Action Against Hunger ACF International Network Ac Action Against Hunger T I O

Action Against Hunger ACF International Network ac Action Against Hunger t i o

The international humanitarian organization Action Against Hunger saves the lives of malnourished a n children and families, while providing sustainable access to safe water and long-term solutions to hunger. CONTENTS g In emergency situations of conflict, natural disaster, and chronic food insecurity, Action Against Hunger has ains pursued its vision of a world without hunger for nearly three decades. t

Through the ACF International Network, our 6,000+ field staff work in over 40 countries to carry out n g

innovative, lifesaving programs in nutrition, food security, water and sanitation, health, and advocacy. Our e programs reach some 5 million people a year, restoring dignity, self-sufficiency, and independence to r vulnerable populations around the world.

ACF International Network Named for its founding member, Action contre la Faim, or ACF, the ACF International Network was 2 Welcome founded in 1979 in Paris. Committed to principled humanitarian action, the network shares its combined From the President of the Board and the Executive Director human resources, breadth of experience, and technical expertise in its pursuit of a world without hunger. 4 Nutrition Today, the network consists of five independent organizations headquartered in New York (ACF-USA), Identifying and rescuing starving populations Paris (ACF-France), Madrid (ACF-Spain), London (ACF-UK), and Montréal (ACF-Canada). 8 Food Security Preserving and strengthening livelihoods

12 WHERE WE WORK ACF International Network programs and country facts

16 Water & Sanitation ACF-USA Providing sustainable access to clean water www.actionagainsthunger.org 20 Health President: Raymond Debbane Strengthening public health systems Executive Director : Nan Dale 22 Advocacy ACF-France Championing humanitarian goals in the field and at home www.actioncontrelafaim.org President: Denis Metzger 24 Our dedicated Employees Executive Director: François Danel Devoting their lives to helping others

ACF-Spain www.accioncontraelhambre.org President: José Luis Leal Executive Director: Olivier Longué

ACF-UK www.aahuk.org Chairman: Paul Wilson Executive Director: Jean-Michel Grand AC F I N TER ATIO N AL ET W

ACF-Canada www.actioncontrelafaim.ca 8 16 20 22 24 President: Diane Bussandri Executive Director: Frédéric Boisrond OR K

ON THE COVER To view our financial information, please visit www.actionagainsthunger.org/resources/annual-reports-financials Our comprehensive approach to global hunger delivers a range of community-centered solutions to populations in crisis, like this Cover photos: ACF-Afghanistan, courtesy I. Eshragi/Agence VU; ACF-Sri Lanka, courtesy J. Lapegue young girl’s community in Afghanistan. 1 action against hunger ACF INTERNATIONAL NETWORK 3 n Action Against Hunger Humanitarian Humanitarian Hunger Against Action ale . It’s an aberration that we can, and must, correct—not correct—not must, and can, we that aberration an It’s . Director ecutive Nan D Ex Their strength and dignity against a backdrop of some of the a backdrop and dignity against Their strength is a amazes me. Theirs on earth continually places broken most some semblance retain to much less survive, to battle constant devastating poverty, of extreme in the face life, of family they upheaval—circumstances political and epidemics, violence control. and cannot did not create disease hunger, from weak people met I traveled, I Everywhere another through it make to somehow managed who grief and for have they dreams and hopes the surrendering without day programs nutrition the on depend they today, For children. their for But provide. we that sanitation and water clean to access and self-sufficiency to back way their find to eager are they tomorrow, in Working develop. to aspirations their for allows that life a and staff our help, to there are we people very the with partnership lives save to solutions both—short-term to committed are teams communities. entire strengthen to strategies long-term and seasoned Hunger’s Against Action globe, the around from Drawn staff national of thousands alongside work professionals with malnutrition, acute prevent and treat detect, to members managed locally into interventions our transforming of goal a that Knowing hunger. eradicate help day one will that programs other all fulfilling for prerequisite the is hunger of elimination the and commitment deep a bring staff remarkable our possibilities, problems. humanity’s of fundamental most this solving to tenacity Mandela Nelson world,” civilized the of aberration an is “Hunger the accepted he when remarked Award action take to together joining by but beliefs, shared through just hunger. against and suffering, against indifference, against ams gr o r p their ITION ITION R , I met in Africa rs mothe scores of struggling to keep visit On a recent APEUTIC our THER to NUT children alive. n President d ymond debbane With operations spread across an international network of five affiliated affiliated five of network international an across spread operations With our Canada, and UK, the Spain, France, US, the in organizations hunger—has world of problem devastating the solve help mission—to Europe. and America, Latin Asia, Africa, in countries 40 over to us taken year. each people million 5 some benefit programs combined our Today, shared a and hunger without world a of vision common a by United 6,000+ of staff our malnutrition, treating and preventing to approach We globe. the around from professionals committed together brings Kenya, from nurses health public France, from nutritionists have with along America, from agronomists Pakistan, map. from engineers water the of corners all broad a and specialists, virtually resource human from coordinators, logistics drivers, expertise technical with others of range government and communities local both with collaborating By Action health, of ministry national country’s each from representatives and villages, families, help that programs implements Hunger Against pioneering our to Thanks self-sufficiency. regain communities entire health and strength restore to able we’re perseverance, and innovations those for And malnutrition. serious from suffering people countless to can help women—our pregnant and children vulnerable—young most death. and life between difference the mean the reducing in progress tremendous made have we years, recent In still are there But illnesses. hunger-related from die who numbers entirely this of because year each lost children million five than more know We reach. within is solution a Fortunately, condition. preventable it. prevent and it detect to how know We malnutrition. acute treat to how to approach our with combined products, nutritional latest the with And hope we water, clean to access and security food long-term developing death. premature of cause a as hunger eliminate to individuals, concerned and donors institutional of support the With alongside malnutrition acute of ravages the put to working we’re defeating in progress mankind’s of measure a as plague the and polio death. and suffering unnecessary ra Boar y . ction rs, A

