ACF’s Personal Fundraising Center
Alexis Azria Company, Inc.

Christophe Duthoit Daniel Py

The Boston Consulting Medical-Instill
Group, Inc. Technologies
247 West 37th Street, 10th Floor
Cristina Enriquez- Thilo Semmelbauer Email: info@actionagainsthunger.org New York, NY, U.S.A. 10018
Bocobo The Ladders
Enriquez-Bocobo Web: www.actionagainsthunger.org RSS: www.actionagainsthunger.org/rss
Constructs Wendy C. Weiler
Argosy Partners
Pierre N. Fay
Luxottica Group Kara Young
Cover: ACF-Sudan, courtesy J. Seagle/Counterpart Images
This page: ACF-D.R. Congo; ACF-Uganda, courtesy T. Frank; ACF-Sudan, courtesy J. Seagle/Counterpart Images

ACTION AGAINST HUNGER 1

116911 alts2.indd 1 5/5/10 9:50:06 AM

 c neWs & UPDAtes
DEVAstAtioN iN HAiti
thanks to our long-standing pres-
ence in Haiti, Action Against Hunger’s
emergency response ensured clean
water, sanitation, and food reached
desperate survivors quickly.
ON JANUARY 12TH, THE WORLD WATCHED IN
HORROR AS A 7.0 MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE
STRUCK HAITI, KILLING AN ESTIMATED
230,000 PEOPLE AND TURNING THE CAPITAL
AND SURROUNDING AREAS TO RUBBLE.
Action Against Hunger, delivering humani-
tarian programs in Haiti since 1985, was
well positioned to respond. Within hours
of the quake, ACF had sent its first ship-
ment containing reinforcements and emer-
gency supplies for thousands of survivors in
Port-au-Prince and outlying areas.
After a disaster of this magnitude, clean
water and sanitation are urgent priorities.
Without them, diarrhea and other water-
borne diseases can spread with lethal swift-
ness. ACF was one of the first organizations
to provide safe drinking water for people
mEEtiNg urgENt
NEEDs oF WomEN
WitH YouNg
CHiLDrEN iN HAiti
Action Against Hunger’s baby-mother
tents offer security and life-saving
support for traumatized mothers and
their nursing infants
AMIDST THE MAKESHIFT CAMPS AND
RUBBLE-STREWN STREETS OF PORT-AU-
PRINCE, HAITI, ACTION AGAINST HUNGER
SET UP 15 SPECIAL TENTS designed to
provide mothers and their infants a safe
place for breastfeeding, as well as medical,
nutritional, and psychological support.
ACF is targeting mothers with children
younger than six months, as they are the
most vulnerable to malnutrition and a host
of diseases stemming from contaminated
water supplies and poor hygiene.
2 RESPONSE // sPring 2010
116911.indd 2
congregated in makeshift camps amidst the
destruction. Since the earthquake, ACF’s
specialists have installed some 52 large water
reservoirs and water points in stricken areas
of Port-au-Prince that ensure daily access to
clean drinking water for over 75,000 people.
To control outbreaks of disease, Action
Against Hunger’s teams constructed hun-
dreds of latrines, conducted broad public
awareness campaigns on emergency hygiene
practices, and distributed kits containing
soap, buckets, plastic sheeting, and other
essential items to thousands of families. And
as the risk of life-threatening malnutrition
grew, the organization launched an emergen-
cy program to provide high-protein biscuits
for 15,000 vulnerable children and establish ACF was one of the first to provide
outpatient nutrition centers to treat the most emergency access to water after the quake,
severe cases of the condition. establishing distribution points and water
Even as the cameras turn away from treatment centers throughout affected areas.
Haiti, Action Against Hunger remains com-
mitted to helping communities regain their
Photos: (Top) ACF-Haiti, courtesy C. Boisseaux; ACF-Haiti, courtesy L. Grosjean. Opposite page: ACF-Haiti, Courtesty C. Boisseaux
livelihoods, secure water and food supplies
for the future, and begin the painstaking
process of rebuilding their lives.
“In emergency settings where there
is limited access to clean water, breast-
feeding can mean the difference between
life and death for babies,” says Julie de
Barbayrac, a Mental Health Program
Manager in Haiti.
One mother, Helene, arrived at a tent
in the devastated Canapé Vert district of
Port-au-Prince. Her baby was born in
the street without any medical support
and quickly developed conjunctivitis
from unhygienic living conditions. Upon
arrival, a trained nutritionist performed ACF provides psycho-social support and a
an immediate medial assessment and safe haven for nursing mothers and their
provided Helene with clean drinking infants who otherwise lack privacy in the
water and instruction on caring for her makeshift camps.
child. Helene’s baby is now recovering and
breastfeeding successfully.
Today, more than 1,000 women use VIDEO: BABY-MOTHER TENTS
the baby tents, and they are spreading the interested in learning more?
View video of ACF’s teams in action:
word amongst their neighbors in nearby
displacement camps. www.actionagainsthunger.org/haiti
www.actionagainsthunger.org
4/29/10 12:32:18 PM
 CORPORATE DONATIONS POUR HAiti BY tHe nUMBers:
IN AFTER HAITI EARTHQUAKE
Companies open their wallets and their hearts our iNitiAL rEsPoNsE
for quake survivors A snapshot of ACF’s immediate response to the
WHEN ONE OF THE DEADLIEST NATURAL DISASTERS IN MODERN HISTORY devastating quake in Haiti
STRUCK HAITI, Action Against Hunger
received an outpouring of donations WAter For MORE THAN 75,000 PORT-

