wfp_pipeline_43 4-08-2008 7:36 Pagina 1 The World Food Programme Staff Magazine N. 43 July 2008 Photo by KyawZaw Tun PIPELINE

MYANMAR: OVERCOMING THE OBSTACLES wfp_pipeline_43 4-08-20087:36Pagina2

PIPELINE 2

WFP/Paul Wyatt hours andwerecompletelyfamished.They Neither KyawnorAunghadeatenfor36 day's foodsupplyleft. shelter orcleandrinkingwaterandonlya of large,aggressiveflies.Therewasno surrounded byappallingfilthandswarms utterly destroyed,andthesurvivorswere population of322.Thevillagehadbeen just 32survivorsofthecyclone,outa team wasonsite,wheretheyhadfound day. Asithappened,aWFPassessment Mayangone aroundlunchtimethefollowing a boatrideovernightandarrivingat continue theirjourneyhomewards,taking monastery, thetwobrothersdecidedto But withlittlespacefornewcomersatthe the monastery. where hemiraculouslydiscoveredKyawat half hoursonabus,hemadeittoLabutta, any ofhisfamilyalive.Afterthreeanda if hecouldgetbacktohisvillageandfind A weeklater,Aungdecidedtoleavesee temporary shelteratMyaungMya. a boat.Hewasthentakentogovernment later beinghauledfromthewaterandonto falling unconscious,histhin,longbody All 14-year-oldAungcouldrememberwas Labutta. alive andsoughtshelterinamonastery Mae LawRiver,wheresomehowheemerged round-faced 11-year-old,acrossthePyan still missing.NargissweptKyaw,asmall, thousands ofpeopledeadandmanymore wall ofwaterthathaslefttens the AyeyarwadyDelta,wasflattenedby Their villageofMayangone,nearLabuttain had eachother. only bythediscoverythatatleastthey days ofheartacheandsuffering,lightened their livesbacktogetheragainwouldtake But puttingeventhemostbasicpiecesof family. they weretheonlysurvivorsfromtheir neither ofthemwouldhaveknownthat followed inthewakeofCycloneNargis, swept awaybythetidalsurgethat When brothersKyawandAungNaingwere 740 tonsoflife-savingsupplies. A totalof646rotationshavebeenmadetoisolatedpartstheAyeyarwadyDelta,delivering We lookforwardtoseeingmorestoriesandimagesbythenextcompetitiondeadlineof30September2008.Ifyouoryourcolleag story, butareunsureabouthowtocaptureitinwriting,contactyournearestPublicInformationOfficerforassistance-part for hisarticleontwobrotherswhowerelefthomelessafterCycloneNargis.YoucanreadKyawoo'srivetingstorybelow,follow Kyawoo Maung,ProgrammeOfficerinYangon,MyanmarandformerheadoftheLabuttasub-office,iswinnerWFP'squarterly SURVIVING The storyofhowtwobrothersreunitedagainstallodds By KyawooMaung(astoldtoMarcusPrior) from thefrontlines.Pleasesendstorysubmissionsto:[email protected] of course,butitisastart. six months.It'snoteverythingtheyneed, back toprovidefoodforatleastthenext Of onethingtheycanbesure-WFPwill family. school orhowtocopewithlifewithouta after them,whethertheywillgobackto idea whatthefutureholds,whowilllook weeks andmonthsahead.Theyhaveno they aregoingtogetthroughthedays, Meanwhile, KawandAungwonderhow those lessfortunatethanthemselves. philosophy compelsthemtolookafter people oftheAyeyarwady,whoseBuddhist This isaparticularfrustrationforthe assistance thathasbeenreceivedtodate. of eachotherproperlywiththelittle as itisimpossibleforpeopletotakecare their livelihoods.Moraleinthedeltaislow or fishingtacklewhichwerethetoolsof left withalmostnothing:noanimals,seeds The survivorsofCycloneNargishavebeen day. distributed atMayangonethefollowing biscuits. Regularone-monthrationswere them a5-dayrationofhigh-energy Before thebrothersleft,WFPstaffgave suffering. was goingtobefullofhardshipand upside down-andtheroadaheadofthem palpable. Theirliveshadbeenturned their exhaustionandhopelessnesswere sank in-likeadark,loomingcloudand After theboysfinishedeating,depression vanished intotheirmouths. minutes, thericeandcurrycompletely at thesightoffoodandinamatter over totheboys.Theireyesturnedbright curry -butquicklyhandedallfourofthem them -whichwerefilledwithriceandlocal The WFPteamhadtheirlunchboxeswith of thecampsalongway. which theyhadnodoubtpickedupinone oversized t-shirtsandtatteredoldtrousers clothes toolargefortheirfrailbodies- fearfully approachedthesite,wearing where hetellsuswhatitwaslikebeingonthefrontlinesinMyanmar. NARGIS also makestheworkenjoyable. for morethan50percentofsuccessandit with beforeandfeelcomfortablecounts missions withpeoplethatyouhaveworked course, beingpreparedandgoingon KM: Justdowhatyourheartadvises.Of relax inastressfulsituation? CH: AnyadviceforotherWFPstaffonhowto not togiveup. made themfeelthatlifeisworthlivingand strength tothepeopleofMyanmarandhas philosophy ofbelievinginfatehasgiven monks haveplayedakeyrole.The KM: Lifehasbeenhard.However,Buddhist you tellusabitaboutthis? CH: HowarethepeopleofMyanmarcoping-theyfamousfortheirresiliencecould conditions, andaDSAequivalenttoUS$8/day. staff respondedthattheywantedtostaydespite18hoursofwork,poorliving On thesameday,Iaskedeachsinglestaffmemberwhethertheywishedtogoback.All single personintheLabuttatownship-thatis,240,000peopleliving517villages. The bestmomentwason6June,whenwedistributedamonth’srationoffoodtoevery KM: Despitehavingloadsoflows,westoodtogetherandsupportedeachotherasateam. CH: Whatwerethe“highs&lows”? the beneficiariesintheirvillages. houses andunburieddeadcorpses.Werealizedthatitwouldbemuchhardertoreach noodles perperson.Theyhadnothingtogohomeintheirvillagesexceptdestroyed 24 May,peoplewereforcedbacktotheirrespectivevillageswithtwopacketsofinstant died. Intheinitialdays,governmentresponseswerenearlynil.Afterreferendumon KM: Yes,everybodyhadastorytotellandallthestorieswereabouthowtheirlovedones CH: Canyoudescribeanyparticularincidentsthattouchedyou? the endofday,wewouldallhavedinnertogetherfollowedbybeersatmidnight. day wereportedtoHakanTongul(DeputyCountryDirector,Myanmar)viatelephone.At handling theadministrationandfinancesofestablishingoffice,etc.At8:15amevery logistics forwarehousingandtransport,conductingprogrammingassessments, have astaffmeetingat6:30am.By7:00am,allofuswereworking:coordinating up atfiveinthemorning,cuefortoiletandshower,eatbreakfast6:00am, KM: Weallsleptattheoffice,onfloor,nearlytopofoneanother.wouldwake CH: Whatwasthedailyroutinelike(oreverydaydifferent?) managed todeployatotalof10TDYnationalstaff. Assistant andme.Weimmediatelyrequestedforback-upwithinfourdayswe The initialassessmentteamwascomprisedofoneLogisticsAssistant,aProgramme no healthservices,etc. during thefirstdays.Thepeoplewerehelpless-nofood,shelter,drinkingwater, quoting thedeathfiguresonlyinhundreds.Wewerenotallowedtogointofield that thereweretensofthousandscasualtieswhiletheMyanmarGovernmentwas KM: Itwaschaos.Nobodyexpectedtherewouldbethismuchdevastation.Weestimated CH: CanyoudescribethesituationwhenfirstarrivedinLabuttaoffice? my emergencygearwasalreadypacked. the affectedareasinMyanmardelta,soIknewthatwouldbeonetogoand to goanywhere.Followingthe2004tsunami,Iheadedfirstassessmentmission KM: AftercompletingtheERTtraininginSweden(12thintake)2005,Iwasprepared CH: DidyoufeelpreparedwhenfirstheardaboutCycloneNargis? married withtwochildren. Tanzania. IhavealsoworkedasbodyguardfortheChairmanofKanbawzaBank.am (UK). BeforejoiningWFP,IworkedasanAssociateProfessionalOfficerforFAOin KM: IwasborninYangonon19October1964.haveaMastersfromCranfieldUniversity CH: Canyoutellmealittlebitaboutyourself? on boththePRROandEMOP. in Labutta.NowIambackYangonworkingasaProgrammeOfficer/FieldCoordinator Programme UnitintheYangonCountryOfficeandthenservedasHeadofSub-Office 2005 forthreemonthsduringWFP'sEMOP.InMay2008,IbecameHeadofthe of theSub-OfficeinMagway2005.IwentontoMuzaffarabad,KashmirOctober KM: IjoinedWFPinMay2004asHeadoftheSub-OfficeLashioandthenbecame CH: PleasetellmewhenyoujoinedWFPandwhatyourcurrentpositionis? INTERVIEW WITHKYAWOOMAUNG(A.K.A.“KOM”), PROGRAMME OFFICERINYANGON,MYANMAR AND FORMERHEADOFLABUTTASUB-OFFICE icularly ifyouhaveinformation ed byanin-depthinterview ues havegoodfodderfora Clearly “Kom”underpressure story competition wfp_pipeline_43 4-08-2008 7:36 Pagina 3

TGIF - BEHIND THE LAUGHTER Contents Have you ever wondered why so many people are laughing in front of their computers on Friday mornings? Are you one of them? Thanks to the TGIF (Thank God It's Friday) messages from Jeff Taft-Dick, currently Country Director in Niger, more than 600 people around the world end their week on a more cheerful note.

