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Books for Africa: Ending the Book Famine in Sub-Saharan Africa

Most people know that education is the key to ending global poverty. If the next generation of leaders, entrepreneurs, teachers and parents are better educated, they will be more equipped to improve their conditions.

Books for Africa is an organization that is working to accomplish that goal today. Its message is clearly stated on its website: “education is the great equalizer in the world, and books are at the foundation of a strong educational system.”

This inspiring organization controls all aspects of giving books to children in Africa; it collects donated books, sorts them, ships them, and distributes them to the children.

Since Books for Africa’s founding in 1988, they have shipped more than 38 million books to 49 different African countries. These are huge numbers that are making great strides for children’s education in Africa.

The Board of Directors has a multitude of factors that must work for the operation to be successful: do they have enough donations to send, will they have enough money to send the shipment, did they pick an African community that will actually use the books?

According to Publishers Weekly, “It costs $10,300 on average to ship each container by sea to Africa from the U.S.” With this expense, it is imperative for people to continue donating their books, time and money. Books for Africa is sure that its cause is making a difference.

Studies done by the World Bank, various researchers and Books for Africa have concluded that providing even one textbook can increase literacy rates by five to 20 percent.

One program focused on promoting education, Learn NC, concluded that reading a book does so much more than merely pronouncing the written words. Reading can spark discussion, promote engagement with others, transform the reader’s mind and inspire the reader to act.

Books for Africa promotes that a “gift of books truly is a gift of hope.” Ending global poverty can happen one book at a time.

– Sydney Missigman

Photo: Flickr

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5 Organizations Fighting Famine in East Africa


According to U.N. Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Stephen O’Brien, the world faces its worst humanitarian crisis since World War II in the current famine affecting certain African and Middle Eastern countries. More than 20 million people in Yemen, South Sudan, Somalia and Nigeria are facing severe starvation and malnutrition. In addition to the U.N.’s push to mobilize aid to these countries, smaller organizations have made a concentrated effort to fight famine in East Africa.

5 Organizations Fighting Famine in East Africa

  1. Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) is a nonprofit organization focused on fighting global starvation, annually producing more than a million meals that are shipped to impoverished countries. FMSC operates in several locations around the Twin Cities, hosting volunteer meal preparation shifts six days a week. The current East African crisis has prompted FMSC to increase its efforts. The organization now aims to produce an additional 10 million meals to reduce starvation in Somalia.
  2. The Léger Foundation has been combatting global poverty and social exclusion for over 65 years. In June 2017, it joined Canada’s growing Famine Relief Fund, which focuses on providing aid to the millions of Africans affected by the famine. While currently responding to humanitarian demand in Cameroon, The Léger Foundation is expanding outreach to other countries afflicted by the famine including Nigeria and South Sudan. As a new member of the Famine Relief Fund, the foundation will see its donations doubled by Canada’s government through the end of June to support famine relief.
  3. SOS Children’s Villages is another member of the Famine Relief Fund dedicated to fighting famine in East Africa. SOS traditionally operates as a nonprofit centered on providing homes for orphaned and abandoned children and has built more than 550 children’s villages. These provide children with food, shelter, education and a family life. The recent famine has prompted SOS Children’s Villages to shift its focus to East Africa. Fundraising efforts are now aimed at alleviating food shortages caused by drought and subsequent livestock loss.
  4. Caritas Australia is a Catholic charity working to end poverty and facilitate global development for people of all backgrounds. Recently Caritas launched a program called Africa Emergency Appeal to mobilize its humanitarian network of partners to respond to the famine in East Africa. Caritas and its partner agencies currently provide local assistance in delivering clean water, sanitation supplies and food such as sugar, beans and maize flour.
  5. Save the Children is a British charity that promotes children’s rights and seeks to improve conditions for children globally through healthcare and education. In response to the famine in East Africa, Save the Children aims to reach children under the age of five and provide aid to those most at risk for malnutrition and diseases such as malaria. With humanitarian infrastructure already in place in the affected countries, Save the Children can turn its focus to fighting famine in ways such as increasing malnutrition screenings in Nigeria or distributing vouchers for supplies in Somalia.