75,000
from people all over the country and AU-PRINCE RESIDENTS
around the world. CAN ACCESS clean water
But it wasn’t just concerned individuals every day from the
who reached out to Haiti in this time of inDiViDUALs 52 water distribution
need. In fact, companies donated well stations set up across the capital. our large
over half the total amount received in the water reservoirs are filled daily with safe water
aftermath of the earthquake. trucked in from outside.
For example, the law firm of
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, where Action Against Hunger’s
Founder and Chairman Emeritus Burton Haimes is a partner, offered LAtrines For ACF’S TEAMS CONSTRUCTED

30,000
LATRINES EQUIPPED WITH
to match employee donations for Haiti up to $75,000. A few days
HAND-WASHING STATIONS
later, the match amount was met—and surpassed. In the end, Orrick
throughout the make-
raised over $150,000 to help Action Against Hunger ensure earthquake inDiViDUALs shift camps of Port-
survivors had access to emergency supplies, sanitation, and clean
au-Prince. With the aim of preventing out-
drinking water.
breaks of water-borne illnesses, our teams
Clean water can be dangerously scarce after a disaster of this
conduct public awareness campaigns on
proportion, and Action Against Hunger rushed to provide safe drinking
emergency hygiene practices like latrine
water access to thousands of survivors. A $100,000 grant from Tyco
usage, hand-washing, and safe water handling.
International enabled ACF to deploy four additional large “bladder”
tanks in Port-au-Prince to meet the daily drinking water needs of 6,000
people for two and a half months. WorK For ACF IDENTIFIED 10,000 PEOPLE

10,000
“Given the devastation in Haiti, this new partnership with WITH VULNERABLE FAMILIES—
Tyco International couldn’t be more timely,” said Nan Dale, Action single heads of house-
Against Hunger’s U.S. Executive Director. “This is precisely the type holds and parents caring
of partnership that can be so effective in the immediate aftermath of inDiViDUALs for children with disabil-
natural disasters.” ities—to participate in a variety of activities
Other companies showed their creative side in raising urgently designed to boost the local economy. these
needed funds for Haiti. Rbar is a popular sports bar in New Orleans— programs provide income to people doing critical
so popular, in fact, that barstools are in short supply when the home recovery jobs, including clearing streets of rubble.
team is playing. So, when the Saints made the Superbowl, Rbar
auctioned off their stools—the best seats in the house—and took in
over $1,000 for Haiti. “Because of our own history, we understand rAtions For ACF’S EMERGENCY RESPONSE

40,000
INCLUDED 100 TONS OF
the responsibility to respond to a people in need,” said Rbar’s Lara
HIGH-PROTEIN BISCUITS
Desmond.
DISTRIBUTED to over 40,000
And, the employees of Kleer-Fax, Inc., a maker of organizational CHiLDren vulnerable children. these
products, demonstrated how even smaller donations can add up. Every
vitamin-packed biscuits are specially designed
worker in their factory donated an hour’s wages to Haiti. Before they
to prevent malnutrition in children under five.
knew it, the staff at Kleer-Fax had raised more than $1,000 for Action
Against Hunger’s relief efforts.
These are just a few examples of the generosity and ingenuity of HYgiene For MORE THAN 30,000 PEOPLE

30,000
companies and their employees that pulled together in the devastation’s SHELTERING IN TEMPORARY
wake. Action Against Hunger thanks all these donors—too many to be CAMPS have benefited
named here—for their vital support. from our distributions
inDiViDUALs of essential items.
the kits contain basic hygiene materials,
HAITI UPDATES: For more information on ACF’s including tarps, buckets, soap, and
emergency response and ongoing programs in Haiti, visit: toothbrushes.
www.actionagainsthunger.org/haiti

ACtion AgAinst HUnger 3

116911.indd 3 4/29/10 12:32:27 PM

 h PROGRAM FEATURE

BUILDING CAPACITY IN D.R. CONGO:

A CoLLABorAtion tHAt sAVes LiVes
ACF’s partnership with the Ministry of Health helps local health workers treat acute malnutrition

Action Against Hunger is

at the forefront of efforts
to treat acute malnutrition
in the Democratic republic
of Congo, where thousands
of children currently face
starvation in the remote
southern stretches of the
country. And we’re doing so
in ways that lay the
groundwork for solutions
long after we leave by
working with the Ministry of
Health to boost local capacity.