It all started with an OJ Simpson joke that Jeff, also known as Mr. TGIF or TGI-Jeff, sent on a Friday in May 1995 with the subject line TGIF to a few HQ colleagues. After explaining to many of them the meaning of TGIF, 4 10 he had the idea to store up jokes and send them out each Friday.

By the time Jeff was assigned to Pakistan in September 1996, the membership list had grown to about 150 colleagues, mainly in HQ. As there was no Lotus Notes in the field at this time, it first seemed that the TGIF 7 message would come to a premature end, but due to strong demand, the editor's job was passed over to George Heymell and a year later to Amir Abdulla. 4 WFP Ambassadors Update With the “globalization” of Lotus Notes in Drew Barrymore 1998, the original TGIF editor took over the job again. TGIF messages had become indeed a Trip to Wonderland serious hobby for Jeff; some colleagues even 5 claimed that doing the TGIF is the most Walk the World 2008 sustainable activity Jeff has been involved with in WFP. While others enjoy going for a run or a 6 Body and Soul drink at the end of a busy workday, he likes to wind down by going through the “TGIF Abu’s Story potential jokes” folder, searching for good 7 jokes to be used in the next edition. According Biking for School Feeding to Jeff, his hobby certainly prevented him from Gorilla Girl kicking the dog or yelling at the children on getting back home. Valerie Sequeira Jeff Taft-Dick has told his friends “the one about...” Left to right: 8 Doug Coutts, JTD, Bhim Udas, Doug Broderick, Mohamed Salaheen What almost started by accident became a fun Free Rice hobby and almost a duty and obligation as A Gladiator in Senegal many look forward to the Friday messages. With some occasional interruptions, including the Tsunami at the end of 2004, Jeff has sent the TGIF messages almost every Friday for the last 10 years. While looking for a clear indicator for the end of the emergency phase of the Tsunami, the definition was easy: the reappearance of the 9 UNILEVER’s Mr Pomodoro TGIF messages on Friday mornings. Book Review: Moveable Feasts

In the meantime, about 450 WFP staff members and 150 friends, family members, as well as retired WFP WINGS II employees are on the TGIF mailing list. It would be interesting though to know the real number of recipients. 10 Many people forward the jokes to their friends and colleagues. A New York banker visiting was very surprised when she realized that the person she just met was the author of the TGIF messages she sometimes 11 Life in Afghanistan received through many others. Four Weddings Separations & Obituaries Everyone who sends at least one good joke or story can be admitted to the mailing list. The staff counsellor, after visiting staff in isolated duty stations often sends an e-mail asking to add new colleagues to the mailing list. It is nice to know that even at the height of an emergency WFP people in all the corners of the world can 12 WFP’s Photo Competition come up with a smile on Friday mornings - thanks to Jeff!

A BUFFALO RESTORES HOPE WFP/Juliette Delay

Taj Nissah was one of thousands of people whose lives were turned upside down by the earthquake of 2005 which destroyed nearly every building in Jabori Village in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province (NWFP). A widow with two children, Nissah lost not only her home, but also her livelihood - as the buffalo which she had inherited when her husband died was killed in the quake.

Help soon came to her village: shelter, medicines and also WFP emergency food rations, but no buffalo…The Pakistani widow could no longer earn enough to feed her children properly. She had lost hope until a UN high level delegation flew in to visit what remained of her village. A member of the delegation was Josette Sheeran, before taking up her post as WFP Executive Director. THIS IS THE LAST PRINTED ISSUE OF PIPELINE MAGAZINE - YOU WILL BE Taj Nissah was one of several women who spoke to Josette Sheeran, and she mentioned the loss of her buffalo ABLE TO READ FUTURE EDITIONS OF PIPELINE ONLINE, THROUGH WFPGO. and with it her milk-selling business. THIS ALSO MARKS MY DEPARTURE AS PIPELINE EDITOR, DUE TO MY REASSIGNMENT TO LONDON. I HOPE YOU HAVE ALL ENJOYED READING THE Nissah did not know it then, but her encounter sowed the seeds of hope in her life. Back in the USA, Josette MAGAZINE AS MUCH AS I HAVE ENJOYED YOUR HELP IN PRODUCING IT Sheeran raised funds to help survivors of the earthquake. A donor gave WFP a cheque for US$1,000 which is OVER THE PAST SIX YEARS. CAROLINE just the amount needed to purchase a buffalo. Editor Caroline Hurford - assisted by Natasha Scripture With the help of the Pakistan Government's Forestry Department, WFP's main partner in the earthquake Graphics Cristina Ascone rehabilitation operation, and after talking to the villagers in Jabori who recalled Ms. Sheeran's visit, Nissah was Picture research Rein Skullerud - photos by Rein identified as an especially deserving beneficiary of the $1,000 cheque. A buffalo with her 4-month-old baby calf was duly bought and handed over to Nissah in May. Skullerud unless specified. Printed by Stilgrafica srl - Roma Funds from the Government's Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority have Pipeline is the staff newsletter of the World Food been used to restore Nissah's house, but the roof is Programme. It is published quarterly by the still missing and a lack of additional funds has Communications and Public Policy Strategy Division. halted further reconstruction. Nevertheless, Nissah is The opinions expressed in this newsletter are not still hopeful: with earnings from the sale of the necessarily those of WFP. buffalo's milk, Nissah may be able to complete her house - by her own means. Pipeline Communications and Public Policy Strategy Division Following the 2005 Pakistan earthquake, Taj Nissah’s life OEDC, World Food Programme and her milk-selling business was turned upside down. Via Cesare Giulio Viola, 68/70

However, WFP provided a lifeline in the form of a buffalo. 00148 Rome, PIPELINE 3 countries, including , , Sudan, Popular actor WFP Sierra Leone, and the Ivory Coast. and TV personality, Kristina Cassandra Buffett has also supported WFP at a number of Concepcion, widely known AMBASSADORS events and media engagements. In January, he simply as “ KC”, was attended the the World Economic Forum in Davos appointed WFP National where he joined Josette Sheeran and former Secretary Ambassador Against UPDATE General Kofi Annaan, among others, in advocacy Hunger this past February. efforts in raising awareness about hunger. As FIFA's World Player of KC's special mission is to address hunger and the Year and a key player in humanitarian needs in Mindanao, where WFP is using the Italian football club AC Luna Maya: the food assistance and hot meals to boost school Milan, Kaká uses his popular actress enrolment and attendance. celebrity to bring awareness and model has to WFP. worked tirelessly On June 1, KC joined over 3,500 Filipinos for the for WFP since her Walk the World event in the Philippines, which On 7 February, together appointment last featured colourful Ati-Atihan dancers and drum with the President of , November 2007 beaters. Together, they all looped around the historic the Mayor of Milan and our and has helped Bonifacio Global City. Executive Director, he raise WFP's presented for the very first profile in , through fundraising events, time the Fill the Cup press conferences and site visits. She also “On a remarkably humid day in April, I landed at campaign in Milan during a press conference. Kaká participated in the Walk the World event in Jakarta Mfuwe Airport in with our celebrity partner also helped put the campaign on the map in Italy by on 1 June 2008. Ms. Kurara Chibana, 2006 and dedicating the Milan vs Siena football match on 10 the first runner-up of . Kurara, February to “Fill the Cup”. A banner reading “You one of the most popular cover girls in Japan, was can't play with hunger” was carried around the pitch In January 2008, DJ BoBo, WFP Ambassador for visiting Zambia with a TV crew to gain first-hand by children. , participated in a charitable ski race, BCV experience of WFP's activities in the field. 24h Villars. Proceeds from the 24-hour ski race were Kaká - together with his teammate Paolo Maldini split among three organisations. “Who is she - Naomi Campbell?” whispered the sound (UNICEF Ambassador) - were also featured in a engineer traveling with us. I looked ahead and in fundraising PSA and a print ad for the Joint WFP- This year, thanks to BoBo's participation, WFP was front of us stood a tall, beautiful woman wearing a UNICEF Myanmar SMS campaign in Italy which raised one of the recipients, receiving approximately traditional African dress. Her legs were so long that over US$350,000 US$125,000. her waist was almost at the level of my chest. I walked over to my striking colleague, Precious For the singer's 2008 "Vampires Alive" tour through Mumbi, PI officer for WFP Zambia and Miss Zambia A m b a s s a d o r and Switzerland, WFP and Berlin LO have 2005, and introduced her to Kurara. Against Hunger started a successful "FreeRice" school competition in Howard Buffett which BoBo donates between 200 and 500 tickets So I had the privilege of traveling with two of the has been a from every concert to classes that play FreeRice in most beautiful girls in the world, yet the beauty ran generous donor school. So far, 2,164,010 grains of rice were much deeper. to WFP and has "donated" by schools participating in the contributed to a competition. On a visit to a Zambian village, Kurara sat under a number of tree with her legs crossed and listened keenly to a different projects BoBo was also a guest on Ricardo Hammershow, a group of WFP beneficiaries as they spoke about their and initiatives. Swiss TV show, in December 2007 where he auctioned lives and difficulties. She eagerly asked questions various items, including a car, VIP tickets for one of and was clearly interested to know about their lives Since his appointment as WFP Ambassador Against his concerts and football jerseys signed by Kaká, and how she could help them. Hunger in October 2007, Buffett has travelled Ronaldo and FC Bayern Munich. Altogether around extensively for WFP and visited operations in six US$68,000 was raised for WFP. At a village school, she lay down on the floor to take pictures of the children at their eye level and asked them about their dreams. She was literally “down-to- DREW BARRYMORE DONATES earth.” Cheerful as she is, Precious had some difficulties in her childhood and was raised by her older sister. A US$1 MILLION TO WFP ON OPRAH person of determination and efforts, she worked hard to earn money to receive a higher education. Ambassador Against Hunger Drew Barrymore, one of As a WFP Ambassador Against Hunger, Drew has Kurara and Precious quickly became good friends. the world's best-known film stars, announced a traveled to Kenya twice in two years. She is an Kurara explained the final selection process of Miss personal donation of US$1 million live on "The ardent advocate for WFP school feeding which Universe for Precious, while Precious served as the Oprah Winfrey Show" to help WFP feed thousands of boosts children's chances for health, education and best guide for Kurara on the social and cultural school children in Kenya. During the show, which a more promising future. background of Zambia. was also broadcast repeatedly around the world in March, Drew talked about her work with WFP and, She also collaborated on a On the last day of the trip, the two hugged each against a backdrop of video showing her visiting video PSA that appeared other tightly and promised to meet again. On her way WFP projects in Kenya, she told Oprah that WFP was on the 22-storey video back to , Kurara wore the necklace Precious “all about the action - not the talk”. The actress screens in New York’s gave to her. Their encounter was not shown in the TV then presented a huge cheque to Josette Sheeran, Times Square; and her Fill programme on Kurara's trip which was later aired, but who was called up on stage from the front row of the Cup print PSA (right) it was what made this trip even more precious.” the audience by Oprah. Funds raised as a result of has been snapped up for By Yuko Yasuda, PI officer, Japan Relations Office Drew’s appeal on the Oprah Show have topped pro bono publishing in a US$600,000. number of US magazines.