These are just a few of the many organizations that have responded swiftly to the growing humanitarian crisis in Africa. While there is still need for further funding in these countries, these organizations are doing all they can to bring immediate relief and save lives.

– Nicholas Dugan

Photo: Flickr

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10 Facts About the Famine in Yemen

10 Facts About the Famine in Yemen

Nestled between Saudi Arabia and Oman, Yemen was declared to be in a state of emergency on March 13, 2017, by the World Food Program. The World Health Organization reports that acute shortages of clean water and sanitation face eight million people. Furthermore, the U.N. International Children’s Emergency Fund says, “There are 2.2 million children in Yemen at risk of acute malnutrition and 462,000 severely and acutely malnourished.”

Millions of people live on the fringe of starvation in Africa as a result of drought, crop failure, population imbalance, government policies and war. The ongoing famine in Yemen affects 17 million people today, roughly 70 percent of its population.

According to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), “The situation in Yemen is characterized by widespread insecurity, large-scale displacement, civil strife, political instability, chronic food shortages, a breakdown of social services, endemic poverty, and refugee influxes.”

Here are ten key components of the situation that you should know:

  1. According to the OCHA, Yemen is the poorest country in the Middle East and North Africa. A lack of financial resources and infrastructure have created an economy that is unable to support growing conflicts between opposing political factions. The situation has escalated and resulted in the current famine in Yemen.
  2. With a shortage of funding and deep-rooted poverty, more than 50 percent of families in the country are buying food on credit. The situation has accentuated the need for a global humanitarian response in terms of providing medicine and food. These needs are especially paramount for women and children, who represent the most vulnerable of a population during a period of famine or conflict.
  3. A lack of access to food and nutritional resources is not a new situation in Yemen. A locust infestation in the country last April posed a viable threat to food security that has not abated.
  4. The famine in Yemen is due in part to internal conflict between a coalition that is loyal to the internationally recognized government of President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi and the Houthi rebel movement. The conflict has been exacerbated due to an air campaign by Saudi Arabia, with its goal being to restore the Hadi government.
  5. In response to the famine in Yemen, various nations and organizations have contributed resources to mitigate its impact, as well as rebuild its infrastructure and provide medical supplies. The U.N. responded to the crisis with a conference in Geneva in April. Unfortunately, only 15 percent of the $2.1 billion goal was pledged to help resolve the famine in Yemen.
  6. In addition, U.N. aid chief Stephan O’Brien has urged member countries to keep the port of Hodeidah open. The port is the location for the reception of incoming food imports.
  7. The United States government has also responded to the famine in Yemen, with President Donald Trump reiterating his commitment to fighting global famine during his May visit to the Vatican. Although relief funds from the U.S. face severe cuts for the next fiscal year, the momentum has begun for a more proactive global relief program.
  8. One of the strongest responses has been initiated by the WHO, which launched the Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan 2017. To achieve success, the plan requires $326 million from a variety of health partners, including $126 million from the U.S. Targeted beneficiaries of the funding will include women and children.
  9. The WHO reported that it had coordinated the operation of 406 general health and nutrition teams in 266 Yemeni districts in 2016, with funding coming from a variety of donors: Japan, the League of Arab States, the U.N. Central Emergency Response Fund, the United Arab Emirates, the UNOCHA Common Humanitarian Fund and the U.S.
  10. There have also been responses to the famine from private organizations and individuals. Muslim Aid is running a campaign to raise donations for water and medical aid to Yemen.

Because the famine in Yemen has yet to abate, opportunities remain for humanitarian organizations, governments and private individuals to respond with food products, medicine and financial assistance. The momentum has already begun through the efforts of organizations like WHO and Muslim Aid, and through the contributions of private donors.

– Hannah Pickering

Photo: Flickr

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10 Organizations Addressing Famine in South Sudan


A couple of weeks ago, the U.N. announced that there is a famine in South Sudan. A number of factors have contributed to this famine, such as the civil war that began in 2013 and a drought that has stymied agricultural production.