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or almost 30 yea F WELCOME rtnership pa idea of global g the in definin Ag wa has led the 2 action against hunger ACF INTERNATIONAL NETWORK 5 ograms can r GE ethnically ges, to PA s nutrition Hunger’ ainst that will best meet the needs of unger designs a nutrition program : from rural aried as the crises r a city, when civil wa astates G CONTINUED ON FOLLOWIN r fo camps ded relocation vercrow Ag ction be as v villa mountain the confines of divided cities, to o d peoples. displace internally on the unique demands of each situation, its context, and the local culture, Based Against H Action include an evaluation components of this program the target population. The core of malnutrition, and prevention nutritional needs, the treatment of the community’s and technical training for local public health services. by is guided The approach to conditions that can rapidly change. As soon as a strategy of flexible response into existing public health to integrate the programs work we conditions allow, of the community. nutritional well-being the future to ensure structures A and prevent treat programs r those rition fo malnut acute g ding youn rable, inclu most vulne are who and women children rograms or nursing. The p pregnant often during are launched most an earthquake times of crisis—when dev drought rt a country, when tears apa flee , when families famine leads to r. confront hunge to violence only r our p The contexts fo ACF-Malawi, courtesy E. Atwood/Agence VU courtesy E. Atwood/Agence ACF-Malawi, ACF-Malawi, courtesy E. Atwood/Agence VU courtesy E. Atwood/Agence ACF-Malawi, NUTRITION renowned. internationally populations are starving and rescuing identifying methods for Hunger’s Action Against 4 ac t i o n a n g

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1) Evaluation of Nutritional 2) Treatment of Acute Without proper treatment, these faced with the life-threatening illness of hu From the Field: A Collaboration in D.R. Needs. Understanding the root Malnutrition. Drawing on three women and children would face acute malnutrition while we continue to n Congo to Treat & Prevent Malnutrition g causes of a specific outbreak of decades of experience, Action imminent death. With treatment, the work on sustainable, long-term solutions e malnutrition is essential to the Against Hunger has developed a vast majority return to health after to hunger. r design and implementation of an range of methods for treating acute some 30 days. 4) Technical Training & Support effective program. Action Against malnutrition that includes field- 3) Prevention of Acute for Local Staff. Even at the outbreak In Kwilu District, located in eastern D.R. Congo, local Hunger draws on the full range of tested protocols and nutritional Malnutrition. Our Prevention of a crisis, when all efforts are focused organizations and community health officials were the first to its technical expertise—in nutrition, products backed by an international Programs focus on those at risk of on providing treatment and saving lives, food security, water and sanitation, scientific advisory board. Our life-threatening malnourishment: we are already helping to strengthen notice a significant decline in nutrition. Based on a preliminary and health—to conduct an analysis of Therapeutic Programs treat the most patients recently discharged from and rebuild the health infrastructure assessment, it was estimated that more than a quarter of the situation. In addition to baseline severe cases of malnutrition—highly our Therapeutic Programs; children to protect against malnutrition. We the population could be at risk of acute malnutrition, and data on core nutritional indicators, vulnerable groups such as infants, diagnosed with moderate acute do this from the outset by fielding a that food supplies were especially lacking in both protein the assessment includes information young children, pregnant or nursing malnutrition; and all children under team that overwhelmingly consists of and vegetables. A subsequent, more comprehensive study on local capacities, resources, culture, women—with intensive in-patient care five in communities facing cyclical or national staff members. As soon as the infrastructure, and geography. The and community-based, out-patient anticipated nutritional crises. For these situation stabilizes, we begin to adapt conducted by Action Against Hunger confirmed alarmingly resulting evaluation helps to determine programs. In-patient programs provide highly vulnerable populations, our our programs so they can integrate into high rates of acute malnutrition and established the need for the strategies and interventions round-the-clock feeding and medical work includes providing ‘ready-to-use’ a country’s existing public health system. immediate humanitarian action. required for an effective response to care for those requiring hospitalization, or other supplementary foods that When the crisis subsides and Action the crisis. while the community-based programs can be easily transported to remote Against Hunger can eventually depart, While there were already systems in place to treat acute allow treatment at home with nutrient locations. This approach has the we ensure that local capacity is in place malnutrition, the effectiveness of these systems at the local dense products like Plumpy’nut. potential to save millions of children to support continued improvements in a level were constrained by a lack of technical expertise, community’s nutritional health. n compounded by insufficient supplies. Our strategy focused on strengthening the technical skills of the local institutions and their staff to detect and treat outbreaks of acute malnutrition. OUR IMMEDIATE TASK: TO SAVE LIVES We provided training to 110 local staff members in 4 existing DURING A NUTRITIONAL CRISIS. therapeutic feeding centers, and to nearly 2,000 community representatives who helped identify women and children suffering from malnutrition and refer them for treatment. In close collaboration with the local leaders, we put in place a network of 20 supplementary feeding centers to be managed by a team of public health nurses. Overall, this network served a community of just under 100,000 people. Our immediate task was to bring the current crisis under control, but our overall goal was to ensure that future outbreaks could be managed locally—and prevented whenever possible. AC F I N TER ATIO N AL ET W

