Relief International’s Human Resource Generalist, Diana Kankunda, Reports from the Field in Uganda

March 23, 2012

Relief International’s Human Resource Generalist, Diana Kankunda, visits her native Uganda, and the field office in Mbarara where Relief International and its Enterprise Works division are implementing a domestic rainwater harvesting program.

Recently, I made a visit back to my parent’s hometown of Mbarara, Uganda. I was actually born and raised in Uganda before I decided to come to the United States. In addition to seeing my family, I visited Relief International’s field office in Mbarara. Here, Relief International and EnterpriseWorks are working on a program to bring clean water directly to Ugandan households through the creation of a rainwater harvesting bag called “Bob.”

The above photo is me and the Uganda field staff standing next to “Bob,” the rainwater harvesting bag created by Relief International and EnterpriseWorks. 

In rural areas of Uganda, women and children, who are usually tasked with collecting water, walk long distances to fetch water. It is exhausting and takes up valuable time that the children could be spending in school. Children are also especially vulnerable to diseases caused by unsafe water consumption. Growing up I was lucky to have access to clean water, but not everyone is as fortunate. This is why Relief International developed the rainwater harvesting bag so that Ugandans can have a safe water source right from their home.

It was also really nice to finally meet all the field staff face to face. As part of the Human Resources staff at Relief International, I regularly get to interact with these people, but it is usually through email and phone.

“Bob” has had a huge impact on my hometown. News of the rainwater harvesting bag has spread through word of mouth to other small towns, mainly through community venues like churches. It has even become a popular subject with my family. I hope in the future “Bob” can be implemented at my aunt’s primary school.

The picture below is me and some girls at the primary school my aunt teaches at.

A “Note From the Field” from a Thirteen-year old Beneficiary in Palestine

April 24, 2012

The Relief International team recently received a “note from the field” from a 13-year old beneficiary in Palestine.

The letter reads:

“My name is Mohammad Hamadori from Jenin. I am thirteen. I heard from some friends about Relief International and the activities that they do. ..and to present myself to you and tell you about some of my hobbies and some activities I have done with relief.”

“The Relief gave me the power to be useful to my community…and now I have the power and I will to make a difference and because I am ready to give my help to anyone who needs it…through our activities and skills.”

“In the end I want to thank you all for being here…and I hope to see you again.”

Today’s Photo Update from Relief International Volunteer, Bashir Mohamed, reporting from the Doro Refugee Camp of Mabaan, South Sudan

March, 30 2012

Today’s photo update from Relief International volunteer and Deputy Community Service Coordinator, Bashir Mohamed, reporting from the field: 

This girl is grinding Sorghum as part of routine meal preparation. Her name is Sarina and she is nine years old. The baby she is carrying is one of  her twin nephews, Younis.

Sarina’s family, including her father Bell, mother Saima, and twin nephews, Younis and Julliet, arrived in Doro four months ago. They had fled from Belila, which is located in the Blue Nile State of Sudan, because of the increasing violence and conflict in the community. 

Sarina is grinding Sorghum in the picture below.

Today’s Update from RI Volunteer, Bashir Mohamed, at the Doro Refugee Camp of Mabaan, South Sudan

March 22, 2012

Today’s update from Relief International Volunteer and Deputy Community Service Coordinator, Bashir Mohamed, reporting from the field: 

This photo was taken during one of my meetings with the Sheikh of Balila (Balila is a sub-section of the Doro refugee camp) as he signed a list of approved tent recipients. Sheikhs are local elders who serve as community and/or religious leaders, much like chiefs and tribal representatives.

The photo below shows the Sheikh of Balila busy looking over assessment documents which he is signing.

My meeting with the Sheikh of Balila is part of a process that Relief International engages in along with the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) to collaborate with sheikhs who are representatives of refugees. One of the things we collaborate on is informing the sheikhs of tent assessments and their corresponding criteria to be conducted in the camp. The purpose of these tent assessments is to find out how many families, many of whom are newly arrived refugees, are in need of shelter.

Relief International and UNHCR look to the sheikhs to give approval and advice to conduct aid assessments in their communities. Working closely with community leaders is important so that Relief International can learn about what families in camps like Doro need most.

Once we have completed the assessment and created a list of families who need shelter, we take this list of beneficiaries back to the sheikhs for verification and signature.  

Best,

Bashir

Relief International aid worker Tiare Cross reports from Doro Refugee Camp on March 6, 2012

March 6, 2012

Relief International aid worker Tiare Cross reports from the Doro Refugee Camp. Here is her post from today and photo update.

Today in Doro Refugee Camp, children’s activities started. I came upon this mob of exuberant children in the camp jumping rope. There were only ten jump ropes for approximately 100 plus children, but they were enjoying themselves in groups taking turns with the rope.

The photo above shows all the excited children that showed up for children’s activities today.

It is great to see kids smiling and playing, especially after they have made a hard journey from Blue Nile State to the refugee camp in Doro. Daily life for kids is not easy, many of the boys fish during the day at the river, bringing home a much needed protein source for their families. The girls spend most of the day bringing water and cooking for their families, as well as looking after other children. School starts in April here in South Sudan, and we know that getting children back to school is a top priority for the refugee families.