Josette and Drew also visited the Chicago Board of Urging everyone, every- Trade (CBOT) together where they met with Terry where to help “fill the Duffy, CME Executive cup” on behalf of hungry Chairman. children, Drew said: “I have seen with my own eyes what a difference a simple cup of nutritious They took a tour of porridge can make in a child's life.” the agriculture trading floor and Her donation kicked off WFP's challenge to America spoke with traders to help feed 10 million children for a year. “We 4

about high food have a dream... to feed another 10 million hungry E

N prices and its impact school children in Africa by Thanksgiving Day,” said I L

E on WFP’s operations. Josette Sheeran. Photo by David R. Barnes P I P wfp_pipeline_43 4-08-2008 7:36 Pagina 5

TRIP TO WONDERLAND

Ilham was in her classroom a week after school had The real challenges were yet to come - none of the resumed for the second term, when her headmistress sent people we had selected had passports and the official for her and conducted what she felt was a strange interview time for processing them was three weeks. Worse in the presence of the Northern Regional Girls' Education than that, they did not even possess birth Officer. The next day, she was summoned again and certificates - an essential requirement to apply for a informed that she had been selected to be part of a group passport. of pupils who would accompany Ghana's President to WFP’s Headquarters in Rome. The small Ghana Country Office could only afford to put two people on this schedule - the Country Twelve-year-old Ilham was born and raised in Bimbilla, a Director and myself, the Senior Public Information small town in Ghana's Northern Region. She had never Assistant. traveled outside Bimbilla, not even to Tamale, the northern regional capital and now she was about to discover Tamale, With two other government partners, we put the Accra (Ghana's capital), Rome and Milan - was this a dream wheels in motion working simultaneously on or reality in the making? budgets, tickets, passports, health insurance, visas, permission from parents, compositions and For those of us in the Country Office, the e-mail we rehearsals, and programmes, right down to traveling WFP school feeding beneficiaries in Ghana flew to Rome in received from Rome was as exciting as it was bags. In the midst of all this, we had to find time February to deliver an impressive perfomance about school disconcerting. Our Executive Director had just invited the and compassion to calm one weepy child who felt feeding at the WFP Executive Board meetings President of Ghana and Chairman of the African Union (at lost among the lot. feeding. The performance took place at the WFP Executive We also had to solve the issue of clothing. Our Board on Wednesday 6 February and received a rapturous selection criteria specifying the most applause from Board members, the Ghanaian delegation disadvantaged, articulate and confident and Headquarters staff. children seemed to have been followed so faithfully that none of the children had decent All participants including H.E. President J. A. Kufuor, clothes - definitely not warm enough clothes President of the Republic of Ghana and the WFP Executive for winter in Italy. Director, Josette Sheeran, were then treated to locally produced corn-soya blend porridge. Lunch at the cafeteria The Country Director gathered some of her included four typical Ghanaian school feeding dishes. family's used clothes, but a shopping list still needed to be drawn and the search began. When we left Ghana, we had no idea we would be Surprisingly, finding winter clothes in tropical included in WFP’s launch of the Fill the Cup campaign but Ghana was much simpler than we had expected the children's brilliant performance seemed to have as there seemed to be a specialized market for captivated the Executive Director and so Ilham and Evans this. were asked to join her, the President of Ghana, the Mayor of Milan and WFP Ambassador Kaká for the launch of the Ghanaian school feeding beneficiaries Ilham and Evans stand by Josette Other heart stopping moments were rehearsal campaign on 7 February in Milan. Sheeran, the President of Ghana, the Mayor of Milan and Kaká during the times. They performed perfectly one day and launch of the Fill the Cup campaign in Milan. awful the next. In our anxious minds, they We returned to Ghana on Friday bringing an end to our seemed to deteriorate as D-Day grew closer. four-day whirlwind trip to Italy. When we visited Ilham the time), to give a keynote address to the Executive and some of the other children at Bimbilla a fortnight Board in Rome on 6 February 2008. Furthermore, he was Soon it was time to travel, so our delegation of 14 left ago, there were some people the children remembered to be accompanied by Ghanaian schoolchildren who would Accra on an Alitalia late night flight on Saturday 2 quite clearly - Anne Marie, Carla, Silvana, Francisco and perform songs and recitals about school feeding. February. For a group of children who had never traveled several others at Headquarters - who were involved in out of their hometowns and had never been or seen an orchestrating the event. “When will I ever have the In the first week of January, we met with our partners in airplane at close range, Ilham, Evans, Daniel, Wahilatu, chance to travel to Wonderland again?” Ilham asked the Ghana School Feeding Programme and an action plan Mabruk and Rashida were extremely well-behaved - wistfully. was drawn up - three schoolchildren would be selected curious, obedient and patient. In fact, they were a joy to from southern Ghana and three more from the north, travel with. As Trudy Bower, the Country Director leaves Ghana at the where WFP supports the Ghana School Feeding end of her duty tour, it seems to me now that the event Programme. Two head teachers would accompany them as The event itself consisted of a performance of three could not have been better timed. chaperones and a couple of government partners would be songs, a poem on school feeding and the children's Vera Boohene, Snr Reports/Information Assistant, included in the delegation. personal statements on what they liked about school Ghana

WALK THE WORLD 2008

In Malawi, more than 50,000 people walked in 13 districts, most of them schoolchildren who receive WFP meals. The King of Swaziland joined thousands in the capital, Mbabane. Tanzania had walks in six locations across the country, with over 12,000 participants including the First Lady and Prime Minister. From Indonesia to Guatemala, more than 250,000 people support of Walk the World. In in 70 countries participated in the Walk the World Guatemala, a country where approximately half of all , the event was held under event on June 1, children are chronically malnourished, kicked off its the auspices of the First Lady. which was organised Walk on May 14th with the support of WFP Honorary by WFP together Spokesperson Lauren Bush, with a turn-out of over Walks also took place in 70 with our largest 20,000 people. Honduras saw the participation of more locations throughout 25 corporate partners, than 30,000 in Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula. European countries. Landmarks TNT and Unilever. included Windsor Castle in the The walk showcased Under the patronage of HRH Princess Basma, UK, Cologne Cathedral in Germany, the many faces of Chairperson of the Jordanian National Alliance Against Plac Pi sudskiego in and hunger around the Hunger, 8,000 participants walked five km across the the Little Mermaid monument world. campus of the University of Jordan on May 12th in in . PIPELINE 5 wfp_pipeline_43 4-08-20087:36Pagina6