People are food Our programs We ensure effective secure when they provide immediate assistance for the have sustainable assistance and most vulnerable access, in sufficient long-term relief by working directly OUR GOAL: TO PREVENT FUTURE quantities, to to malnourished with communities

nutritious food. children and to customize lasting OR K their families. solutions to hunger. OUTBREAKS OF ACUTE MALNUTRITION WHENEVER POSSIBLE.

6 (From left) ACF-Guatemala, courtesy B. Grignet; ACF-D.R.Congo, courtesy Burger/Phanie; ACF-Cambodia, courtesy J. Lapegue 7 action against hunger ACF INTERNATIONAL NETWORK 9 . As defined ver 800 million and a healthy d ood Summit, “foo r GE orld F and economic ve physical d our foo Hunger, ainst Ag ction in the kind d this, in turn, results G PA CONTINUED ON FOLLOWIN d. left untreate t A if rms a rogramming fo security p we do in rk with the wo continuum . While our THERAPEUTIC nutrition health re to esto PROGRAMS r DERATE suffering FROM MO individuals r malnutrition, ou AND SEVERE ACUTE programs help prevent d security foo of it future outbreaks by the 1996 W A all people, at security exists when all times, ha r too , fa rtunately ve life.” Unfo acti o many people—well be—struggle to around the glo even the to survive without access most basic, minimal sustenance. An and sufficient, safe to access d fo nutritious foo be fatal can of malnutrition that ACF-Angola, courtesy M. Espriu ACF-Angola, ACF-Palestine, courtesy J. Pomerantz ACF-Palestine, OOD SECURITY F preserve Security activities Food Hunger’s Action Against with our Nutrition programs, a continuum Forming livelihoods. and strengthen 8 ac t i o n a n g

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Sometimes, the work of food security food security must take into account a and meets directly with a cross-section For a rural community affected by hu From the Field: Cash-Based Intervention

begins immediately after a natural wide range of factors such as climate, of the affected community, including ongoing drought, we might introduce n in Southern Somalia g

disaster, when the infrastructure and geography, socio-economic systems, its leadership. drought-resistant seeds. For families e food supply of an otherwise healthy and political structures. As a result, By actively involving the local displaced by ethnic violence to an r community have been destroyed. In the programs we implement are population in both the research and area with a functioning economy, we these instances, our efforts may include highly contextualized and must be analysis, we identify their existing might offer cash in exchange for work Recurrent conflict, drought, a scarcity of arable land, and the emergency distributions of food, cash, tailored to meet the unique needs methods for managing crises, which on sanitation projects. For refugees and other essential items to prevent of each community and each crisis. then helps us develop appropriate restricted to camps without access to absence of a central government for well over a decade have outbreaks of acute malnutrition in the In order to do this, we begin with food security strategies. In some cases, arable fields, we might launch a micro- all been contributing factors to widespread food insecurity in short-term, and to ensure that crops a comprehensive evaluation of the there are good coping mechanisms in gardening project. Somalia. Traditionally, much of the population earned their can be replanted and livestock replen- situation and its underlying causes. place that should be encouraged and In general, these strategies are livelihood as herders and migrated when necessary. But near ished for the future. Sometimes, food This analysis is conducted by a reinforced—for example, a communal designed to have a measurable impact security activities take place as a fol- team with expertise in such areas as network of mutual support. In other within a timeframe that spans a full catastrophic losses of livestock as a result of conflict have low-up to the work carried out in our agricultural production and natural cases, existing methods may have future food cycle—typically between six and greatly increased the reliance on cultivation—a strategy that Therapeutic Nutrition Programs. By resource management, anthropology, negative consequences and should be twelve months. And just as we begin has proven to be unsustainable given the inhospitable climate helping families regain self-sufficiency, socio-economics, geography, and discouraged—like deforestation or the by conducting an assessment of the and the lack of farming traditions. we greatly reduce the likelihood that veterinary science. In emergency depletion of seed stocks. needs, our work is not finished until they will have to return to our feeding situations, a quick assessment can be Informed by the results of our we complete a final impact evaluation. Action Against Hunger developed a 16-month pilot project in centers again. completed in as little as three days, field assessment, and in collaboration This follow-up research helps the local the Wajid district of southern Somalia to help a community of Unlike nutrition, where treatment but most often it takes between three with the local population, we then community continue its efforts to 25,000+ restock their herds and restore a system of 31 water is guided by standard protocols based and four months. The team conducts implement food security strategies that rebuild, and it allows us to refine our on human nutritional requirements, surveys, administers questionnaires, best address the challenges identified. methods for future crises. Though the catchments necessary for raising livestock. Because existing strategies vary widely, our food security markets could respond to an increased demand for basic items, interventions all share a common goal: we decided to implement a strategy that provided cash vouch- to fight hunger by preserving and ers in exchange for work on public projects. Under the right set strengthening livelihoods in a sustainable OUR FOOD SECURITY INTERVENTIONS ALL of circumstances, this approach is not only much more efficient and contextual manner. n SHARE A COMMON GOAL: TO FIGHT HUNGER. than distributing commodities like grain (which have significant shipping and storage costs), but it also enhances the dignity of the beneficiaries and instills a sense of self-sufficiency.