Photo: ACF-D.R. Congo, courtesy Burger/Phanie

4 RESPONSE // sPring 2010 www.actionagainsthunger.org

116911.indd 4 4/29/10 12:32:31 PM

 The Democratic Republic of Congo is
still a nation in crisis, reeling from
years of brutal conflict and neglect, and
struggling with widespread poverty, food
insecurity, uneven economic develop-
ment, and regional instability. As a result,
the country experiences routine outbreaks
of acute malnutrition that threaten thou-
sands of lives.
Luckily, the Congolese Ministry of
Health takes these problems seriously.
Responsible for fielding teams of trained
health workers, the Ministry of Health
works in partnership with Action Against
Hunger to devise and carry out strategies
for grappling with nutrition crises that
plague the country. And thanks to the Min-
istry’s dedication and professionalism, Ac-
tion Against Hunger has an extraordinary
opportunity to help build local capacity for
the long-run.
ECONOMIC COLLAPSE,
WIDESPREAD HUNGER
Rich in diamonds, gold, and nickel, the D.R.
Congo has long depended on the extractive
industry. But when the global economic re-
cession caused the price of minerals to plum-
met, mining companies across the southern
part of the country closed. The collapse of
the mining sector, along with drought, con-
flict, and other factors, has left thousands of
families without food or income.
“Hundreds of thousands of Congo-
lese lost their jobs and livelihoods when
the mining industry collapsed, and have
returned to their villages to find nothing,”
says Karine Milhorgne, Desk Officer for the
Democratic Republic of Congo.
Many Congolese previously engaged in
the mineral industry shifted to agriculture
production to eke out a living but have
struggled without the appropriate skills and
access to the necessary seeds and tools. In
an effort to make ends meet, some farmers
have been forced to sell their harvests before
their crops mature, depleting their seed
reserves and slashing their income. A highly
contagious plant disease has also ravaged the
region’s cassava plants, a staple crop once
integral to people’s diets and livelihoods.
A MALNUTRITION CRISIS
IN SOUTHERN CONGO
When disasters like this hit, children are
most affected. They don’t have much to fall
116911.indd 5
back on—especially when they are under-
weight and fragile to begin with—and in
southern Congo, thousands of them have
become severely malnourished. In fact, some
of the highest rates of severe acute malnutri-
tion ever seen in the region were uncovered
late last year.
For example, in Djuma, an area inacces-
sible by road and served by few aid organiza-
tions, nearly one in five children was found
to be suffering from acute malnutrition,
double the rate from 2008.
Thanks to our long-standing partner-
ship with the Congolese Ministry of Health,
ACF’s Nutrition Programs
Learn more about ACF’s community-
based approach to acute malnutrition
www.actionagainsthunger.org/nutrition
Action Against Hunger, together with local
health authorities, was well positioned to
respond to the crisis. Over the years, we
have honed a strategy that combines direct
intervention on behalf of affected children
with technical and logistical support for
local actors. This last year alone, we treated a
record 30,000 cases of severe acute malnu-
trition across the country by employing a
community-based model that is revolution-
izing care for the life-threatening condition.
COMMUNITY-BASED CARE
FOR ACUTE MALNUTRITION
At the community level, Action Against
Hunger is training volunteer village health
teams to diagnose malnutrition and refer
affected children for outpatient treatment,
or if they have severe medical or nutritional
complications, to therapeutic Stabilization
Centers for around-the-clock care. By tap-
ping into a national program of Communi-
ty Health Workers already in place, we have
trained thousands of volunteers to ensure
families of acutely malnourished children
know where they can seek help.
In outpatient centers managed by the
Congolese Ministry of Health and integrated
into the local health system, nurses trained
and equipped by Action Against Hunger are
treating and monitoring acutely malnour-
ished children during their weekly visits.
Now, because of a national nutrition
protocol and specially-formulated Ready-
to-Use Foods (RUFs) like Plumpy’nut, mal-
nourished children can visit the outpatient
centers once a week to get a medical check-
up, be weighed and measured, and receive
therapeutic RUFs to consume at home. In
the past, all treatment for acute malnutri-
tion required prolonged hospitalization.
Children whose condition has deterio-
rated to such an extent that they require
hospitalization receive intensive care in
therapeutic Stabilization Centers, which are
set up in local and regional hospitals.
After these children have recovered, they
are admitted to the outpatient nutrition
program for continued treatment until the
target weight is reached. The vast majority of
them return to full health within six weeks.
In both outpatient and inpatient centers,
staff members discuss the children’s progress
with their parents and teach them basic
nutrition and hygiene practices to improve
their health. Action Against Hunger pro-
vides technical and organizational training
for the centers’ staff, equipment and thera-
peutic nutrition products, as well as finan-
cial support for badly underfunded hospitals
and health centers to purchase medicine and
other essentials. Last year, over 100 doctors
and 2,300 nurses received comprehensive
training on care for severely malnourished
children through the program.
“None of this would be possible without
a successful strategy implemented by the
Ministry of Health and our truly dedicated
staff, most of whom are Congolese nation-
als,” says Marie-Sophie Whitney, Senior
Nutrition Advisor. “They understand how
important it is to build trust with lo-
cal health authorities, as well as affected
communities. You can’t just show up one
day and do the job. We’re able to work
so effectively because we’ve been carefully
maintaining these relationships for years.”
But success is not only measured by our
rapid response to outbreaks of malnutrition,
it is also determined by our ability to transfer
full responsibility for the nutrition programs
over to the Ministry of Health—in effect, to
work ourselves out of a job. When the crisis
subsides and we can eventually depart, the
local health system we have strengthened
will continue to support improvements in
communities’ nutritional health. This is our
legacy, and, with the help of committed
partners, it is one that endures.
Action against HUnger 5
4/29/10 12:32:31 PM
 A SUCCESS STORIES

