Friends of WFP Enewsletter - July 2009

 

■ August 5 - Creating Sustainable Microfinance Programs     ■ September 12 - Greenwich Town Scavenger Hunt     ■ October 6 - Annual Awards Ceremony     ■ October 13-16 - World Food Prize ■ A Full Plate     ■ Insecurity Hampering Aid Efforts in Somalia     ■ G8 promise a $20 bln chance to beat odds on hunger "We all like going to school because we do not only learn, but eat. Food gives us the opportunity to leave the mines where, otherwise, we would have to work helping our parents." Maria Felix Titizano, Bolivia School Meals July 2009 Q&A with WFP's Graham Bell, Youth Outreach Coordinator In May 2009, WFP.org launched a new Students & Teachers section online that offers student resources on hunger as well as fun classroom activities and lesson planning tips. WFP Youth Outreach Coordinator Graham Bell discusses the continuing development of these resources and their benefits. More »   2009 World Food Prize Focuses on Hunger and Political Instability Dr. Gebisa Ejeta, 2009 World Food Prize Laureate, helped feed thousands with his drought- and weed-resistant sorghum varieties. This October, the annual Borlaug Dialogue symposium will celebrate his achievements while focusing on the link between hunger and political instability. More »    Kaiser Family Foundation Hosts Hunger Workshop Earlier this month, food security experts from around the world gathered in Washington, D.C. to discuss issues such as the global economic crisis, high food prices, the importance of addressing malnutrition and the U.S. government's plan to help improve agricultural development in poor countries. More »   Podcast: WFP Vulnerability Assessment Mapping Since 1999, Joyce Kanyangwa Luma, Chief of WFP's Food Security Analysis Program, has monitored vulnerable hotspots around the globe. She is instrumental in gathering data that allows WFP to identify areas already in need of food assistance and those that may be at risk for hunger if a crisis hits. In this podcast, she speaks about the key goals of WFP's food security analysis, obstacles she has faced in her work and how advanced technology changed the way WFP collects information. More »   Friends of WFP on We-Care.com These days, many people shop online for everything from books to clothing to airline tickets. Now you can help end world hunger at the same time! Just access your favorite online merchant through the Friends of WFP page at We-Care.com, and a portion of your purchase will go directly to our efforts to end global hunger. More »       WFP Reaches Hungry Somalis Despite Shaky Security Though Somalia still remains locked in an 18-year civil war, WFP continues to provide food assistance to millions of malnourished victims by working out security agreements with local authorities. More »   G8 Announces Commitments to Food Assistance Earlier this month, G8 leaders meeting in Italy showed their commitment to reducing world hunger by issuing a joint pledge of $20 billion to fund agricultural development in poor nations. Providing resources and tools to local farmers will help boost the world agricultural production and stimulate economic growth in the community. More »     One Billion Hungry – Making History the Wrong Way For many of us, skipping the occasional meal is inconvenient. For 1 billion of the world's poorest people, it's life-threatening. More »     In Good Company     ■ Religious Conference Management Association Supports WFP School Meals Programs In Your Community     ■ "Leaves of Life"       Q&A with Amjad Jamal, WFP Spokesperson, Pakistan Political conflict in Pakistan has driven nearly 2 million people from their homes. WFP spokesperson Amjad Jamal discusses how WFP is bringing both emergency assistance and long-term help to Pakistan. More »     Vitamin A deficiency affects approximately 25 percent of the developing world's pre-schoolers. It is associated with blindness, susceptibility to disease and higher mortality rates. It leads to the death of approximately 1-3 million children yearly. TRANSPARENCY, EFFICIENCY AND EXCELLENCE Facebook    MySpace    Twitter   HOME | BLOG | UNSUBSCRIBE   1819 L St NW, 900 Washington DC 20036   T 202 530 1694 F 202 530 1698

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WFP needs your help to fill out a brief survey

Dear kamal, As part of the World Food Program's (WFP) branding initiative, we are testing the organization's messaging and positioning. We need your help in filling out a brief survey, the results of which will be used to improve how we describe our work to U.S. supporters. Your responses will be anonymous and we will not ask for any personal information about yourself or record your e-mail. Simply click on the link below to go to the survey site. Since some computer platforms are not compatible, you may need to paste the link into your browser. On behalf of WFP, I greatly appreciate your help. Your feedback will help us shape how we raise awareness of and funds for WFP in the United States and, ultimately, enhance our ability to fight hunger worldwide. http://vovici.com/wsb.dll/s/d159g3ec7d Sincerely, Karen Sendelback President & CEO Friends of the World Food Program

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Education priority for Indian youth: J8 delegates

By Angela Walker

ROME, Italy, 7 July 2009 – Indian delegates to the Junior 8 summit this week identified education as the most pressing priority facing the country’s young people and want parents and children to get involved to demand quality schooling for all.

Fourteen-year-old Narendra Kumar from Pure Gosain, Uttar Pradesh, 16-year-old Sanjukta Pangi, from Semiliguda, Orissa and 17-year-old Samuel Venkatesen, from Shoolagiri, Tamil Nadu traveled from India to attend the youth summit being held in parallel to the G8 meeting in L’Aquila, Italy.

The Indian teens are joined by 51 young people, ages 14 to 17, from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Russian Federation, the UK , USA, Brazil, China, Egypt, Mexico and South Africa.

“The children in my village are not able to progress as far as they could because of a lack of quality education,” Narendra says. “Parents and children must get involved and make sure that poor kids can access quality schooling.”

Need for improving quality of education

Samuel also feels that education is the most pressing need for India’s young people. He agreed not only that the quality of education needs to be improved, but also more needs to be done to help girls go and stay in school. Girls in Tamil Nadu, he says, often are kept out of school, because they are doing household work or are married when they are just starting their teens.

Sanjukta, herself, knows how hard it is for girls to go and stay in school. Her father wanted her to stay home and care for her brother and sister rather than getting an education.

But when a girl in her village died of an overdose of medicine because neither she nor her parents could read, Sanjukta convinced her father of the importance of letting her continue her education. This week, she was chosen by her peers to meet with the Indian prime minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh.

In addition to education, the focus of this year’s J8 is on climate change, the world financial crisis and poverty in Africa as they impact on the lives of children and young people. Previous J8 summits have been in Gleneagles 2005 (it was called the C8), St. Petersburg 2006, Heilingdam 2007 (Germany), Chitose 2008 (Japan).

Sanjukta says she is a changed young woman after being involved in the J8 and can’t wait to return to India to share what she has learned. “I want to take back my immense knowledge and skills (that I have gained) and share with other young people my age,” she says. “My mindset has completely changed. … A new Sanjukta will be going back to India.”

For more information contact

Angela Walker
Chief of Communication, UNICEF India
Tel: +44 71 624 196 790 or +91-98-181-06093
E-mail: awalker@unicef.org

Geetanjali Master
Communication Specialist
Tel: +91-98-181-05861
E-mail: gmaster@unicef.org

Sonia Sarkar
Communication Officer- Media
Tel: +91-98-101-70289,
E-mail: ssarkar@unicef.org