Participants in the program represented over 4,000 house- holds chosen through a public selection process. Each par- ticipant received a cash voucher after 10 to 20 days of work rehabilitating the water catchments—a priority that had been identified by the local community. Each voucher, which ranged in value from about $30 to $48, was sufficient to purchase at

least two goats. In the end, the vouchers not only helped to AC F I N TER ATIO N AL ET W rebuild livestock, they were also used to restore credit and buy food during the hunger gap.

Our 6,000+ staff are By involving local Our food security seasoned professionals populations in research programs offer and technical experts and analysis, we a broad range in water and sanitation, identify existing coping of solutions for THESE STRATEGIES PRESERVE AND food security, public mechanisms which generating income

health, and nutrition. helps us develop and boosting food OR K appropriate food production. STRENGTHEN LIVELIHOODS IN A security strategies. SUSTAINABLE AND CONTEXTUAL MANNER.

10 (From left) ACF-Uganda, courtesy D. Velly; ACF-D.R. Congo, courtesy O. Porteous; ACF-D.R. Congo, courtesy Burger/Phanie 11 ac Armenia Georgia Chechnya Azerbaijan ACTION AGAINST HUNGER: Mongolia Action Against Hunger/ t Programs Launched: 1994 Programs Launched: Programs Launched: 1999 Programs Launched: 2000 i A UNIQUE INTERNATIONAL NETWORK International Staff: International Staff: International Staff: Programs Launched: 2001 o 2 1995 7 2 a n Our comprehensive solutions to global hunger are National Staff:22 International Staff:8 National Staff:51 National Staff:15 International Staff: 5 Action Contre la Faim Beneficiaries:12,300 National Staff: 70 Beneficiaries:48,758 Beneficiaries: 12, 300 National Staff: 48 g context-specific, needs-based, and customized through Beneficiaries:33,950 Beneficiaries:10,180 (ACF) is an international ains direct community participation. While the programs we t

network committed run may vary from one country to the next, they all share hu Mali Chad this defining set of characteristics: Programs Launched: 1996 Programs Launched: 1981 to saving the lives of n Nepal Myanmar g