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Youwantthecanceroutofyouanddon't awareness ofthepowerloveoverhate,kindness or deathinsideofyou.Italsoseemstobringaheightened Having cancerinyourbodyislikehavingapieceofhatred tomorrow”. it inyourskin.Itistrueforeveryonethat“itcouldallend it ishardtocapturethetruthconveys.Youhavelive about “livinginthemoment”butthatphraseissooverused tough dutystation.Youhavetobetheregetit.Wetalk passing throughcancerislikebeingassignedtoavery “ If youknewmebefore,mightsaythatIhadakindof The cancerjourneyhassoftenedmyheartinasimilarway. something bigandbeautiful? colourful yarn.Whatwillwedotogether?Willmake wonderful resource-allrolledtogetherlikeahugeballof have servedWFParoundtheworld,well,youa our countriesoforigin),andthevastnumberplaceswe origin, ourethnicroots(whicharenotalwaysthesameas town? Bythetimeyouaddupourindividualcountriesof are auniquecommunity-sortofinternationalsmall vulnerable. Butdowesometimestakeitforgrantedthat small partofabigsolutiontohelptheworld'shungryand I thinkweallknowthatitisourprivilegetoeachbea radiation chemothereapy andpriorto July 2006,baldfrom meetings - IfyouareinHQ,attend the transferring fromthefieldoronTDY; - Establishastaff-led subject line. [email protected] with“brainstormingRome”inthe not inHQ,pleasesendmeane-mailat or after-workmeetingwouldliketobrainstormandare If youwouldliketobepartofanHQ“brainstorming”lunch FOR THEHEALTHOFWFP joie devivre Initial suggestionsare: PNLV ETRTO LETTER LOVE OPEN N tough dutystation.Youhaveto “ which areouropportunityto voice questionsand Passing throughcancerislike ”, butnowitismuchmorethanthat.Maybe being assignedtoavery be theretogetit. “Welcome Rome” neighbour. connection totheir another andfeel people reachouttoone of reconciliation,when by anevengreaterspirit tragedy areoftenfollowed times ofgreatcollective History hasshownthat it isstillgoingon. experience forme..and tremendously spiritual has alsobeena challenging one,butit cancer -hasbeena journey tobecuredof maybe Ishouldsaythe The cancerjourney-or Thursday AMbreakfast WFP ” network forstaff TF OLWD FROM WORLDWIDE STAFF things. way, andtogether,taketheorganizationontoevenbetter nationality asideforasecond,orwhateverelsegetsinour We canleavethedynamicsofpower,politicsand Maybe Iam,butseeusallandwearebeautiful. But now,whatdoIcareifsoundgoofy,optimistic,naïve? thinking? I am?“Emotional”thereforeincapableofanalytical world toread.Willpeoplefindoutwhatanidealisticsoftie past, Iwouldneverhaveputmyselfin Being acancersurvivorhasalsobeenliberating.Inyears worthy ofapoemorshortstory. poignant memoriessavedtomymental“harddrive”-each many wholivetoaripeoldage”.Likeofus,Ihave lived averyrichlife,probablyallofushave,richerthan kind ofweird,butifIweretodietomorrow,havealready lives inourworkaroundtheworld,andIsaid“thissounds with twoWFPcolleaguesreflectingontherichnessofour Ironically, amonthpriortomydiagnosisIwasatlunch awareness, ofgreatjoy,beautyandtragedy. living inthefieldanemergency:ofheightened because itwaswiththemthatIsharedtheintensityof I willalwayshaveapowerfulconnectiontothisgroup, me. and tohearthattheywerestandingwithme,pullingfor each ofthempopupinmyinbox,fromaroundtheworld, and thetoughest.Itwastremendouslysupportivetosee isnotmyonlyfieldexperience,butitwasthefirst worked inAngola,duringthewar,early1990s. contacted werethehandfulofWFPstaffwithwhomIhad through thelong,darktunnel-firstcolleaguesI “street value”intheUSA,andwonderedwhenIwouldget stronger thanthekindthatpharmacisttoldmehave and subsequentlytopped200lbs,neededpainkillers take steroidstopreventafatalreactionthechemodrugs surgery andbeforeradiation-lostallofmyhair,hadto When Ibeganthelongandpainfulchemotherapyafter among us.Wejusthavetoactivateit. community andforeachother.Thegoodstuffisalready and ofthewhole,yes,aloveforwhatweareas celebration, reconciliation,recognitionoftheindividual our terrificallyimportantmandate,yetalsowith with life-affirmingmessagestoo,focusedworktowards I alsowanttheworldwideBodyofWFPstafftoreverberate immune systemhigh,thebodysinging. reverberate withlife,whateveritisthatkeepsthe small thingsofvalue.Iwantthefluidwithinmycellsto thankfulness andcelebration,findmeaninginbig without. Iwanttocreatebeauty,resonatewith control tosparkcancer/deathwithinme-orhatred representative. get yourpointacrossthrough acolleagueorstaff If youareuncomfortableraising atopicyourself,youcan launching intoadownwardspiral. just gatheringaboutthesetopicsinthecorridorand concerns inanopendialoguewithmanagementratherthan WHAT YOUCANDO We havereceivedsomuch-wemust “ personal responsibilitykicksin. That's whereourhugesenseof give backmore. W ENDY E LIZABETH ” Pipeline P , forourWFP AETH , WFPHQ dissuaded. Itcouldsaveyour life. And noneoftheseexams is reallysobad.Don'tbe detect andremovepre-cancerous coloncancercells. Men andwomen-colonoscopiespreventativemedicineto the earlystages. Men -PSAbloodtestswhichmaysignalprostatecancerin Women -annualmammograms. health careprovider’sadvice,atleast,onanannualbasis. follow-up andthencommittoundertakingitfollowingyour staff tochooseoneplaceforallofyouryearlymedical I hadnoindicationofanymedicalproblem.encourageall My cancerwasfoundinaroutineannualmammogramand FOR YOUROWNHEALTH playing smalldoesnotservetheworld…" Actually whoareyounottobe?YouachildofGod.Your Who amItobebrilliant,gorgeous,talented,fabulous? not ourdarknessthatmostfrightensus.Weaskourselves: fear isthatwearepowerfulbeyondmeasure.Itourlight "Our deepestfearisnotthatweareinadequate.Our I concludewithaquotationfromMarianneWilliamson: it heretoHQ. discover whenweservetogetherinthefield.Letusbring And letusclaimbackthebodyandsoulofWFPthatwe make everythingcount. Let's allworkhard,playbekindtooneanotherand Bureaux. whenever theypassthroughRomeortheirRegional personal riskshouldbecelebrated,eveninsmallways, that theyandtheinternationalstaffwhoserveatgreat We alsoknowthatournationalstaffaretobetreasuredand go I.) what wehavethantheyare.(TherebutforthegraceofGod We arehumbledtoknowthatwenomoreworthyof evidence ofthepotentialforgenerosityinhumanspirit. Our beneficiariessooftendisplaythemostprofound more. kicks in.Wehavereceivedsomuch-wemustgiveback that. That'swhereourhugesenseofpersonalresponsibility children maydieovernightofcerebralmalaria,atteststo not livingundercorrugatedmetal,worryingthatour socio-economic groups.Themerefactofourbeinghereand represent allcountries,wecertainlydonot Yes, Iknowthisisn'tthecompletepicture.Whilewe soul ofWFPthatwediscoverwhen “ And letusclaimbackthebodyand serve togetherinthefield.Letus bring itheretoHQ. June 2008 ” wfp_pipeline_43 4-08-20087:36Pagina7 country. TheHaithams,themselvesSunni,livedina February, sparkingawaveofsectarianviolenceacrossthe point thebombingofGoldenMosqueinSamarra But in2006,theatmospherechanged,withturning on andtryingtoweatherthestorm. security wasaconstantconcern,itseemedworthholding provide forhisfamilyandrunMercedescar.Andwhile However, movingfromjobtojob,Abuwasstillable Iraqi customerspreferredtostayathome. overnight, whilethedwindlingnumberofprosperous collapsed. Theinternationalclienteledisappeared Canal Hotel,therestaurantbusinessinBaghdad But aftertheAugust19bombingofUNmissionat Vieira deMello. Special RepresentativeoftheSecretaryGeneral,Sergio Baghdad. Amonghisregularcustomerswasthethen up toberestaurantmanageratoneofthetophotelsin 1994, Abuhadgoneintotherestaurantbusinessandrose family. Dischargedfromthearmyonmedicalgroundsin Until August2003,lifehadnotbeenbadfortheHaitham threw abombintomyhouse,”heexplainedwryly. “I couldsaythedeterminingmomentwaswhenthey factor? that persuadedhimtoleaveorwasthereonedeciding Was itageneraldeteriorationofconditionsandsecurity escaped thecountrywithhiswifeandfourchildren. extremely fortunatetobealivehimselfandhave his closerelativesaredeadandheconsidershimself he isconcerned,therenothingtogobackfor.Mostof and hehasclosedhismindevertogoingback.Asfaras Haitham's* memory.ItwasthedayhislifeinIraqended November 23rd,2006,isadateetchedintoAbu supported,” hesaid. failed, futureinitiatives mightnotbesoreadily “It wasanewideaforWFPand Iwasconcernedthatif misgivings. colleagues andthepublichelpedhimovercomeany overwhelming supportandencouragementofhis Thoko hadnevercycledsofarbefore,butthe he said. go thatextramile-beyondtheannualWalkWorld,” this testofstrengthandendurance?“IthoughtIwould capital, Lilongwe,onFriday,30May.Hismotivationfor of Zomba,Balaka,NtcheuandDedzabeforereachingthe STORY ABU’S THOKO FOR SCHOOLFEEDING “BIKES THAT EXTRAMILE” pedaling inandout steady headway, later, Thokomade days and350km Over thenextfive feeding programme. country's school in supportofthe marathon cycleride Malawi fora station inBlantyre, May fromhisduty the morningof26 bright andearlyon Assistant, setoff old WFPLogistics Chimbali, a28-year- Thoko Potiphar the Harastaareaofcity,hometomany Now theyshareatwo-roomapartmentin they travelledtogethertoDamascus. waited forhisfamilytojoinhimbefore the northerncityofKirkuk,wherehe bus station,fromwherehetookato The Shi'afrienddrovehimtothecentral later.” a.m. toleave.Myfamilycouldfollow big mansaidhewouldgivemeuntil5.30 him theleaderoflocalmilitia.“This up inhiscaranhourlater,bringingwith where Iwasandwait.”Thefriendshowed So IcalledaShi'afriend,whotoldmestay were armedmenoutthere,waitingforme. “I didn'tknowwhattodo.Iknewthere rest ofhisfamilywereunscathed. cuts andbruisesfromfallingfurniture.Fortunatelythe and leavingAbu,whowassleepingbythethreshold,with 1.30 a.m.,thebombexploded,destroyingMercedes planning tomoveoutfirstthinginthemorning.Butat to thehouse.Thefamilystartedpacktheirbelongings, group ofmenwithAK-47sstandingoutsidetheentrance But thethreatssoonstartedandoneeveninghesawa area ifpeopledidn'tknowme.” difference -IwouldhavebeenjustasunsafeinaSunni was intheheartofaShi'aarea.“Itdidn'tmakemuch He foundanotherhouseforhisfamily,butthistimeit whole family-hiswife,sonanddaughter.” the street.Andthenmybrotherwaskilled,alongwithhis dangerous foruseventogoandretrievehisbodyfrom Another nephewwascaughtincrossfire.Ittoo worked asaninterpreterfortheAmericans,waskilled. husband wasshotdeadinthestreet.Mynephew,who “Things weregettingverybadbythen.Mysister's he wouldbekilled. got aphonecall.Hehad48hourstomoveout,orelse suspicion andoutrighthostility.AndthenonedayAbu But friendshipandmutualtoleranceswiftlyturnedinto maintained goodrelationswiththeirShi'aneighbours. mixed areaofBaghdadanduntilthenhadalways in 679schoolsacross13districts. daily bowlofnutritiousporridge toover635,000children feeding programmesince1999, andcurrentlyprovidesa WFP hassupportedtheGovernment ofMalawi'sschool pedalling participationnextyear! Take notecouchpotatoes-heisonthelookoutfor long-distance rideanannualevent. cyclist-against-hunger saysheisdeterminedtomakethe a heroandencouragedotherstofollowhisexample.This WFP CountryDirectorDomScalpellidescribedChimbalias healthy bowlofporridgehereinMalawi,”hesaid. only costsMK17.00(US$0.12)toprovideachildwith achieve basedonthenumberofpledgeshereceived.“It US$2,125) forschoolfeeding-atargethelookssetto Thoko hopestoraiseMK300,000(approximately crowding aroundme-itwasamazing!” getting louder.Peopleweredancing,cheeringand my colleaguesstoppingthetrafficandheardmusic said Thoko.“AsIgotclosertoKang'ombeBuilding,saw “Approaching thefinishlinewasthrillingandrewarding,“ was joinedbyagroupofWFPstaffers. On thefinalleg,some15kmoutsidecentralLilongwe,he his safetyandprovidesnacksdrinksbetweenstops. A WFPvehiclefollowedtheintrepidlogisticiantoensure crowding aroundme-itwasamazing “ People weredancing,cheeringand Abu HaithamathistemporaryhomeinDamascuswithtwosons ” * Nothisrealname Iraq Information Officer,WFP Abu HaithamwasinterviewedbyRobinLodge,Public right tomakechoices.” whenever Iliked.Nowamarefugee;don'thavethe “In mypreviouslife,Icouldeatwhateverliked, Would hepreferdifferentcommoditiesatthesamecost? other expenses.Butwasthefoodbasketsufficient? without whichhecannotimaginehowwouldmeethis The WFPfooddistributionshereceivesarealifeline, children tohavearealfuture.” have hadmuchofmylifealready.ButIsowant would beanasset.“It'snotsomuchforme-at41,I preferably theUnitedStates,wherehisfluentEnglish His hopeisforresettlementinathirdcountry- to school,buythembooksanduniforms. rent, buthescrapestogetherenoughtosendhischildren continue theheavywork.Hisincomebarelycovers from hisarmydays,heisnotsurehowlongcan hammering steelinaworkshop.Butwithhisbackinjury considers himselfluckytohavefoundajob,weldingand Iraqi refugees,attractedbytherelativelylowrents.Abu agricultural production. and provisionofagricultural inputsandtoolstoincrease radical terracing,treeplanting, watershedmanagement conserve bothwildlifeand theenvironmentthrough all supporttheRwandaGovernmentinitscommitmentto WFP, IFAD,FAOaswellNGOsandtheEuropeanUnion being themainattraction. US$42.3 millionwasgeneratedbytourismwithgorillas easier forwardenstotrackandmonitorthem.Lastyear, Since 2005,85gorillashavebeennamed,makingit parks,” saidMaarit. a gorillathathaddisappearedintheUgandaandCongo a surpriseandhonourforWFPtheUNfamilytoname other guestsincludingFirstLadyJeanetteKagame.“Itis presided overbyPrimeMinisterBernardMakuzaand the namegiventoababygorilladuringcolourfulevent gorillas inRwanda. those invitedtonameoneof20endangeredmountain WFP RwandaRepresentativeMaaritHirvonenwasamong GORILLA Gatungura , meaning“surprise”,was GIRL