According to Newsweek, nearly 5.5 million people will not have a reliable food source by July 2017. This is unacceptable, especially since the world’s wealthiest countries can help save millions of lives. Luckily, there are many organizations working to help the South Sudanese through donations and support from American citizens. Here are 10 organizations that are addressing the famine in South Sudan.

10 Organizations Addressing Famine in South Sudan

  1. The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) supports people in need through “fundraising, advocacy, and education in the United States.” In addition to raising awareness and raising funds, UNICEF designs and executes emergency relief programs, and is currently providing aid to the South Sudanese.
  2. Save the Children is on the ground in South Sudan, providing support to the people fleeing famine and war with healthcare facilities that provide immunizations and care for infections and disease. Save the Children is also supporting malnourished children with health and nutrition programs.
  3. World Vision provides relief from the violence and famine in South Sudan that has been ravaging the country’s population. The organization ensures that essentials like food, shelter and sanitation are available to those who need it.
  4. Water for South Sudan works hard to bring clean water to the rural areas of the country that do not have access. Clean water is not only necessary for sanitation purposes but also to ensure that each person in South Sudan is getting enough water to survive during the harsh famine that has taken over some parts of the country. By drilling holes, fixing infrastructure and constructing roads, its teams are slowly helping the country get water in even the most remote areas of South Sudan.
  5. Sudan Relief Fund goes where the need is by providing immediate relief to those who are undernourished in the wake of the famine in South Sudan. In addition, the organization works on long-term projects that will provide everlasting support in the country, such as hospital construction and education classes. Whether it is building wells, handing out food or raising awareness about proper hygiene and sanitation methods, this organization is putting in the work to help the South Sudanese people.
  6. Oxfam is helping the South Sudanese who have had to flee their homes to escape violence, as well as those who had their agriculture affected by climate change and drought. Oxfam provides food relief, water treatment and health services.
  7. Action Against Hunger has been in South Sudan for more than 20 years, providing support with life-saving relief and education programs. Now, the organization is helping work towards ending the famine in South Sudan by mobilizing emergency response teams, gathering data to identify areas in need and treating thousands of malnourished children.
  8. CARE is currently working in South Sudan in response to the famine and crisis surrounding undernourishment and improper sanitation methods. This organization provides urgent medical and food relief to those who require attention.
  9. International Medical Corps works in Nyal, one of the most affected counties in South Sudan. It provides support through medical services, nutrition services and has established 24-hour emergency relief centers in the area.
  10. Norwegian Refugee Council has been in South Sudan since the country’s independence in 2011. Since then, it has started and continues to support education, nutrition, shelter and medical programs, especially in light of the famine and violence that is ravaging the population.


The sheer number of organizations working to provide aid in the country offers hope in the fight to end the famine in South Sudan. Any of these organizations are worthy of support in whatever form it comes in, such as advocacy, fundraising, donations and volunteering.

– Jacqueline Nicole Artz

Photo: Flickr

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Help Fight Famine in Southern Somalia


On March 5, 2017, more than 100 Somalis died in less than 48 hours due to a famine that continues to threaten millions all across the region. The U.N. estimates that more than five million need aid and more than 300,000 children are acutely malnourished, while 71,000 are severely malnourished.

Contributing Factors

Somalia has been one of the most challenging environments in the world for humanitarian operations. Among an estimated population of 12 million, about 82 percent of Somalis live in poverty. Additionally, two decades of conflict have left 1.1 million as refugees. Famines continue to be a frequent occurrence, threatening the lives of Somalis and heightening the problem of poverty. In 2011, a famine in southern Somalia killed a quarter of a million people while also displacing millions.

The world already produces more than 1.5 times enough food to feed everyone on the planet. Nonetheless, about 21,000 still die every day from hunger. This crisis makes it clear that the distribution of food really needs to improve in order to ensure that richer countries can reach these drought-stricken areas in moments of emergencies. Moreover, the fact that aid was requested weeks before the famine — but was denied — goes to show that more concern over the region is needed. Somalia was one of four regions singled out by the U.N. Secretary-General in a $4.4 million aid appeal to avoid hunger and famine.