International Staff:13 (reinstated in 2004) Iran Programs Launched: 2005 Programs Launched: 1994 e r COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH National Staff:78 International Staff:5 Programs Launched: 2003 International Staff:10 International Staff:10 malnourished children Beneficiaries:250,000 National Staff: 44 International Staff:3 National Staff: 54 National Staff:200 Laos Action Against Hunger integrates activities in emergency Beneficiaries:50,000 National Staff:30 Beneficiaries:32,549 Beneficiaries:38,438 and their families while Lebanon Beneficiaries:26,347 Programs Launched: 1991 nutrition, longer-term food security, water and Programs Launched: International Staff: 8 Niger sanitation, basic health care, and advocacy. To tackle the 2007 National Staff: 104 ensuring access to safe Programs Launched: 1997 Haiti International Staff:2 Palestinian Territories Beneficiaries: 35,901 underlying causes of hunger, we address a range of social, International Staff:18 Programs Launched: 1985 National Staff: 40 Programs Launched: 2002 water and sustainable organizational, technical, and resource concerns essential National Staff: 251 Guatemala International Staff: 7 Beneficiaries:50,000 International Staff: 5 to a community’s well-being. National Staff:56 Beneficiaries:165,500 Programs Launched: 1998 National Staff: 22 solutions to hunger. Beneficiaries:66,533 International Staff: Beneficiaries:38,929 LASTING SOLUTIONS 5 National Staff: 58 Ethiopia Action Against Hunger Beneficiaries:101,468 Action Against Hunger works to ensure that our programs Sudan Programs Launched: 1984 Guinea International Staff:14 has pursued its vision of can be sustained without us. By integrating our programs Programs Philippines National Staff: 113 Programs Launched: 1995 Launched: 1985 Programs Launched: 2000 with local and national systems we transform effective, Beneficiaries:132,456 a world without hunger Honduras International Staff:6 International International Staff:4 short-term interventions into sustainable, long-term National Staff: 113 Programs Launched: 1998 Nicaragua Staff:64 National Staff: 40 solutions. International Staff: 0 Beneficiaries:80,000 National Staff: for nearly three Programs Launched: 1996 Beneficiaries:35,000 National Staff:25 897 Somalia International Staff:1 COMMUNITY-CENTERED Beneficiaries:12,000 Beneficiaries: Programs Launched: 1992 National Staff: 14 Sierra Leone decades, combating 1,233,729 International Staff:10 Beneficiaries: 10,600 Programs Launched: 1991 A community-centered approach is central to building Liberia National Staff:164 International Staff:10 hunger in emergency local capacity to manage and maintain our programs. Beneficiaries:133,631 National Staff:140 Programs Launched: 1991 Through training, technical workshops, and mentoring, Columbia International Staff:17 Beneficiaries:154,550 ivory coast situations of conflict, Action Against Hunger builds local capacity and cultivates Programs Launched: 1998 National Staff:231 Kenya Beneficiaries:78,500 Programs Launched: 2002 Programs Launched: community know-how. International Staff: 3 2002 natural disaster, and National Staff: 42 International Staff: 7 International Staff:12 Beneficiaries: 18,000 National Staff:59 National Staff:200 Indonesia INDEPENDENT & IMPARTIAL Beneficiaries: 91,511 Beneficiaries:49,000 Programs Launched: 1997 chronic food insecurity. As a nongovernmental humanitarian agency we are Democratic Republic International Staff:17 of the Congo (DRC) Uganda National Staff:185 As part of the ACF apolitical. But when it comes to human suffering, we Programs Launched: 1995 Beneficiaries:128,556 Programs Launched: 1996 Burundi are not neutral: We do our utmost to deliver effective International Staff: 6 International Network, International Staff:40 Programs Launched: 1994 National Staff: 100 humanitarian aid wherever it’s most needed. National Staff:600 International Staff:14 Beneficiaries:750,000 Beneficiaries:400,000 National Staff: 290 our staff of 6,000+ work FULL ACCOUNTABILTY & TRANSPARENCY Beneficiaries:180,410 in over 40 countries Angola We directly oversee the implementation of our programs, Pakistan requiring full access to the communities we assist. We Programs Launched: 1995 Programs Launched: 2005 International Staff: 9 carrying out innovative, are committed to a policy of transparency and disclosure International Staff:6 National Staff:60 National Staff:40 life-saving programs by ensuring that key financial information is publicly Beneficiaries:418,000 Beneficiaries:70,000 available and that our programs undergo external evaluation to assess their impact. in nutrition, food Afghanistan EFFICIENT & COST-EFFECTIVE Programs Launched: 1995 security, water and International Staff:14 We consistently receive top marks from rating agencies National Staff:239 sanitation, public ACF INTE R NATIONAL NETWOR K like the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance, Argentina Beneficiaries:206,006 Charity Navigator (receiving their highest 4-star rating), Programs Launched: health, and advocacy. Malawi Tajikistan the American Institute for Philanthropy (top-rated with 2002 International Staff: 1 Programs Launched: 2002 Programs Launched: 1998 Our programs reach an “A+”), the Independent Charities of America (as a National Staff: 18 International Staff:10 International Staff:5 “Best in America” nonprofit), and Guidestar. Beneficiaries: 4,000 National Staff:140 National Staff:130 some 5 million people families Beneficiaries:40,000 Beneficiaries:25,000 each year, restoring This map reflects the reach of the ACF The breadth of Action Against Hunger’s international expertise Sri Lanka International Network as of December 31, 2007. goes beyond the scope of our current programs. We have worked dignity, self-sufficiency, Programs Launched: 1996 For the most up-to-date look at our current in many other countries, including Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, International Staff:20 and independence to programs, please visit Cambodia, Cameroon, North Korea, Mozambique, Macedonia, National Staff: 167 www.actionagainsthunger.org/where-we-work Rwanda, Tanzania, Western Sahara, and Zambia. Zimbabwe Beneficiaries:55,571 Programs Launched: 2002 vulnerable populations International Staff: 8 National Staff:61 throughout the world. 12 Beneficiaries:161,116 15 action against hunger ACF INTERNATIONAL NETWORK 17 ven, cost- ding ves exten ol , rtunately . Unfo in some 2.2 million