PIPELINE 7 wfp_pipeline_43 4-08-20087:36Pagina8

PIPELINE 8 straightforward. Luanda. Valeriehitchedalift.Eventhen,itwashardly sent atransportplanefromMozambique,viaLusaka,to airlift maizetoagroupofNamibianrefugeesinAngolaand luck wouldhaveit,theYugoslavGovernmenthaddecidedto Getting toLuandainthosedayswasnoeasymatter.Butas Luanda. Sheresigned. been waitingfor,buttherewerenoWFPjobsforValeriein rebuilding ofthecountry.Itwasanopportunityhehadlong in Angola,invitedBernardinohometotakepartthe turn ofevents.InNovember,thenewMPLA-ledgovernment things mighthaveprogressed,haditnotbeenforastartling This ledtoafixed-termcontractthefollowingyear.Andso term ProgrammeAssistant. refugees innorthwestZambia.Soshesignedonasashort- looking foraPortuguesespeakertohelplookafterAngolan heard thatsomethingcalledtheWorldFoodProgrammewas chance meetingwithaUNDPdeskofficerinLuanda,she Valerie's relationshipwithWFPwasfarfromplanned.Ata and returnedtoliveinPortugal. Portuguese parentage,hisfamilyhadleftAngolainthe1960s job lecturingattheUniversityofLusaka.OfAngolan- 1974, aftermovingtoZambia,whereBernardinohadtakena Valerie's experiencewithWFPhadactuallystartedinlate protect themselvesagainstincomingrockets. good apartment,buthadtosleepinthemarblebathroom, Over thecomingmonths,lifegotalittleeasier.Theyhad WFP/Photolirary after 32yearswithWFP Valerie Sequeira,retiredin2007 In Senegal,traditionalwrestlingor cheering andapplausefrom the crowd. match recently,andsohedid thesteps-tomuch steps. Edmondowaspartof alutteurteamin warm upwithsometraditional,mysticaldance wrestlers. Beforeamatch,theteamofwrestlers sea, EdmondogoestrainingwithSenegalese how torecoveracontainerthathasfallenintothe capacity assessments,oratriptoDakarportsee So, afterahardday'sworkconductinglogistics our SenegalCountryOffice. programme; heisworkinginthelogisticssectionof West Africa,aspartoftheUNItalianfellowship who isoneofthreeItalianscurrentlywithWFPin show". TherewasaphotoofEdmondoPerrone,28, heading, "Edmondo,theEuropean,makes which recentlyfeaturedawhitefaceunderthe the initiated.Luttealsohasitsownnewspaper just asport-itisculturewithtraditions,reservedfor AN ITALIAN GLADIATOR ENTERSTHEARENAINSENEGAL TO DININGWITHDONORS: VALERIE SEQUEIRA DIGGING VONGOLE vongole”. “spaghetti alle from thebeachfor Bernardino, dugclams and herhusband, The firstnight,she capital wereclosed. restaurants inthe war; shopsand gham. Angolawasat University ofBirmin- sociology atthe while studying few yearsearlier, prepared herselffora academic lifeshehad far cryfromthe January 1976,itwasa arrived inLuanda When ValerieSequeira lutte , ismorethan sport isapassionforme,"saysEdmondo.“Iwenttosee "I usedtodoGreco-RomanwrestlinginItalyandthis a skillsetthatIdidn'tknowhad-buttheygotitright.” completely different,thattheorganizationwasusingmefor coincided withtherealizationthatIcoulddosomething Any finalreflections:“Ihavelovedthisjob.Ithinkit Resources. above all,todevelopathickskin!”-andfinallyHeadof 1999 -“TunMyatadvisedmetousealltheskillIhadand, From theretobecomeCatherineBertini'sChiefofStaffin looks backatitasoneofherbesttimesinWFP. Board. Herfirstinstinctwastorejectitoutright,butshenow persuaded hertotakeonthejobofSecretaryExecutive Portuguese-speaking Africa-butJean-JacquesGraisse 1997, sheappliedforMozambique-ayearningtogoback For therestofhercareer,ValeriewastoremainatHQ.In education andjobtoWFP.'” said: 'I'mnotgoingtochargeyouforthis,becauseIowemy “When weleftin'93,theguywhocametopackourthings success oftheschoolfeedingprogrammethere. based inBarbados.Sherecallswithparticularpleasurethe and wasappointedAreaDirectorfortheEasternCaribbean, to getbackthefield.In1991,shegotwhatwanted The next10yearswereatHQ,bywhichtimeshewaslonging fortuitously beenappointedtotheAngolanEmbassyinRome. for Africa.Bernardino,inthemeantime,hadsomewhat Angola underwhatwasthenWPMA,ProgrammeManagement In January1981,shebecametheRomeHQDeskOfficerfor that despitetheenormousgrowthsincethen.” encounter inRome.Itwasonebigfamily-andit'sstilllike “I havetosaythatIfellinlovewithWFPatfirst there until1981. to Luandaasafully-fledgedP2ProgrammeOfficerandstayed two weeksofinterviewsinRomeApril1977.Shewentback assignment inAngola.Thateventuallycametofruitionafter had instructionstotalkheraboutaninternational arrived inLuanda1976,includingtwoWFPstaffers,who distributions andmonitoring.AUNassessmentmission another short-termcontractforWFP,workingonfood She didnotstayunemployedlong.ThroughUNDP,shetook further mishaps,inLuanda. determined tostickwithitandeventuallyarrived,without taste forthetrip.Buthavinggotherride,Valeriewas to Lusaka.Atthatstage,theYugoslavsonboardlosttheir The planedevelopedseriousenginetroubleandhadtoreturn Wrestlers intheclubcheckedthatIwasreallyinterested a wrestlinggamehereandlookedforclubtotrain. injuries fromthelatesttraining. knows?" smilesEdmondo, as hetreatshisrecent "Bombardier B52"?"Hmmm…maybenextyear,who Senegalese lutteur?Maybeabigstarsuchas When willEdmondofeatureinagameagainst warm welcome." culture andIfeelreallyprivilegedtohavesucha of wrestling.Iamheretoknowpeopleandtheir team andreallyappreciatediscussingdifferenttypes am invitedouttoeat.Peopleseemeaspartofthe integration fora a newspaper,itisrealsuccessinfast-track Edmondo's wrestlingismorethanjustananecdotein the trainingandIfeltreallyaccepted." and mademewaitawhile,thenIwasallowedtojoin of peoplewhowillprobably And it'sreachingayoung,web-savvyaudiencemade more comingallthetime,wordisgettingout. up tohalfamillionpeopleplayingeveryday,and is thevisibilitygiventoissueofhunger.With win isnotsomuchthemoney,orevenrice.It But asJohnBreen, dollars incontributionsfromsponsors. In brasstacksterms,ithasgeneratedamillion Best Websitesof2008. the top10inTimemagazine'sonlinepollon has alreadywontwowebawardsandinJunemade public hasalreadybeenrecognisedinmanyways.It Regardless ofthereason,itssuccesswithweb bit likeRobinHood. in LondonortheboredstudentRomefeelalittle makes theofficeworkerinSingapore,housewife corporations footthebilltofeedworld'spoor.It gives onlineplayersasenseofgivingwhile Part ofthesecret humanitarian mission. site andalsothekudosofworkingwithWFPonits the visibilityofhavingtheirbannersappearon Corporations payforthericeandinreturntheyget feed thehungry. get arightanswer,20grainsofricegoestoWFP People playthewordquizgameandeverytimethey created betweenthepublic,bigcompaniesandWFP. smart webinitiativeinwhicha'magictriangle'is For thoseofyouwhodon'tknow, October 2007. million beneficiariesforadaysinceitslaunchin hungry, hasgeneratedenoughricetofeedtwo which correctanswerstranslateintoriceforthe The award-winningInternetwordgame By MartinPenner,OEDC addictive. under wraps,it'ssoongoingtobecomeevenmore that, thankstosomeadditionsthatarecurrently played, gocheckitout(FreeRice.com).Thewordis FreeRice As youcansee,there’snothingbadtosayabout reaching thesepeople. power. Nopricecanbeputontheachievementof . Butdon'ttakeitfromus!Ifyouhaven't FREE RICE toubab FreeRice FreeRice (white person)inSenegal."I soon bein 's creatorsays,thebig 's successisthatit FreeRice FreeRice positions of is a , in wfp_pipeline_43 4-08-20087:36Pagina9 with less-than-hygienicresults.Salvatorehadhisworkcutoutforhim. conditions. Small-scaleoil-producers'stallsdoubledaschickencoopsandgoatpens, Maize cropskepttestingpositivefortoxicsubstancesduetopoorharvestandstorage says Salvatore,andattimeshefeltabitlikeJamesBondon“missionimpossible”. food locallyforthegovernment-runschoolfeedingprogramme.Itwasn'taneasyproject, “on loan”toWFPworkonaspecificproject:helpingtheCountryOfficepurchase partnership isthesharingofhumanresourcesandexpertknowledge.Thus,Salvatorewas as partoftheUnilever-WFP“TogetherforChildVitality”partnership.Oneelement The supplymanagerwasonsecondmentwithWFPforfourmonthsattheendoflastyear helping WFPgetcupsofporridgetohungrykidsinGhana. other primaryingredients.Butrecently,Salvatoretookadifferentlookatfood:hewas many saucesandsoupseveryyear.Thisisamanwho'spassionateabouttomatoes is responsibleforbuyingthe60,000MToftomatoesthatgointomultinational's delights arehighonhislistofpriorities.Then,asasupply-chainexpertforUnilever,he Salvatore Luciaisallaboutfood.Firstly,he'sItalian,sopastaandothergourmet in gettingthisadditionalhumanresourcesupportcontactAskHR. project management,businessanalysisandstrategythroughpartnering.Ifyou’reinterested areas oflogistics,marketing,finance,humanresources,nutrition,IT,communication, WFPact organisesassignmentslikeSalvatore’stoofferexpertiseandcapacitysupportinthe By SilkeBuhr,OEDC to Ghanaeveryfewmonths'checkontheproject'…” with acleversmile.