RECOVERY IN NORTHERN UGANDA:

reBUiLDing LiVes AFter tHe WAr
Families coming home after years in exile get clean water and basic sanitation

Action Against Hunger is helping restore

stability to the lives of thousands of
Ugandans returning to their communities
Photos: ACF-Uganda, courtesy T. Frank

for the first time in decades. After years of

providing assistance in camps for people
displaced by brutal conflict, our teams
are following families back to their homes
and helping them get back on their feet.

6 RESPONSE // sPring 2010 www.actionagainsthunger.org

116911.indd 6 4/29/10 12:32:36 PM

 Northern Uganda
has been wracked by
nearly 20 years of
armed conflict that
forced some two
million people into
squalid camps.
Since the fragile peace process began in
2006, thousands of people have returned
home but are struggling without the
resources to rebuild their lives.
Lack of clean water and sanitation
infrastructure are major hurdles for
communities trying to start over. Before
families were driven from their homes,
the village of Omerkol was a thriving
community. Now, it’s barely scraping
by with just 200 people. One reason so
few residents have returned is the lack of
water, explained Awio Tom Richard, the
village head.
“The nearest [well] is about four
miles away, which makes construction,
farming and the rearing of animals very
difficult, not to mention the lack of safe
drinking water,” he said. “The only time
we have water nearby is during the rainy
season when we collect it from puddles,
but the water is not safe and a lot of
people get sick.”
Action Against Hunger is bringing
clean water to Omerkol and other
villages like it across northern Uganda.
And, the organization is training
community members in good sanitation
and hygiene practices to prevent
outbreaks of water-related illnesses.
“Before any interventions, we always
do a baseline survey,” said Ocen Walter,
a staff member with Action Against
Hunger in the region. If no clean sources
of water are found on the surface, a team
drills to reach water underground. The
demand for these services is enormous,
and Action Against Hunger is one
of the very few organizations in the
region with the necessary technical
skills and equipment.
The village of Akadikum benefited
from a well drilled by Action Against
Hunger last summer. Now most of the
116911.indd 7
people from the village, plus some from
a neighboring community, collect their IN FOCUS:
water there for a small monthly fee, tHe 200 MiLe HoUse
which Akadikum’s water committee uses
to help maintain the source.
Action Against Hunger is committed
to community participation, which
helps ensure the longevity of the water
resources. “We set up a committee to
be in charge of maintaining the [well]
so that we wouldn’t have to keep calling
on outside help,” said Odyek Bosco, the
village head.
During Action Against Hunger’s
initial surveys, teams also interview iN NortHErN ugANDA, most HomEs ArE
residents about their daily habits, mADE oF muD BriCKs, and without water
including storing their drinking water nearby, people have to travel for miles
and cleaning cooking items. just to get the water to construct them.
take ongero Moses, a father of six
Then, they spend months training
who lives in the village of omerkol. After
community members how to improve
fleeing to the nearby town of Lira in 2001
their health and sanitation and provide
because of armed conflict, ongero and
them with materials to build facilities
his family returned to omerkol in 2008.
like latrines, hand-washing stations, and
even though the family was glad to be
trash pits.
home, rebuilding their lives in the village
“Before we had a proper latrine, I
was difficult. “there was no garden to
would have to go into the bush to find a
cultivate, no crops to grow, and very little
private place, which could be difficult—
money to buy food,” ongero said. in their
especially in the rainy season,” said Santa
absence, the village wells had dried up,
Auma, a grandmother who lives in the
and the nearest source of water was four
village of Kidere. “And the same thing
miles away.
with the rubbish; before I would have
Without enough water to make bricks,
to carry it all away from the compound
ongero and his family were forced to live
to get rid of it. Now things are so much
in two makeshift straw huts, each just 30
easier for me.”
square feet. to build a permanent home,
Action Against Hunger returns
it took ongero 25 eight-mile trips over
to a community after the program is
eight months to collect the 1,000 liters of
completed to follow its progress.
water needed. each trip, which involved
Gira Walter, an Akadikum
cycling to the well, waiting for his turn,
resident, testified to the changes that
and filling his jerry-cans with water, took
have taken place. “People no longer
about four hours.
have to walk far or be dependent on
now Action Against Hunger is drilling
bicycles to carry the water, making it
a well on a nearby plot of land, which
easy for them to bathe and wash their
means that ongero’s neighbors should
clothes. It’s easier to water our animals,
be able to collect all the water they need
to get water for construction, and the
to build their houses in less than a day. ■
water we now drink is safe. Life has
really improved a lot.” A
PHOTOS: THE 200 MILE HOUSE
WATER, SANITATION & HYGIENE: see what a difference water makes:
Learn how ACF helps communities www.actionagainsthunger.org/house
access clean water, improve sanitation,
and adopt good hygiene practices:
www.actionagainsthunger.org/wash
ACtion AgAinst HUnger 7
4/29/10 12:32:41 PM
 D FIELD PERSPECTIVE