GE 18 d s integrate Hunger’ ainst (42% of ggering 2.6 billion ’s health giene. A community CONTINUED ON PA Ag ction quire a lasting and well-being re r and the of clean wate supply re use and ca to dge of how knowle r it properly fo d 1.1 billion people an estimate r while clean wate to access lack a sta . basic sanitation humanity) lack This results A r and hunge to approach inv malnutrition rvices to se r and sanitation wate r d with wate face communities r, wate , unsafe drinking rcity sca , and poor sanitation inadequate hy among year, mostly each deaths are perfectly that children—deaths ble through pro preventa ve measures. effecti ACF-D.R.Congo, courtesy J. Lapegue ACF-D.R.Congo, ACF-Palestine, courtesy J. Pomerantz ACF-Palestine, TION A TER AND SANIT A W those communities for facilities and sanitation water clean to access sustainable Hunger provides Action Against malnutrition. at risk of acute most 16 ACF-D.R.Congo, courtesy J. Pomerantz ACF-D.R.Congo, ac t i o n a n g

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Action Against Hunger has developed Entire communities can become ill Against Hunger’s lifesaving programs we rehabilitate and install. In our From the Field: Global Water Initiative hu

its water and sanitation expertise if hygiene is neglected. Outbreaks of ensure that communities benefit from campaign to vanquish hunger, clean Launched in Partnership with THE n g

over a quarter century of field work, cholera and dysentery, for example, improvements in sanitation, health, water is as essential as food, but only e

HOWARD G. BUFFETT Foundation r advancing a number of solutions frequently attack communities that and hygiene. the cultivation of local know-how can for populations at risk from water drink and wash with contaminated Our programs’ long-term benefits, ensure its sustainability. insecurity. We truck water into affected water—infectious diseases that however, would be hard to sustain While the scale of global need is truly Action Against Hunger has partnered with the Howard G. communities during emergencies, complicate malnutrition with excessive without our painstaking commitment daunting, we know how to extend water decontaminate wells and install hand- diarrhea and dehydration. In response, to community participation. and sanitation improvements, how to Buffett Foundation and six other organizations, including pumps. Employing sophisticated Action Against Hunger builds latrines Developing and extending water and instill better hygiene practices, and how CARE, Oxfam, and Catholic Relief Services, to launch the geophysics, we are able to locate water and bathhouses and introduces basic sanitation services involves much more to teach populations to manage these Global Water Initiative (GWI). This ambitious initiative focuses resources and tap aquifers. We protect sanitation infrastructure to keep than quick technical fixes. To sustain resources themselves. Action Against on communities lacking drinking water and sanitation; it also natural springs and pipe water into communities hygienic. As a recent water and sanitation improvements, Hunger’s programs reach some five villages and health centers. And we UN report laments: “That 2.6 billion a community-centered approach is million people each year; reinforcing serves as a new model of collaboration—one designed to rehabilitate damaged infrastructure to people around the world are forced to central to building local capacity and these efforts is one way to improve enhance each partner’s organizational capacity while scaling- ensure access to adequate sources of defecate in plastic bags, buckets, open harnessing a population’s participation, conditions for vulnerable communities up the reach and impact of their respective programs. clean water. Our ability to deliver clean pits, agricultural fields, and public areas sense of ownership, energy and around the world—populations whose water is central to our comprehensive in their communities should generate resources. By organizing and training lack of clean water leaves them exposed Dedicating $15 million a year over the next decade, the GWI solutions to hunger and malnutrition. a collective outcry for immediate, community-based water committees, to daily indignities and appalling rates of will focus on some of the most vulnerable communities in Sanitation, health, and hygiene concerted efforts to expand access to we ensure local commitment to death and debilitation. n Africa and Central America. Working closely with its partners, programs are of equal importance. improved sanitation facilities.”1 Action managing and maintaining the systems Action Against Hunger will help address the challenges of long-term access to clean water and sanitation, and the sustainable management of ecosystems. That 2.6 billion people around the world The GWI brings together a broad coalition of nonprofit experts to support services in water supply, sanitation, agriculture, are forced to defecate in plastic bags, 1 U N Millennium Project Task Force Report environmental management, resource analysis, policy on Water and Sanitation: Health, Dignity, and buckets, open pits, agricultural fields… Development: What Will it Take? 2006. development, and public education. The initiative’s partners were involved from the outset, building a common vision, coordinating responsibilities, and sharing accountability for the GWI’s regional activities.

“The GWI was designed to integrate all aspects of sound water resource management, from emergency relief and immediate community needs to longer-term development and sustainability,” says Youcef Hammache of Action Against Hunger. Thanks to the visionary commitment of the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, the GWI promises a wide-ranging set of AC F I N TER ATIO N AL ET W solutions to water problems around the globe.

We organize and Our emergency In addressing hunger, train community interventions ensure clean water is as water committees access to clean essential as food, but to manage the water, a first line of only by cultivating …and public areas in their communities water systems defense in mitigating local expertise

we rehabilitate a natural disaster. can we ensure its should generate a collective outcry for OR K and install. sustainability immediate, concerted efforts to expand access to improved sanitation facilities.