“Butit'stooexpensivetoplayinItaly-IthinkI'llhavegoback standards atcostfromUnilever.“AndIactuallyreallyenjoyedthegolf,”saysSalvatore months laterWFPwasbuyinglocallygrownandproducedpalmnutoilofinternational Neapolitan businessman,Salvatoredecidedtolearnplaygolfandcutadeal.Afew employees, thousandsofhectarespalmtrees,aschool,and…golfcourse.Everthe and processingfactory.Thisvastestateincludeshousingformanagement producing itsnationallypopularFrytoloil-andpaidavisittotheUnileverplantations not acceptableforWFP.SalvatoredecidedtofindouthowUnileverhandlesthisissuein thirsty forpalmnutoilandtherearemanylocalproducers,theirhygienestandardswere expert, SalvatoreLucia Worldwide Unilevertomato Recipe servestwo(orone“old-style”Italianfarmerfromthesouth): to washitreallywellorsoakforacoupleofhours. dishes afterwards.Thedeepredcolourseemstopenetratetheplateitself,soyouneed be adjustedtousing50%palmoilandoliveoil.Theonlyproblemiswashingthe find theshiftfromextravirginoliveoiltoredpalmtooshocking,sorecipecan national dish-spaghettiwithtomatosaucecanbeimproved….SomeItaliansmight This dishwillbeanamazingexperienceforItalians,sincemostdon'tbelievethattheir to getadeepercolour,butthischangestheflavourofsauce... we use-ittakesonmoreofanorangecolour,andsotendtocookthesaucelonger which issomethingweItaliansaspiretobutdifficultobtainwiththetomatoes dishes, anddefinitelyofalltomatosauces.Palmoilgivesthisdishadarkredcolour, completely unknownintherestofworld,butitisbasismanyItaliansavoury The basisofanyItalianpastasauceisthe“ S for 20-30minutes. stuck onthebottomofsaucepan andcook • young age…); Italians starttheirtraininginthisatavery you needtopayattentionidentifyit! starts burning.Thisisacriticalmomentand when itstartschangingcolourbutbefore browning stageoftheonionismoment onion shouldn'tbetoopalenorburnt-the tomatos tothepanandapinchofsalt.(The • • will leaveaburnttastethroughoutthesauce); but nottoohighbecauseiftheonionburnsit • up withsomepiecesburntandraw); are allmoreorlessthesamesizeyou'llend • because ittendstosettle); use localoilmakesureyoushakethebottle • ALVATORE Keep thepanonamediumheat(nottoolow Heat 2-3spoonsofpalmoilinapan(ifyou Cut 300goffreshtomatoesintocubes; Add choppedonion(makesurethepieces Stir frequentlytoavoidthesauce getting When theonionstartstocolour,add UNILEVER’S MR ’ S P SAWT OAOSAUCE TOMATO WITH ASTA importantly -nowkidsareeating.” satisfying tohavetangibleresults,”hesays.“Andmost locally-sourced CSBstartedrumblingintotown.“It'sso Salvatore arrivedinGhana,thefirsttrucksofusable, maize, anditsoriginscanbetraced.Threemonthsafter bad maizecanbeidentifiedbeforeitismixedupwithgood returned totrainlocalstaffintheuseofkit,andnow kits forthetoxinspresentinGhanaianmaize.Salvatore of piranhas,butwhatthefacilitydidproducewastesting There mightnothavebeenundergroundbunkersorpools back toItalyahigh-techresearchcentreinTrieste. In truespecialagentstyle,forhisfirstmissionhejetted around thecountryshowedSalvatorethatwhileGhanais distribution provedsimilarlycomplicated.Afewexcursions Finding cookingoilthatcouldbeusedforschoolfeeding - G HANAIAN minute. Servethepastaand in theheatofsaucefor the remaining be ontheheat)andmixwell. Cook thepasta • cooking thepasta! ** on thepackage.Thisisimportant; but drainthepastaONEminutebeforeitsays • the boil.Stirfrequentlytoavoiditsticking; put thelidbackontobringwater • would beenough; expensive… Maybeforanon-Italian60-70g changes… andwheatisbecomingmore Italian ateabout150gofpasta.Butlife per person.Butafewyearsagotheaverage “standards”, aportionofpastaisabout80g • is boiling,addsalt; • In themeantime… -I Bring about1litreofwatertoboil.Whenit Cook accordingtothepackageinstructions, Tip thepastaintosauce(which should Add thepasta.Accordingtotoday'sItalian AINSTYLE TALIAN Once you'vethrownthepastainwater Don't forgettostirthesaucewhileyou're soffritto POMODORO ”. Thiswordandtechniqueis ** buon appetito. the world,”saidNimdoma. dream ofreachingthetop across Nepaltoachieveour amazing groupofwomenfrom supporting meandthis my schoolingandisnow there tomotivatemebegin far Ihavecome.WFPwas “It isamazingtothinkhow Everest women toclimb the largestteamofall-Nepali feeding programme,joined beneficiary ofWFP’sschool Nimdoma Sherpa Testaccio. Foodforthoughtandsomethingwecanallsinkourteethinto. chronic hungercouldreallybecomeathingofthepast,likeshardsMonte were appliedtoensuringthatnoonewentbedonanemptystomach-so makes youwonderwhateffectwecouldhaveifsuchdeterminationandimagination what weeat.Againstabackdropof854millionchronicallyhungryintheworld,it Moveable Feasts the field. room -giveaglimpseofthededicationshowndailybysomeourcolleaguesin zone, orofthelittletownLokichoggio-completewithWFP'sthatch-roofedradio there, Murray'sdepictionoftherattleanAntonov12asitsoarsoverdrop South Sudanisofparticularinterest.AlthoughWFPnolongercarriesoutairdrops For thoseconnectedwithWFP,thefinalchapterwhichdescribesafoodairdropin interesting connectionwith,ofallthings,greatmilitaryminds. enjoy whiskymustbethankfulfor.Evenbasicpre-packedfoodshaveacuriously also oneofgreatinfluenceonthetastesliquids-arelationshipallthosewho of note.Thehumblebarrelisnotjustanefficientmeanshistorictransportbut no apparentinterest-shippingcontainersspringtomindintosomethingworthy of theirfavouritefoods.EspeciallyimpressiveisMurray'sabilitytoturnthings topical interestheretoo,especiallyforthoseconcernedaboutthecarbonfootprint provoking fare-thereader'sappetiteisalwaysmaintained.Andthere'splentyof and thehumanfacebehindthemprovidesuswithsomelivelythought- tempted tofallbackondryfactsandfigures.Butakeeneyeforinterestingstories Given thelogisticalcomplexitiesoftransportingfood,authormighthavebeen there -andwillnotbenearlysonutritiousbutitislikelytoaswelltravelled. Mongolia, theyogurtinfridgeofyourlocalshopisunlikelytohavecomefrom across themigrationroutesofgreatsteppes.Unless,course,youarein and feet,theirmobilepantriesaredepletedrestocked,inatimelesscycle, can surviveonadietvirtuallyexcludingvegetables.Carriedbymillionsofhooves their dairyproduce-fromcheeseandcurdstoyogurtmare’smilkthatthey the culinarytraditionsofnomadicpeoplesinMongolia.Sonutritiousandvariedis Take thatyogurt.MurraybringsustothevastdesertsofeasternAsiaforalookat eat. ingenuity haveshapedthewaywelookatfoodandeveninfluencewhatliketo a fascinatinginsightintohow,oftenunnoticed,formsoftransportandgreat great lengths(literally)involvedinmakingthemavailabletous.Whatemergesis indeterminate origin.MoveableFeaststellsthestoryofeachtheseitemsand tomatoes, Guatemalanbananas,Californianchardonnay,andsomelowfatyogurtof supermarket itemslikeSpanisholiveoil,Norwegiansalmon,Italiantinned As anillustration,theauthorfillsherimaginaryshoppingbasketwithtypical politics isoftenoverlooked.SarahMurraysetsouttoensurethatitnot. notes thattheseminalimpactoftravellingfoodontaste,cultureandevenglobal of virtuallyeverythingweeat-isin ancient producers.Thisintriguingaccount-oneofmanyonthesurprisingmobility millions ofpiecesRomanamphorae,oftenstillbearingthenamestheir voracious appetiteforthestuff-Monteisactuallyagiantdump,madeupof variety. MonteTestaccio,asmallhillinmodernRome,istestamenttotheir The ancientRomanswereprolificimportersofoliveoil-inparticulartheSpanish Reviewed byNateHoblitz A bookaboutthetransportoffoodbySarahMurray this pastApril. MOVEABLE FEASTS revels inthemajestyofhumaningenuityandhowitisreflected , aformer Mount like SouthAfricaorCalifornia. alone), orarrivedforprocessinginItalyfromdistantplaces a quarteroftheworld'soliveoilcanbetracedtoAndalusia probably beganlifeinthevastolivegrovesofSpain(around Italian atallbutmerelyblendedandbottledthere.It It's likelythatthegoldenliquid,despitelabel,isnot brings youclosertothepastthanmightrealise. What youarebuyingissteepedintradition,andenjoyingit something timeless-assuming,ofcourse,youlikeoliveoil. supermarket andyoumightsmileatthethoughtofsavouring Pick upabottleofyourfavourite'Italian'oliveoilatthe Moveable Feasts . Itisadelightfulbookwhich