Below is a photo of child refugees jumping rope at the Doro Refugee Camp where Relief International is working.

Relief International Senior Program Development Officer Virginia Zaunbrecher reports from the field

Relief International Senior Program Development Officer Virginia Zaunbrecher reports from the field and talks about her experiences working in Myanmar this January. Virginia is a part of Relief International’s relief and development efforts in the region. She is currently working with the Program Development team to design sustainable ventures and economic programs to empower local people to lift themselves and their families out of poverty. 

Visit: January 18-21, 2012

I travelled from the Delta region, where Relief International currently provides health services to an area of Myanmar called the Dry Zone.  This is one of the poorest regions in an already poor country (the average annual income in Myanmar is just $1,500 USD).  In January, I travelled with some of our program staff to investigate what could be done to help people in the area increase their incomes and improve food security.

As the name suggests, this part of the country is very dry, making year-round agriculture impossible without irrigation.  To make things even more challenging, nearly half the population does not own any land at all, which can keep families from earning an income in this agrarian society.  People without land must try to find work as casual laborers, but wages are low, and work can be hard to find. In many countries, employers also reported a gender wage gap between men and women.  Every employer we spoke during our trip said they paid women half as much as they paid men for the same type of work.

Our working assessment is just the first step in trying to increase incomes for low-income people in this area.  Now that we collected information about what the economy is like in the local area, we will start to design sustainable activities and programs that we think will increase local incomes.

Best wishes,

Virginia

To support RI’s efforts to reduce poverty worldwide, please donate here. 

Relief International volunteer, Bashir Mohamed, reports from the Doro Refugee Camp of Mabaan, South Sudan

March 14, 2012

Relief International volunteer, Bashir Mohamed, reports from the Doro Refugee Camp of Mabaan, South Sudan. He is currently setting up tents as a part of a project that provides around the clock assistance to newly arrived refugees and local families in Mabaan.

Today is my fourth week volunteering with Relief International as the Deputy Community Service Coordinator in the well-known Doro refugee camp of Mabaan, South Sudan. I am currently working on operations for a shelter project that is being funded by UNHCR and implemented by Relief International and have watched as our refugee team in Mabaan work around the clock providing assistance to both the newly arrived refugees as well as those who are settled here.

Today, as part of our routine activities, our team pitched 27 tents in the camp. Mrs. Hajara is the female head of her household and one of 27 families selected from Sorkum (a Doro camp sub-section) to receive a tent from Relief International. Before she received the tent, Hajara and her family of eight did not have a proper shelter. As you can see in the photo, all they had was a small hut that consisted of poles covered by whatever the family could find (mainly pieces of cloth, empty Sorghum sacks, and plastic sheets).

Mrs. Hajara, her husband, and their seven children had fled from Surkum village, located in the Blue Nile state of Sudan, due to the eruption of violence and internal wars in the region. They were not able to bring many of their belongings and her husband went back later to retrieve what they had left behind. Mrs. Hajara has not heard of her husband since, but she hopes that her husband will one day come back home safely.

These two photos depict Mrs. Hajara and her family’s situation before and after they received the tent from Relief International. The photo above was taken in front of their old hut, while the second photo was taken in front of their newly pitched tent.

“Now we own a house, it’s not a tent for us, but before we were homeless,” said Mrs. Hajara after receiving her new tent.

As you would notice from the faces of the second photo below, Mrs. Hajara, her children and I are all happy because the family´s lack of shelter nightmare is past.

Best,

Bashir 

Developing programs and providing aid in Myanmar: Senior Program Development Officer Virginia Zaunbrecher reports from the field

Relief International Senior Program Development Officer Virginia Zaunbrecher reports from the field and talks about her experiences working in Myanmar this January. Virginia is a part of Relief International’s relief and development efforts in the region. She is currently working with the Program Development team to design sustainable ventures and economic programs to empower local people to lift themselves and their families out of poverty. 

This past January, I had the privilege of spending the month visiting with our field team in Myanmar.  After 60 years of harsh military dictatorship, the country is finally beginning to open up.  During my trip, the government signed an important peace agreement and the U.S. re-opened political relations with Myanmar.  This forward progress—assuming it continues—cannot come a moment too soon for the people of Myanmar.

For the last 60 years, the government has grossly underinvested in health, education, and economic growth.  Myanmar ranks 149th on the Human Development Index, despite being rich in natural resources.
For the last four years, Relief International has worked to provide services that the government did not.  On January 17, I visited our team in the Delta region, an area devastated by Cyclone Nargis in 2008.  Relief International staff members are working with local health officials to provide health services to 230,000 people.  The task is immense and the resources are few.  There is only one 50-bed hospital to serve a population of nearly a quarter of a million people.  Children with measles are packed two or three to a bed on the veranda because there is no separate room to house them in the hospital.  Space constraints make it hard to separate infectious patients from other patients.
 

In the photo below, staff member Virginia Zaunbrecher discusses health services coverage with the Dedaye Township Medical Officer on January 17, 2012.  