18 This page, from left: ACF-Laos, courtesy J. Lapegue; ACF-Sri Lanka; ACF-Tajikistan, courtesy J. Lapegu. Opposite page: ACF-Kenya, courtesy J. Lapegue —The UN Millennium Project Task Force Report on Water and Sanitation: Health, Dignity, and Development: What Will it Take? 19 ac t i o n a n g ains t

Integral to Action Against Hunger’s three: Amoxicillin, an antibiotic effective against hu

field programs is a core concern with health. a wide spectrum of infections; Medendazole, n g

When someone suffers from malnutrition, they which kills most intestinal worms; and an anti- e face an increased risk of disease and illness. For malarial drug. r malnourished infants and young children, this Health related activities conducted through increased risk can often mean the difference our community-based out-patient programs between life and death. Similarly, those weakened include vaccination programs for mothers and by sickness can readily fall victim to malnutrition, children, and instruction on how to foster health which then leads to a spiraling decline in their through good nutritional practices. In keeping condition. And when malnutrition and sickness with our overall approach to humanitarian aid, coincide, otherwise easy to treat illnesses, like we coordinate closely with the existing public diarrhea, can suddenly turn fatal. In fact, as health system to ensure that our work draws on reported by the World Health Organization, and strengthens local expertise. In the aftermath malnutrition remains an underlying cause in 53% of a crisis, Action Against Hunger can help restore of all deaths among children under five. the public health infrastructure by fielding mobile Recognizing the symbiotic relationship between health clinics to areas affected by epidemics, by malnutrition and sickness, Action Against Hunger rehabilitating and restocking public health centers, also fights the diseases that accompany poor and by training local medical personnel on such nutrition. Through the work of our Therapeutic topics as vaccinations, prenatal health care, and Nutrition Programs, we not only strive to save methods for identifying the symptoms of disease children from starvation, we seek to restore them and malnutrition. n to health. When a child undergoes treatment at a feeding center, we frequently administer medication to prevent the kinds of infection and illness that can be most devastating if allowed to take root. The medications dispensed will vary depending on region, country, and national health protocols, but most frequently we administer

ACF-Sudan, courtesy B. Mikula

In the Central Asian republic of Tajikistan, 97% of the population lives in extreme poverty with disproportionate rates of acute malnutrition among infants due to poor breastfeeding practices. ACF launched a health education initiative—a network of 25 breastfeeding support groups—to promote the HEALTH FROM THE FIELD: benefits of breastfeeding and other health issues of import to nursing women— Our comprehensive programs address the linkages between disease and malnutrition, and help strengthen existing BREASTFEEDING i.e., immunizations, water borne diseases, and anemia. Some 7,400 women

public health systems. PRACTICES IN participated in the program in the first two years, and through training local AC F I N TER ATIO N AL ET W volunteers and collaborating with community medical personnel our programs TAJIKISTAN are sure to be self-sustaining over time.

ACTION AGAINST HUNGER SUPPORTS PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEMS BY TRAINING LOCAL MEDICAL PERSONNEL ON VACCINATIONS, OR K PRENATAL CARE, AND THE SYMPTOMS OF

20 ACF-Afghanistan, courtesy I. Eshragi/Agence VU MALNUTRITION AND RELATED DISEASEs. 21 ac t i o n a n g ains t

BECAUSE ACTION AGAINST HUNGER these contexts blur as advocacy efforts often take hu

works where populations face routine violations place at all levels simultaneously. To influence n g

of fundamental human needs—access to food, political actors, advocacy strategies can take many e drinking water, land and livelihoods—we have shapes but essentially involve the packaging r advocacy strategies in place to alert, inform, and and delivery of our field expertise, analysis, influence decision-makers and political actors. and recommendations to the stakeholders in These advocacy strategies allow our agency to question—publicly or confidentially, depending address the underlying causes of hunger while on the sensitivity of the context. delivering direct assistance to those in need. Humanitarian advocacy offers pathways to In practice, humanitarian advocacy enables us political influence for apolitical organizations to engage in political arenas in ways that don’t like Action Against Hunger. While stridently threaten our programs on the ground, the impartial in the field—targeting only the most security of our field staff, our access to vulnerable vulnerable—we recognize that advocacy, as populations, or our neutrality. organized activism in support of humanitarian Humanitarian advocacy takes place at three values and outcomes, is the very embodiment of levels. At the program level, advocacy is rooted humanitarian politics. n in the effective delivery of humanitarian assistance, addressing barriers or threats to a population’s access to life-sustaining resources and services. At the policy level, advocacy can bolster humanitarian values, secure or protect humanitarian space, improve policies and practices, and challenge or propose funding priorities. At the level of public opinion, advocacy aims to enlist public support, build constituencies, and shape popular opinion in support of changes to specific policies or legislation. In practice,

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

Darfur, Sudan: Action Against Hunger issued a behind-the-scenes report entitled “The Land Issue in Darfur: Sowing the Seeds of Peace,” that became the focal point of our advocacy efforts in Darfur. The report, assembled from in- depth surveys and extensive interviews among Darfur’s displaced, states that HUMANITARIAN ADVOCACY FROM THE FIELD: unresolved tensions over land rights underlie much of the conflict and must ADVOCACY be addressed in any proposed political solution. The land issue was lacking

Action Against Hunger engages in advocacy to help achieve humanitarian goals in the field and at home. AC F I N TER ATIO N AL ET W EFFORTS IN from ongoing policy debates, and our advocacy effort set out to engage political DARFUR, SUDAN actors unaware of our field-level perspectives on the crisis.