PIPELINE 9 wfp_pipeline_43 4-08-2008 7:36 Pagina 10

KEEPING WFP ON THE CREST OF THE WAVE

The first version of WFP's information system, WINGS (WFP When I arrived in 2003-2004, the upgrade to WINGS was WFP business practices - and able to evolve with our Information Network and Global System) is used daily already in the works. Initially intended to be a technical future needs. It's a web world out there and WFP has to across the organisation. Whether it's a Country Director upgrade, we decided to go for a business-driven project. make an effort to keep up. WFP is on the crest of a wave requesting a personnel action for one of their staff; a Thus, WINGS II was planned as a long-term investment. and WINGS II will keep us there. Logistics Officer checking on the status of a purchase This is because we care about the organisation and want How will people in the field benefit from the upgrade? order or LTSH balance; a Finance Officer checking the to continue to find better ways of serving our budget or outstanding payables; or a Programme Officer beneficiaries. AA: The way in which the current WINGS system has been checking the outstanding balance of their projects - they rolled out in Country Offices, and in some instances even all rely on WINGS. Once such a decision is taken, it goes beyond short-term to Sub-Offices where connectivity exists, has been one of budget struggles. The Board really cares that WFP is the really big success stories of WFP's information But WINGS is now more than 10 years old and, like all effective and efficient - and transparent. WINGS II will management efforts. The CO's today have got used to information systems, it needs to be upgraded. The new bring WFP closer to that ideal and therefore is a having a level of information that was unthinkable six or version, WINGS II, will “Go Live” throughout WFP at the worthwhile investment. seven years ago and they need to be able to keep that beginning of January 2009. reporting level and the ability to manage their operations. They need to be kept closely involved not only as we test What would you hope to Susana Malcorra, Deputy to ensure that the systems work seamlessly across the see if you visited us in Executive Director and Chief different functions, but also during roll-out and June next year? Operating Officer recently particularly in training. left WFP to head the SM: I would hope that the Department of Field Services changeover from the current Another benefit for staff in the field is in HR. The current (DFS), UN Peacekeeping, system to the new one had system focuses on International Staff and Staff at HQ. In New York. On her departure, gone relatively well and that WINGS II, the new HR system will have all WFP staff the ED appointed three co- after a few months, things wherever they are in the world in one central database. owners: Amir Abdulla, CFO, would be running smoothly This means not only staff in every CO but every Sub-Office (Chief Financial Officer), and that staff could see its too. Ramiro Lopez Da Silva, the value in their daily work. Deputy COO (Chief Operating This isn't to say that under WINGS I WFP didn't know who Amir Abdulla on why we are Officer) and Manuel Aranda its employees were. However, there were multiple systems doing WINGS II: Da Silva, Senior Advisor to Susana Malcorra, former DED and COO, who has recently left needing to be brought together manually. In the new the Executive Director. WFP for the Big Apple, with Chris Nikoi. She is leaving the WINGS has become critical system, details of all WFP employees will be available implementation of WINGS II in good hands. for WFP's business and is a corporately and equally to allow for better career planning Pipeline asked Susana major factor in our being and management of our most precious resource - our Malcorra and Amir Abdulla a few questions about WINGS II: able to operate as a decentralised organisation. Regional staff. Directors, Country Directors, Finance Officers, Logistics Officers, Programme Officers in bureaux and countries Susana Malcorra was asked about the project, on the WINGS I was introduced over several years but WINGS remote from HQ are all able to look at exactly the same eve of her departure for New York. II is going live in all WFP CO's on the same day. What information at the same time and run the same reports. does that mean? SM: WINGS II is an institutional project not a personal But, like all information systems, WINGS needs to keep one so my departure will change nothing. Amir and I have AA: WFP did not have an integrated and organization- pace with developments in technology and use new tools been co-owners since the beginning and have a shared wide system prior to WINGS such as the internet. This passion and vision for WINGS II. so the system had to be allows for better interface introduced gradually. But Amir first represented operations and I was representing between the system and the now the system has been Admin and Finance. Then we switched places and he took user, more user-friendly integrated for some years, the CFO position and I took over Operations and Admin. screens and better it's best that the switchover The three person co-ownership team put in place by the integration - permitting us from WINGS to WINGS II ED will guide the project to successful completion as the to store and manage our happens simultaneously structure covers all critical business areas. information more efficiently. everywhere. Ramiro, one of the new Project co-owners, has been on The current system - Other things have changed board since the beginning as the Business Process Owner particularly on the project, too; electronic training is for the supply chain (logistics) area and I would like to programme and finance now widely accepted as part recognise his contribution. sides - needs to upgrade to of the online education a newer version of SAP, the boom and WFP has already He has been instrumental in how we are going to meet software it's based on. It is successfully piloted this. the most critical piece of our IPSAS (International Public absolutely essential that we WINGS II champion Amir Abdulla and Project Director Chris Sector Accounting Standards) compliance which is the reinvest in the huge first Nikoi are pushing forward with a new user-friendly system Staff will also be supported valuation of our inventories which will always be the investment to ensure that it which will be more attuned to current WFP business practices. by “local process experts” - largest in monetary terms. For example we started the remains current and strong. people in the field trained on WINGS II. There will also be year in 2008 with commodity stocks valued at online support. I'm confident that the WINGS II electronic US$500,000,000. Second, our business has evolved; the systems we're now training will prove how staff can adapt. using are from designs that are more than 10 years old. The newcomer is Manuel who was RD in West Africa when We are now less than six months from Go Live with WINGS the current WINGS was rolled out and he was pivotal to II, but the WINGS II Project is actually heading into its What does your involvement with WINGS II mean to its success in that region. He understands and appreciates third year. These things take time. you personally? very well the strategic importance of information systems AA: I feel both honoured and excited that I've been given to WFP's mission and I have no doubt that he will provide Third, and perhaps only those who are more technically the administrative lead in directly supervising those who the necessary support and leadership to the project. involved and closer to the project will know, is when we are actually implementing the project and working closely implemented the