However, despite these conditions, our team is doing a great job improving access to health care in the area.  While I was visiting the hospital, I met a woman lying on a hospital bed with her healthy newborn girl next to her.  Her delivery was complicated.  She was from a remote village, and she could not afford the price of the boat and the motorbike she needed to reach the hospital.  In the past, this would have meant death for her baby, and possibly for her.  But Relief International’s staff—a network of health professionals and trained volunteers—were able to prevent this tragedy.  The woman’s family appealed to Relief International’s trained community health workers, who recognized the danger of the situation. Our team provided funds for the woman to travel to the hospital, where the doctor was able to perform a cesarean section. Relief International is working to provide better and safer solutions so that women in the community have access to doctors and midwives.

Best wishes,
Virginia

Stories like this one repeat themselves everyday at our field sites.  To support programs like this one, please donate here.

Update from East Africa: aid worker Eric Anderson reports from the Horn of Africa

Relief International aid worker Eric Anderson is the Senior Program Officer in East Africa. He is currently on the ground working in Somalia to provide relief to communities suffering from the lasting effects of the famine. Below are his thoughts on the continuing problems caused by the famine, and the aftermath of what happens when the United Nations declares a famine officially “over.”  

The Famine in the Horn of Africa is Declared Over…..Now What? 

On Friday, February  3, 2012  Relief International Somalia Country Director Randhir Singh and I attended a crucial UN meeting on Somalia. This event was part of a bi-annual presentation on food security and nutrition that focused on Somalia. The output of this briefing was the announcement that the famine crisis announced last July in Somalia is now over. 

To frame this, let me first offer a couple of explanations:

What exactly constitutes a “famine” crisis situation? The term famine, within the humanitarian community, has come to be a very technical term and though it does (and should) elicit a deeply emotional response, its use in our community is restricted to an evidence-based determination. With limited resources available to respond to crises, the idea of this definition is to better understand the overall severity of a food crisis and to be able to do so in a transparent manner. Famine is therefore made up of three distinct characteristics:

• Extremely widespread food insecurity
o This can be measured in a number of different ways, but is rooted in the definition of food security that suggests food security exists, “when all people, at all times, have access to adequate supply of nutritious food for their biological needs as well as the maintenance of their dignity.”
o The famine threshold implies that more than 75 percent of households are food INSECURE.

• Acute malnutrition rates above 30 percent
o Global acute malnutrition (GAM) is a condition in which the body becomes “wasted” and in which the children that would be expected to undergo rapid growth and weight gain are instead losing weight. Basically, the ratio of their height to their weight suggests that the body is actually breaking down their muscle tissues in order to provide the much needed energy that can maintain basic bodily functions.

• Exceptionally high rates of mortality
o As a rate, this refers to the frequency at which mortality is occurring in a population. 
o The threshold for famine conditions is greater than 2 people per 10,000 people per day.

The term famine can only be used when ALL THREE of these conditions are met, indicating the need for some sort of awareness because the worst of the worst occurs. This was the case in southern Somalia, made clear through the famine declaration in July.

The UN has a sub-agency of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) that is mostly staffed by Somalis located throughout the country. The employees collect data dealing with malnutrition , health indicators, conflict, weather, climate, markets, terms of trade, mortality etc., in a vigorous and scientific manner. Twice a year this data is consolidated and vetted amongst a community of up to 200 participants ranging from local Somalia based NGOs to major UN agency representatives.  This is the data that drives humanitarian response, action and funding in Somalia. It is conducted on a bi-annual basis and coordinated with the two major seasons.

The greatest fear at this point is that the take away message is that all is well in Somalia and that it is on the mend from a crisis.  

The truth of the matter is that some of the most horrible outcomes we can imagine have lessened to the point that they are now just below the threshold at which we laid out to distinguish a crisis from a famine.  The southern region experienced a long overdue effective rainy season and thanks to the enormous efforts of the humanitarian community, agricultural production bounced back fairly well, particularly those of FAO-Somalia.

Nine out of 20 children displaced to Mogadishu were acutely malnourished in July. The number has now decreased to four out of 20.  This continues to be massively unacceptable. 

Relief International operates in Mogadishu and is expanding programming to include internally displaced people in and near Mogadishu.  Despite the progress, 2.34 million people remain in crisis. Most of them are located in the south of Somalia, where few agencies are operational.  Though all three indicators are no longer met to define the situation as an outright famine, mortality and malnutrition rates are above the threshold in many locations of Somalia.

Our greatest error now would be to consider this situation resolved and to let the compassion we felt at the height of the emergency in August of 2011 wane. It is important to recognize that now is an opportunity to continue the fragile recovery, to rebuild livelihoods and assets, and to provide the resilience needed against future climatic shocks.

— Eric S. Anderson, Sr. Program Officer, East Africa, 7th February, 2012

To help fight famine and bring relief to those suffering in the Horn, please CLICK HERE and selectHorn of Africa: Famine Relief. Thank you for your support. 

Originally posted on the Relief International website on February 7, 2012.