It’s also important to recognize war and its impact on prolonging poverty. The U.S. military has been bombing Somalia, launching various airstrikes against al-Shabab, creating more political tensions and deteriorating security conditions. In 2015, the U.S. dropped 14 bombs on Somalia. Instead of dropping aid packages, the biggest army in the world is spending tax dollars on perpetuating war and destabilizing the country, further compounding the problem of poverty and famine in southern Somalia.

Organizations Working to Reduce Somalia’s Hunger

Yet, in immediate crises, the people manage to get together to voluntarily go out and help those in dire need. Celebrities have created a fundraising campaign, raising more than $2 million in less than a week from over 80,000 contributors. Their initiative includes filling a cargo plane with food destined for the emergency zone in Somalia; actor Ben Stiller, athlete Colin Kaepernick and many others created the “Love Army for Somalia” fundraiser.

In addition, humanitarian organizations such as Action Against Hunger are also working to alleviate the famine. For more than 40 years it has helped lead the fight against hunger in nearly 50 countries, serving 14.9 million people. Action Against Hunger ensures that those in dire poverty can gain access to clean water, food, training and healthcare. Action Against Hunger has worked with communities in Somalia for more than 20 years. With more than five million in need of aid, the Love Army for Somalia and Action Against Hunger are two great methods to help alleviate the famine in southern Somalia.

– Marcelo Guadiana

Photo: Flickr

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Drought and Famine in Somalia

Famine in Somalia

Famine is looming in Somalia and intergovernmental organizations are preparing to respond. According to the World Food Programme of the United Nations (U.N.), about half of Somalia’s population is affected by the drought and a quarter of the population needs urgent assistance.

Somalia has faced a drought since August 2015. The U.N. announced a risk of near-future famine in Somalia in early February. The U.N. appealed for 864 million dollars to help more than three million people in Somalia, and the U.N. Food Programme has a 26 million dollar plan to respond to the drought. Currently, the World Food Programme offers rapid emergency response, nutritional meals and vocational training, among other crucial services to Somalia.

The U.N. is not the only major non-governmental organization concerned about the possibility of famine. The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre and the Famine Early Warning Systems Network created a report with the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization and the U.N. Food Programme to express risk of famine.

This is not the first time that Somalia has faced famine. When the country had a famine from 2011 to mid-2012, more than 250,000 people died. This famine resulted from a drought that began in October 2010. Philippe Lazzarini, the U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, said that more could have been done sooner to prevent these deaths. By the time the U.N. declared a famine based on the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, many people had already died.

In addition to the famine in Somalia, there are also looming famines in South Sudan, Nigeria and Yemen. There are more than 20 million people affected by food insecurity in all of these countries combined. The U.N. needs 4.4 billion dollars by March to address the problem and the World Food Program needs 1.2 billion dollars of those funds to aid these four countries for the next five months.

Early intervention is necessary to avert the famine in Somalia and in nearby countries.

– Jennifer Taggart

Photo: Flickr

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Hunger in Sudan


Famine has been officially declared as people are dying from hunger in Sudan. The United Nations has said the situation is “desperate” in the Southern state.

Nearly 100,000 people are facing famine so serious that they are at risk of dying in the Southern Unity State of the country. One million people are currently on the border of famine and almost five million are in need of some type of humanitarian aid.

On February 22, 2017, the United Nations spoke out about the rising crisis of hunger in Sudan is leading to rising deaths. Five million South Sudanese do not have an adequate amount of food and that number is expected to rise. Over one million of those are severely malnourished children who are at immediate risk of dying.

South Sudan is a country of around 12 million people in Northern Africa. Around 80 percent of the country’s population lives in rural areas, with more than 30 percent of the children under the age of five being undernourished. The average life expectancy is 55.7 years.

South Sudan became an independent nation from the Republic of Sudan in 2011 but has faced a civil war since 2013 that continues to this day. Many aid workers in the country have faced violence because of the ongoing war, with some even having been forced to leave the country.