THE VIEW FROM SOUTHERN SUDAN:

A rePort on tHe region’s FAiLeD
HArVests AnD rising tensions
A conversation with Silke Pietzsch, ACF’s Senior Food Security & Livelihoods Advisor

Photo: ACF-Sudan, courtesy J. Seagle/Counterpart Images

8 RESPONSE // sPring 2010 www.actionagainsthunger.org

116911.indd 8 4/29/10 12:32:45 PM

 YOU’RE BACK FROM SOUTHERN
SUDAN. WHAT’S HAPPENING THERE?
I visited our teams in southern Sudan to
evaluate our food security and livelihoods
programs and to see for myself what
the humanitarian situation is like on
the ground. Southern Sudan is in a very
fragile state. People are just beginning to
recover and return to their homes after 20
years of civil war that killed two million
people and forced another four million
to flee their villages. The war between the
north and south officially ended five years
ago with the signing of a comprehensive
peace agreement, but displacements are
still a reality and the remnants of war are
everywhere—you often see children playing
on old tanks or in bombed out buildings.
And while Sudan just underwent its first
national election since 1986, tensions
will likely only rise as the country moves
towards its historic referendum on southern
independence in early 2011.
In the midst of all this, southern Sudan
is facing severe food shortages. We did
assessments in two states—Warrap and
Northern Bahr el Ghazal—that show
families’ food reserves entirely depleted
after an unusually poor harvest. As in
many places, southern Sudan experiences
a period of routine food scarcity between
harvests called a “hunger gap.” We’re very
concerned because this year’s gap will last
seven months, which is twice the norm for
the region.
WHY WERE HARVESTS SO BAD?
Last summer an extended dry spell delayed
the planting season by several weeks,
which shortened the planting season
and really limited crop production. For
example, the autumn harvests in Warrap
state produced enough food for only four
months of the year. In Northern Bahr el
Ghazal, the average family only harvested
two months-worth of food. In fact, this is
the third year in a row that families have
been devastated by failed harvests. Last year
sporadic rainfall and pest infestations badly
damaged crops, and in 2008, flooding
wiped out a lot of the harvest. So the last
few years have been extremely difficult
for people who are entirely reliant on
116911.indd 9
subsistence agriculture. High food prices
in local markets and insufficient household
income also contribute to the growing food
crisis in the region.
HOW ARE PEOPLE COPING?
Our teams are witnessing families skipping
meals and drastically reducing their daily
caloric intake to stretch very limited food
supplies. We’re most concerned about the
families that have just returned from years
of displacement without any livestock or
other assets to sell in exchange for food.
These are the poorest, most desperate
families that will resort to irreversible
coping mechanisms like selling their land
or migrating out of the area in search of
food. Even families with productive assets
like animals, seeds and tools will begin to
sell these off, which will likely plunge them
further into poverty and put future harvests
at risk. This downward spiral could have a
destructive, long-term impact on already
struggling families.
HOW HAS ACF RESPONDED?
We’ve worked in southern Sudan for over
two decades, implementing programs in
nutrition, food security, livelihoods, and
water, sanitation and hygiene. In response
to the food crisis, we’ve scaled up these
programs to reach more people in dire
need of assistance. Our first priority is
treating acutely malnourished children
in our inpatient and outpatient nutrition
programs and training local health workers
to diagnose and treat this deadly condition.
We’re also working to tackle the root
causes of malnutrition through a variety
of initiatives. We’re distributing seeds and
tools, implementing micro-gardening
projects in communities, conducting
trainings to improve agricultural
techniques and increase crop yields, and
giving small cash grants to help people
generate income and diversify their
livelihoods. Our grants have helped a
number of women start small businesses
like hair salons and restaurants, which will
give them enough income to buy food for
their families. It’s crucial that our programs
help boost the local economy rather than
undermine it, so we make a point of
siLKE PiEtZsCH
purchasing our tools and other products
