Category Archives: Disaster Relief

Victory in the war on hunger? Achievable.

Posted on August 31, 2011 by David Scheiman, director, World Vision Africa programs in Disaster Relief

People from Lopeduru village in Kenya's drought-stricken Turkana district gather at a World Vision facilitated food distribution. ©2011 Abby Metty/World Vision

Anybody who recalls the terrible images of starving children that were shown on television during the famine that struck Ethiopia in the mid-1980s might be forgiven for feeling despair at the current stream of bad news flowing out of the Horn of Africa. That feeling will probably only be heightened by the realization that the current drought in the region is more severe and more widespread than the one that appalled us in the ’80s. Indeed, it’s the worst drought in the area in 60 years and more than 12.4 million people are in desperate need of humanitarian aid. Given this sort of challenge, it’s easy to throw up one’s hands in horror and give up. After all, what have...

#FamineNoMore toolbox

Posted on August 25, 2011 by World Vision Blog in Disaster Relief

Join World Vision’s global campaign to raise awareness about the drought and famine in the Horn of Africa — where hunger is stalking 12.4 million people — and tolerate “Famine No More.” (If you receive this post in an email reader, please click over to the World Vision blog to view all images/videos)...

Horn of Africa crisis: 14 strategies to make an impact

Posted on August 25, 2011 by Carla Swanson Gawthrop in Disaster Relief

Horn of Africa crisis: Strategies to make an impact

(Editor’s note: In an international campaign to raise awareness about the drought and famine in the Horn of Africa, World Vision offices around the world are coming together to tolerate #faminenomore. Will you join us?) Why help? Why raise awareness? What could I possibly do to make an impact for the 12.4 million affected by drought and famine in the Horn of Africa? [From the photo above] When the maize crop failed yet again this year, Hadija Hassan Abdi, 28, took her children and hitched rides for 8 days and nights until she reached the safety of Burtinle camp in Somalia. Along the way she begged for food for her children from strangers. She has been in the camp only...

GLOBAL GLIMPSE — Disaster response in 5 hotspots around the globe

Posted on August 17, 2011 by Larry Short, World Vision media relations in Disaster Relief

Providing you with a quick snapshot of what’s happening in five hotspots around the globe — where your generous support is literally helping people cope with and recover from disasters and crisis situations. Thank you and please continue to stand by us as we respond to multiple disasters around the world. Drought and famine in the Horn of Africa (current) The first UN-declared famine of the 21st century, caused by a convergence of political strife, drought, and increasing global food prices, is affecting more than 12 million people in four countries in the Horn of Africa: Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti. More than 30,000 children from Somalia alone have perished of acute malnutrition and other related illnesses during the past...

Photo journal: 24 hours in Somalia

Posted on August 16, 2011 by Jon Warren in Disaster Relief

August 15, 2011 — Jon Warren, World Vision U.S. photo director, writes from Somalia during his 24-hour stay: It would be easy to write about the flight from Nairobi to Somalia — the hulk of 17,057′ Mt Kenya looming beside the airplane, the transition from cool rain to blasting desert heat, the pleasure of meeting World Vision’s dedicated Somali and Kenyan staff, and the seriousness of a security briefing that I listened very closely to. But a quick visit to nearby camps for drought and conflict refugees reminded why it’s so important that I do this blog post. Those numbers we keep hearing about — took on faces. As we drove 8 hours today over bumpy, dusty roads, Somalia seems...