The United Nations and its humanitarian partner organizations want to assist nearly six million people in 2017 in South Sudan, as well as other countries struggling with the same crises. The situation is expected to get worse in the coming months, due to the height of the lean season, if something is not done immediately. Emphasis has been placed on the fact that these types of issues are stemming from disputes, therefore they are preventable.

Some organizations working to provide aid for hunger in Sudan are UNICEF (The United Nations International Children’s Fund), FAO (The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations), Action Against Hunger, and WFP (The World Food Programme). These organizations work to provide a variety of types of support to those who are affected. UNICEF, focusing specifically on children, is working to provide treatment for children facing extreme malnutrition. FAO is working to make food more secure and to increase incomes. Action Against Hunger is working to provide emergency care and treatment. WFP is working to provide nutritious school meals, general nutritional support and provides money transfers for displaced people in need of food.

– Shannon Elder

Photo: Flickr

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Famine in Yemen

Famine in Yemen
Famine in Yemen has reached a critical condition, with a risk of losing an entire generation. Currently, 14.1 million civilians are considered to be “food insecure,” and 19.4 million people are unable to access clean water and sanitation. The U.N.’s Humanitarian Chief has labeled the famine as a conflict-driven food crisis.

In Yemen, two million people urgently need food supplies in order to survive, with an estimated 500,000 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition. The main issue in Yemen today is the level of malnutrition amongst newborn babies and developing children. Child malnutrition has risen by 63% in the space of one year and will continue to rise if the correct aid is inaccessible.

Yemen has been subjected to war for nearly two years. Forces loyal to the government of President Hadi, backed by Saudi Arabia, are violently conflicting with those allied to the Houthi rebel movement. The two major ports within Yemen are blocked by fighting, placing major restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid to Yemen. With food supplies estimated to last only three more months, the famine in Yemen is looming closer than ever.

Yemen’s crisis delves straight into its economy, with the central bank declaring that it has no money. As a result, workers are unable to receive their salaries and are unable to buy any remaining food supplies to provide for their families.

With families finding it extremely difficult to cope with a severe lack of food supplies, access to healthcare has also deteriorated dramatically. Hospitals were bombed throughout the conflict, and therefore, many are left abandoned. Due to the difficulty of access into Yemen, vital medication is unable to reach civilians, and 20,000 Yemenis are unable to access specialist medical attention abroad due to being unable to flee the country.

Since the beginning of the conflict, only half of the promised international funding has been delivered to Yemen. Now that famine in Yemen is a serious threat to millions of lives, international donations and aid are vital at this critical time. In July 2016, three World Food Programme chartered vessels were able to arrive in Yemen with food supplies, but with many road networks not being open, those who most need aid in rural areas are unable to access it. Now, Yemen only has three months left of food supplies.

In order to try and alleviate the famine in Yemen, the World Food Programme has declared that it needs $285 million worth of donations to reach those who most need aid. The U.N. has also launched an international appeal for $2.1 billion to the international community. This is to provide civilians with life-saving resources, and it is set to be achieved in 2017. Let’s hope this target is achieved on time.

– Georgia Boyle

Photo: Flickr

 

Rain Harvesting to Improve Water Quality in Ethiopia

Water Quality in Ethiopia
Erratic rainfall negatively affects the water quality in Ethiopia and can cause famine and food shortage. In addition, war diverts resources that could be used for clean water projects.

Essential for survival, water is something most people can access very easily. The number of people in Ethiopia with access to clean water has doubled, from 29 percent in 2000 to 59 percent in 2015. Yet 41 percent of the population lacks adequate access to safe water.

Ethiopia has endured four severe droughts since 1974 and is currently facing the worst drought it has seen in 50 years. The water crisis can be attributed not only to severe drought but also to lack of government funding and infrastructure.

Best-selling author and YouTuber John Green went to Ethiopia with Bill Gates. “When I asked people about their greatest needs, almost all of them–from the Women’s Health Army volunteers to children–cited clean water first.”