from vendors in the area.
Finally, we understand that clean
water and good sanitation and hygiene
are vital to preventing malnutrition.
We’re providing families with access to
clean drinking water by digging wells
and restoring water points, and we’re
promoting healthy practices through
latrine construction and public awareness
campaigns to control outbreaks of water-
borne illnesses.
WHAT’S NEEDED IN THE REGION?
Unfortunately, the needs in the region are
tremendous and far outstrip the resources
currently provided by aid agencies.
We’re calling for a robust package of
short- and long-term assistance to avert
a humanitarian catastrophe. First of all,
affected households need immediate food
assistance. We’re also advocating for large-
scale seed and tool distributions across the
region to support the 2010 agricultural
season; surveillance and early warning
systems to detect and predict levels of food
insecurity and malnutrition; more cash
transfer programs and support for small
businesses and diversified livelihoods; and
investments in safety net programs to
prevent future spikes in food insecurity
and malnutrition. We’re calling attention
to these issues because it’s important that
people understand what’s at stake.
SOUTHERN SUDAN IN PHOTOS:
View a slideshow of ACF’s programs
www.actionagainsthunger.org/sudan
ACtion AgAinst HUnger 9
4/29/10 12:32:49 PM
 a PARTNERSHIP PROFILE

G MOVEMENT ATHLETES TAKE OFF,

tACKLing HUnger As tHeY go
This year’s G Movement athletes are fired up and ready to take on hunger

Photo: Courtesy The Gatorade Company

10 RESPONSE // sPring 2010 www.actionagainsthunger.org

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 tHis sPring, ACtion AgAinst HUnger AnD gAtorADe HAVe PArtnereD to LAUnCH G MOVEMENT,
HArnessing tHe PoWer oF AtHLetes to FigHt WorLD HUnger.
G Movement participants take on an athletic challenge and encourage friends and family to support their efforts with donations to Action
Against Hunger’s life-saving programs. Five special athletes have received $2,000 training grants from Gatorade to help them complete their
athletic feats, along with a year’s worth of rehydrating sports drinks. Gatorade has gotten the ball rolling with products for the participants
and a generous $100,000 donation to Action Against Hunger. Now it’s up to the athletes to show what determination, drive, and sweat can
accomplish. Without further ado, we introduce the 2010 G Movement athletes:

MILES MELANIE NIMIT PATHAK

CRAIGWELL
There are 1,696
professional
football players
in the United
States. The U.S.
population is
about 309 million. This means that the
average American’s chance of playing
in the NFL is about 182,148 to one.
Miles Craigwell likes those odds. To
most, Miles is a video producer from
Boston. But put him on a football field,
and he’s a menace. He plays safety and
defensive back and has been working out
in Florida to get himself ready for the
NFL combine, where aspiring pros go
to prove themselves. This is his shot to
make his way onto a professional roster,
and he’s giving it his all—all while raising
awareness and vital funds to help end
world hunger.
MILLER
You can’t keep
her down.
Melanie Miller
is an avid hiker
and climber from
Colorado, but
the Rocky Mountains just aren’t enough
to satisfy her. So, she has set her sights
on the highest peak in North America:
Denali, rising over 20,000 feet above
the sea, in Alaska. Up there, the air is
so thin that one breath has less than half
the oxygen that it would at sea level. But
climbers are a different breed, and oxygen
tanks aren’t commonly used on Denali.
The climb takes more than a week
altogether, and only about half of all
attempts are successful. Some of the best
athletes in the world have had to turn
back. Which is exactly why Melanie
wants to do it.
What’s the most
exhausting thing
you’ve ever done?
If you’re Nimit
Pathak, nothing
before has ever
come close
to what he’s about to do: the Ironman
Triathalon. This punishing contest begins
with a 2.4 mile swim and ends with a
marathon (26.2 miles). In between? A 112
mile bike race. Now, Nimit is no stranger
to exhaustion. As a marathon runner, he’s
used to pushing his body’s limits. But this
is by far the most grueling race Nimit has
taken on, and he’s training harder than
ever. Will it be enough? When exhausted
and in need of a day off, he reminds
himself that his training supports the
cause of global hunger, which gives him
the will to continue.