ADVOCACY BOLSTERS HUMANITARIAN VALUES, SECURES AND PROTECTS HUMANITARIAN SPACE, OR K AND IMPROVES POLICIES AND PRACTICES.

22 ACF-Uganda 23 ac t i o n a n g ains t

Nobel laureate Nelson Mandela or government ministries) is central to managing hu

has noted that “Action Against Hunger is in war-torn security in the field. It’s time-consuming, but it’s n g

countries that many fear to tread,” and indeed most essential for ensuring our staff’s safety. e of our 6,000+ employees venture into territories that Beyond managing security, our organization’s r often lack basic infrastructure like roads, electricity, or success in the field stems directly from the daring, communications facilities, all to combat malnutrition dedicated professionals who oversee our programs. and its inevitable devastation. We work in One of our staff members, for example, Ayaz communities whose fragile economic and nutritional Mohammed Amin, was named Employee of the balances have been ravaged by earthquakes, floods, Year in 2006 for his steadfast commitment to our droughts, wars and human conflict. efforts in post-earthquake Pakistan: he was one of Working in humanitarian contexts entails a range several Action Against Hunger staffers who spent of routine hazards and potential threats. To manage a fierce winter living in a tent amid mud and snow our exposure to these risks, our agency has developed high in the Himalayas. During months of unnerv- an effective set of security guidelines to govern our ing aftershocks from a devastating 7.6 earthquake, activities. Our success in keeping our staff safe over Mr. Amin and his colleagues worked to ensure that the years is a tribute to the seriousness of everyone victims of the quake received life-saving assistance. who wears an Action Against Hunger tee-shirt, the And this dedication ensures more than just program professionalism and expertise of our senior staff, excellence: it also helps build trust among affected the breadth of our Network’s field experience, and communities which, in turn, reinforces our ability our time-honored tactics for managing threats on- to ensure our staff’s safety through our community- the-ground. We routinely coordinate with partner centered outreach. agencies to exchange information and analysis, and Despite the risks inherent in humanitarian we undertake routine public relations initiatives interventions, our employees reaffirm their to explain to local groups who we are, why we are dedication every day by living in harsh conditions there, how we work, and that we are politically and staying alert to potential threats to themselves neutral. Indeed, it’s easy to overlook the importance and to our beneficiaries. This sense of commitment of this community outreach: cultivating and among our team members is extraordinary, and our maintaining relationships with all factions on the employees, brave and tireless, reach some five million ground (whether rebels, tribal elders, village leaders, people a year. n ACF-Cambodia, courtesy J. Lapegue

Even under “routine” conditions, our staff display extraordinary ingenuity and commitment. Aimé Lukelo, a Food Security Coordinator in the D.R. Congo, was honored as Employee of the Year in 2005 for doing far more than OUR DEDICATED EMPLOYEES supervising food security projects: he taught mothers to grow food, supervised FROM THE FIELD: the rehabilitation of schools and markets, organized projects to dig wells, Thanks to the commitment and expertise of our extraordinary staff we have an international reputation AIMÉ LUKELO, and worked tirelessly to integrate food security activities with our nutrition

for program excellence. AC F I N TER ATIO N AL ET W FOOD SECURITY programs. Our reputation for program excellence is largely due to the steadfast COORDINATOR dedication of individuals like Aimé and our extraordinary staff the world over.

Our staff’s commitment is extraordinary

and our employees, brave and tireless, OR K help some five million people a year.

24 ACF-Uganda, courtesy D. Velly 25 ACTION AGAINST HUNGER BOARD

Raymond Debbane, President The Invus Group, LLC

Burton K. Haimes, Chairman Emeritus Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP

Joseph G. Audi InterAudi Bank

Alexis Azria Writer

Cristina Enriquez-Bocobo Enriquez-Bocobo Constructs

Yves-André Istel Rothschild, Inc.

Ketty Maisonrouge Ketty Maisonrouge & Company, Inc.

Daniel Py Medical-Instill Technologies

Patrick Siegler-Lathrop PSL Conseil

Wendy C. Weiler Argosy Partners

26 Printed January 2008 247 West 37th Street, 10th Floor New York, NY 10018 Tel: +1 212.967.7800 Fax: +1 212.967.5480 [email protected] www.actionagainsthunger.org