Women spend hours every day carrying 50-pound cans filled with clean water for their families. Because of the distance that many women must travel to get clean water, families often utilize any water they have access to, regardless of its safety.

One method of improving water quality in Ethiopia is to implement rainwater harvesting techniques. Rainwater harvesting initiatives have helped those facing drought in India, China and Mexico and could be the answer to improving water quality in Ethiopia on a widespread basis. Rainwater harvesting helps people provide themselves with clean water from a reliable source that can last through even the driest seasons.

When asked about rainwater harvesting by the BBC, Dennis Garrity of the World Agroforestry Centre said, “Ethiopia, often regarded as a dry country, could collect enough for half a billion people…The time has come to realize the great potential for greatly enhancing drinking water supplies…by harvesting more of the rain when and where it falls.”

In a study assessing the impact of rainwater harvesting systems in the Abreha Weatsbeha watershed, the community utilized sustainable land management methods such as integrated soil and water conservation practices. Farmers learned to use conservation structures and vegetation in the upper part of watersheds to contribute to the amount of groundwater discharged in the lower part of the catchment.

The groundwater table is now only three meters beneath the surface, even in the driest season (it was previously 15 meters underground). Farmers now have their own shallow irrigation wells and the community has 388 hand-dug wells. The people in Abreha Weatsbeha call these groundwater ponds their “water bank.” Thanks to the “water banks” rainwater harvesting systems create, quality of life and water in Ethiopia can greatly improve.

– Mary Barringer

Hurricane Matthew’s Impact on Living Conditions in Haiti

Hurricane Matthew
Hurricane Matthew was a devastating category four hurricane sustaining winds of upwards of 140 mph when it first swept through into the Southern peninsula of Haiti on October 3-4, 2016.

Hurricane Matthew was the strongest natural disaster to hit the country in a decade, completely destroying towns and villages. Food reserves and roughly 300 schools have been damaged.

Haiti Liberte, a local news source of Haiti, estimates nearly two feet of rain impacted the area during Hurricane Matthew.

Reuters estimates that the death toll in Haiti is currently at 1,000 and rising, causing the community to create mass graves for their deceased. The death toll is continuing to rise due to the cholera outbreak in the wake of the devastation caused by Hurricane Matthew. Thousands are also displaced in the wreckage.

Cholera Rises in Aftermath of Hurricane Matthew

According to CNN, Haiti has the highest rates of Cholera worldwide. An estimated 10,000 people have died from the epidemic since 2010 when soldiers from the U.N. accidentally brought the disease to the area in the aftermath of an earthquake. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported in 2016 that 880 new cases each week arise out of Haiti.

With cholera projected to increase in the aftermath of Matthew, WHO is sending one million cholera vaccines to the area in hopes of preventing an outbreak of the waterborne disease.

Developmental Struggles to Haitian Economy

Haiti is the poorest country in the Americas and the Western hemisphere. The New York Times reported that, prior to the devastation left by Hurricane Matthew, Haiti was on the path of developing into a more prosperous country. Cell phone services were widely enabled in the community, and farmers and businesses were improving.

Forests, swamps and other forms of vegetation are now ruined. Roadways are blocked and destroyed and homes are no longer standing as they once were. Only the mounds of stones that were used as the foundation for homes still stand in Jérémie, Haiti.

Minister of commerce and industry in the Grand Anse department Marie Roselore Auborg of Jérémie stated, “Instead of going forward, we have to restart…This storm leveled all of the potentials we had to grow and reboot our economy.”

Widespread Famine

BBC reported from U.N. officials and the Haiti government that widespread famine will impact Haiti in the three to four months to come if the situation is not addressed properly and promptly. Haiti Interim president Jocelerme Privert states that “real famine” following the “apocalyptic destruction” made by Hurricane Matthew could prevail.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is proactively responding to the crisis by investing $120 million in the three months following the hurricane to aid in the restoration of Haitian infrastructure and provide medical and famine relief.

France and the U.S. have pledged to send aid to Haiti. The American Red Cross is providing $6.9 million to aid in relief efforts as well.

– Haylee M. Gardner

Photo: Flickr