CHRISTOPHER TAMMY & JAKE START YOUR OWN

SMITH
Icarus had his
wings. Jack had
his beanstalk.
Christopher
Smith has his
pole: a Pacer
Carbon FiberFX. It can’t get his head
above the clouds, but it comes close.
Chris is a pole-vaulter, and pole-vaulters
have one obsession: go higher.
Chris wants to propel himself over a
5.5-meter bar. How hard is that? The
first time anyone went higher than 5.5
meters was in 1972, setting a world
record in the process. Since then, that
record has been held by only nine others.
Surpassing 5.5 meters would put Chris
in a select group of world-class athletes.
Can he get there?
UNDERWOOD
Imagine marching
26.2 miles through
the desert. Now
imagine your
mother’s
there with you.
Jake Underwood had his mom at his side
during the Bataan Memorial Death March
through the White Sands missile range in
New Mexico, but he also drew inspiration
from two relatives who weren’t there: his
father, an athlete like him who “always gave
his all,” and his great-great uncle, whose life
Jake and Tammy were commemorating.
He died in the Bataan Death March during
World War II.
As for Jake’s mom, Tammy: She’s proud
that her son marched with her, but she’s got
her own goals, too. Like running a marathon
in May. It must run in the family.
PERSONAL
FUNDRAISING
CHALLENGE
This year’s G Movement may
already be underway, but
you can still get involved:
Challenge yourself and
help fight hunger through Action Against Hunger’s
Personal Fundraising Center. Whether you’re
planning a marathon, a long-distance bike ride, a
mountain climbing expedition, a white water rafting
trip, or even a 5K run, you can create your own
fundraising page and help us make a difference!
READY TO SIGN UP? Want to get involved?
Visit ACF’s Personal Fundraising Center and
tackle hunger with your own athletic challenge:
www.actionagainsthunger.org/fundraising
MORE ON G MOVEMENT Visit G Movement
online to check out inspiring videos and view
athlete profiles:
www.actionagainsthunger.org/g-movement

ACtion AgAinst HUnger 11

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 AnnoUnCeMents

ENDiNg HuNgEr NEVEr tAstED so gooD!

the restaurant, Food & Beverage industries team up to take on global Hunger
FOOD ENTHUSIASTS WILL CONVERGE AGAIN THIS YEAR AT
ACF’S RESTAURANTS AGAINST HUNGER EVENTS, FEATURING
SOME OF THE HOTTEST CHEFS from around the country,
world-class and boutique restaurants, gourmet and
specialty food purveyors, and producers and marketers
of top-shelf spirits. Leveraging the generosity of the
restaurant, food, and beverage industries, Restaurants
Against Hunger provides a national platform for engaging
food-friendly audiences, celebrating great cuisine, and
working to end hunger-related deaths around the world.
For the second year in a row, Action Against Hunger
is particularly proud to be partnering with Le Fooding
d’Amour and the Great Gathering of Chefs to raise
awareness and funds for its life-saving programs.

LE FooDiNg 2.0:
WEst ComEs EAst
september 24-25, 2010
New York City
LE FOODING
WILL MAKE ITS
SECOND-ANNUAL
APPEARANCE IN
NEW YORK CITY THIS
FALL. This two-day
urban picnic at the
P.S.1 Contemporary
Art Center will
showcase six star
chefs from New
York City and six
tHE grEAt gAtHEriNg oF CHEFs from San Francisco, along with the most
september 28, 2010 sought-after mixologists, in-demand DJs,
New York City graphic designers and performance artists,
too! Join us in sampling unique recipes
THIS YEAR’S GREAT GATHERING OF CHEFS WILL BRING TOGETHER 150 OF THE from well-known and up-and-coming
WORLD’S MOST CELEBRATED CHEFS at the Prince George Ballroom in New York restaurants in two of our country’s best
City to celebrate the publication of the Pasta and Pudding cookbooks. Participants cities for eating out!
will enjoy chatting with the chefs as they sign books and lingering to sample
tastings from the cookbooks. Signed and unsigned editions of these beautifully
photographed books are available for purchase, and all proceeds benefit For more information on upcoming
restaurants Against Hunger events, visit:
Action Against Hunger.
www.actionagainsthunger.org/rah

12 RESPONSE // sPring 2010 www.actionagainsthunger.org

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 PErsoNAL FuNDrAisiNg: FiNDiNg PuLLiNg oFF A HEist
strENgtH iN NumBErs For CHAritY
Perfect strangers share a common goal to bring their communities Popular software website macHeist raises a
together in the fight against hunger bundle for Action Against Hunger

IN THE SPRING OF
Jordan Dibb and Howard Webb have
2008, MACHEIST, AN
never met. Their homes are sepa-
ONLINE STORE FOR
rated by almost two thousand miles,
MAC SOFTWARE, CHOSE
and they were born more than five
ACTION AGAINST
decades apart. But their stories are
HUNGER to be among
remarkably similar. United by a com-
mon purpose, both are rallying their ten non-profits to
communities to help Haiti and get receive a percentage of the sales of a popular
involved in the fight against hunger software bundle offered for a limited time only.
and malnutrition. Known for its clever marketing techniques, the
Howard Webb lives in Cotton- company created quite a buzz by hosting a series of
wood, AZ with his wife, Carol. He’s challenges (“heists”) that gave successful customers
retired now, but he’s far from idle. free or discounted software packages.
After the earthquake struck, he The end result? Over $47,000 donated to Action
Jordan Dibb: 1,800 miles for Haiti got to work. “I was certain there were Against Hunger. A year later, they held another set
a lot of people in our community of heists and sold more software bundles—only this
who wanted to help,” he said. time, they raised more than $77,000 for our life-
He was right. Webb got his community—Cottonwood Ranch—to contribute saving programs.
nearly $2,000 to Action Against Hunger’s emergency relief efforts. And he did it all Though the final number from the very latest
without ringing a single doorbell. sale is still being tabulated, the company has once
“We used the internet,” he said. He also made appeals at scheduled commu- again netted thousands of dollars for Action Against
nity meetings, and called a few of his neighbors on the phone to follow up. But he Hunger’s humanitarian programs, using their cre-
found that the most effective way to connect with his community was online. And ativity to help save lives all over the world.
he was surprised by the generosity of friends and strangers alike.
“We’ve had a number of deposits to the account from people I don’t even
know,” said Webb.
Jordan Dibb also knows a thing or two about bringing people together. On BrigHtoN CoLLECtiBLEs:
March 27th, the 23-year-old from Farmington, MN embarked on a mammoth
1,800 mile journey from Minneapolis to Miami, armed with nothing but a back-
A ComPANY WitH
pack, a few pairs of road-ready shoes, and an urge to do something for earthquake A CoNsCiENCE
survivors in Haiti. Accessory retailer provides vital funds for
Dibb set up a Facebook profile and an Action Against Hunger fundraising page ACF’s life-saving programs
and aims to raise $100,000 for our emergency programs in Haiti through a growing
network of supporters and fans who can help him accomplish his goal. So far, he JERRY KOHL, CEO AND FOUNDER OF BRIGHTON
has raised over $8,000, and he’s been featured on a number of local TV and radio COLLECTIBLES, HAS SEEN HIS COMPANY FLOURISH
stations, which have helped attract a following. Even strangers have stopped him while striving to make the world a better place. For
along the way to hand him donations. the accessory retailer, giving back is an important
Time is Jordan’s greatest asset, and he plans to spend 100 days on the road. part of company practice.
Most of us can’t devote three whole months to a cause, but dedication is not just “Brighton is about working towards a better
measured in time. future, helping people, and standing out,” said Kohl.
“Any idea is possible. All you have to do is take the first step,” said Dibb. The company created a limited-edition peace
Action Against Hunger is making that first step—big or small—easy. Visit our bracelet and donated almost 10 percent of proceeds
Personal Fundraising Center, and get started on your own personal fundraising to Action Against Hunger and other non-profit orga-
challenge today! nizations that share the company’s values.
The results have been astounding. Since 2007,
Brighton Collectibles has donated over $125,000 for
CREATE YOUR OWN CHALLENGE: Action Against Hunger’s humanitarian programs. This
Feeling inspired? rally your family, friends, and neighbors in the fight against year, they are continuing their life-saving support,
hunger. Visit our Personal Fundraising Center today: bringing about a better world one bracelet at a time.
www.actionagainsthunger.org/fundraising

ACtion AgAinst HUnger 13

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 Action Against Hunger receives top ratings
from key charity watchdogs:
www.actionagainsthunger.org/financials

247 West 37th Street, 10th Floor; New York, NY 10018

Photo: ACF-Sudan, courtesy J. Seagle/Counterpart Images

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