current WINGS, we were trying to make with Chris Nikoi and Ernesto Baca as we release WINGS II. WINGS II was well underway before the arrival of the the system work for us rather than look at what was current ED but she understands its importance to WFP and wrong with our business practices. It brings me back to what was probably the most exciting that is why she has decided that the Operating Committee job I've had in WFP. I was doing Chris's job as the Director of the organisation will also collectively own and oversee Time has shown that we might have been served better if of FMIP (Financial Management Improvement Programme) the implementation of WINGS II. we had changed the way we do business rather than and WINGS was its chief product. changed the system. The companies that make these systems, whether it's SAP or ORACLE, work for hundreds of As well as being exciting, it was also one of the most How much will WINGS II cost and what is its strategic corporations worldwide and adapt them to meet best satisfying and scary jobs I've ever had. Deciding when to importance to WFP? business practices. go live - to say: “The system is ready. It will work.” Seven SM: The upgrade of the WINGS system is estimated at or eight years later it's still running so I suppose it was US$49 million. This allocation reflects the importance So if you find yourself doing something completely at the right decision. WFP's Executive Board places on this project, following it odds with the system, you need to rethink. We're being closely and receiving progress reports at every Board more stringent; we believe that we will have a more user- We would like to have your feedback. Please send your session. friendly system which will also be more attuned to current comments or questions to [email protected] PIPELINE 10 wfp_pipeline_43 4-08-20087:36Pagina11 result, thehumanitarianaidcommunityisneededtointerveneanddelivermore. other naturaldisastersthathaveincreasinglydamagedtheagricultureandlivestock.Asa Afghanistan's prospectsforabetterharvestin2008lookgrimduetoseveredroughtand order tohaveenoughmoneyfeedtherestoffamily. across thecountryandparentshavebeensellingtheirchildren,especiallydaughters,in However, thesituationisdire.Accordingtorecentreports,peoplearecommittingsuicide the country. to 2.55millionmostvulnerablepeopleallover tonnes ofmixedfoodaidandotherreliefitems million inJanuaryordertoprovide88,000 agencies appealedtodonorsforaboutUS$79 fuel prices.TheAfghanGovernmentandUN insecurity largelycausedbyrisingfoodand humanitarian challengeduetoworseningfood Development Report-isexperiencingaserious according tothe2007NationalHuman the fifthleastdevelopedcountryinworld The war-ravagedcountry-whichwasranked already vulnerableAfghanswhospendupto70percentoftheirincomesaloneonfood. of circumstancesrelatedtopoverty.Highfoodpriceshaveprofoundlyaffectedmanythe Like Maroufa,millionsofchildrenaredeprivededucationandotheropportunitiesbecause scarf. Shelookedpaleinheroldgreendress,whichhadholesseveralplaces. of sleep. children chantedrepeatedly.Allthreeofthemwerehungry,desperateandclearlydeprived the gateofmosque.“Givealms,alms!MayGodrewardyou-pleasehelpus!”The name alongwithherbrotherZiauddin,7,andyoungersisterNazifa,3,werebeggingat Kabul toattendmorningprayer.Nine-year-oldMaroufawho,likemanyAfghans,hasonlyone It wasdawnandmenweremakingtheirwaytowardsthePul-e-KhishtiMosqueincentral TIME FORALLTO Mr Hashi,Jama,G-6,Programme Assistant,OMJReg.BureauJohannesburg/Kampala Ms Hall,Jacqueline,G-6,Administrative Assistant,ADHOEEntitlementsandBenefits Mr GuyonLeBouffy,Philippe, P-5,CountryDirector,ODDGuinea,Conakry Mr Graisse,Jean-Jacques,ASG,SeniorDeputyExecutiveDirector, ODOperationsDepartment Mr Gebretsadik,BelayAtlaw,P-2,LogisticsOfficer,OMDGhana, Accra Mr Fraser,Angus,P-4,LogisticsOfficer,OMDCentralAfrican Republic,Bangui Mr Farrell,Kevin,D-2,CountryDirector,OMJZimbabwe,Harare Mr DeKock,AbrahamMarthinus,P-5,HeadofProgramme, ODBBangladesh,Dhaka Mr DeCastro,Samuel,P-3,ProgrammeOfficer(HeadofSub-Office), OMSSudan,Aweil Mr Compaore,Assamis,P-3,LogisticsOfficer,OMDChad,Ndjamena Mr Chowdhury,AbdurRahman,D-1,CountryDirector,OMK Eritrea, Asmara Mr Ceesay,SanaM.,P-3,ProgrammeCoordinator,OMKSub-Regional BureauKampala Mr Cebron,Jean-Pierre,D-1,DeputyRegionalDirector,OMD Cameroon,Yaounde Mr Buckley,Patrick,D-1,CountryDirector,ODKTanzania,DarEsSalaam Mr Breivik,Arnt,D-1,LogisticsOfficer,UNJLCU.N.JointCentre Ms Bolamu,BavisereColette,P-2,FinanceOfficer,OMDBurkinaFaso,Ouagadougou Mr Bojang,Bai,P-4,ProgrammeOfficer,OMKKenya,Nairobi Mr Bhatti,AbdulJabbar,P-3,LogisticsOfficer,OMBIndonesia,BandaAceh Ms Bertram,June,G-6,SeniorStaffAssistant,OMHHumanResourcesDivision Ms Berthiaume,Christiane,P-5,PublicAffairsOfficer,OEDCGLiaisonOfficeGeneva Ms Bell-Trippa,Judith,G-6,SeniorStaffAssistant,OMLDivisionofLogistics Mr Basil,Luay,P-5,SeniorRegionalProgrammeAdviser,OMCBureauCairo Mr Bagirishya,Justin,D-1,SrDCD&CoordinatorforSouthSudan,OMSJuba Mr Ares,Paul,D-1,GrantsManager,OMOperationsManagementDepartment Mr Adlard,GordonHarry,P-3,AirTransportOfficer,OMSSudan,Juba Ms Acutt,Susan,G-6,SeniorStaffAssistant,ODOOfficeoftheDirectorOperations HELP AFGHANS DO MORETO W F P

01/12/2007 through30/06/2008 S E P Maroufa, hidingherdriedlipswithflowered “We onlyhadwaterandbreadlastnight,”said when peoplecametopray. would cometothemosquefivetimesaday a bead-seller,whoaddedthatthechildren “It isaroutineforthem,”saidAbdulQaseem, going fordailyprayers. donate moneytobeggingchildren,theywere Yet peoplewerenotgoingtothemosque A R food crisis. concern amongAfghansamidtheglobal increased vulnerabilityandcaused where lowfoodproductionlevelshave Afghanistan, aland-lockedcountry food pricesandshortagesin Ebadi WFP's PIOfficerinKabul, A , writesabouttheimpactofhigh T I O N S Ebadullah Ms Luna,Gene,P-2,Finance Officer, ODCAlgeria,Algiers Ms Larsdotter,LindaCharlotte, P-2,JPOProgrammeOfficer,OMKSub-Reg,BureauKampala Mr Chirara,Silence,P-2,Logistics Officer,OMSKenya,Lokichoggio(outpostedSudOff.) - somewhereintheGreekisles.... food andwines,pausingonlyforaspectacularfireworksdisplay.Lastknownlocation confirmed Frenchsuperiorityinthingsculinarywithanextravaganzaofthefinestlocal to takeplaceinaPhaseThreeposting! and colleagues.ItmayalsohavebeenthefirstWFPwedding donned traditionalHinduattireandcelebratedwithfriends it wasonlyrightthatwhentheyfinallytiedtheknot They metandfellinloveTrincomalee,theirdutystation,so office ineasternSriLanka,marriedFabianaMaffeisMarch. Africa, recently-turnedProgrammeOfficerandheadofanarea- Mike Huggins almost back-to-back. that fourWFPPIOfficers,fromdifferentcornersoftheworld,tiedknotthisyear not unusualthatcupidstrikesthosedoingsimilarkindsofwork.Whatis It's notunusualthatWFPstaffersfindtruelovewhileworkinginthefield.also grandfather servedonformanyyears. 12th aboardtheHMSBelfast,shipher two correspondent, ConalUrquhart,hadnotonebut environments. Sheand dangerous love inthemidstofoneWFP'smost Kirstie Campbell Ms Waeschle,Annemarie,P-5,SeniorEvaluationOfficer,OEDE OfficeofEvaluation Mr Vercken,Arnold,D-1,CountryDirector,OMCOcc.Palestinian Ter.,EastJerusalem Mr Vejlstrup,MadsPederVagnG.,P-2,LogisticsOfficer,OMB SriLanka,Colombo Mr VanDijk,Gerard,D-1,CountryDirector,OMKBurundi,Bujumbura Ms Strauss,Anne,P-5,Chief,OEDPPolicy,Planning&StrategyDivision Ms Sportis,Cecile,D-1,Director,REGPLiaisonOfficeParis & StrategyDivision Mr Simon,George-Andre,P-4,InfoSystems/DevelopmentSpecialist,OEDPPolicy,Planning Mr Schjolberg,Einar,P-4,LogisticsOfficer,OMLLServicesBranch Mr Rowe,Trevor,D-1,PublicInformationOfficer,OMPRegionalBureauPanamaCity Ms Powell,KatarinaMaria,P-4,LogisticsOfficer,OMJMozambique,Maputo Mr Pilja,Stevan,P-4,LogisticsOfficer(AirOperations),OMBAfghanistan,Kabul Mr Nordby,CraigRoger,P-4,InternalAuditor,OSDAOfficeofAudit Mr Nguyen,VanP-3,LogisticsOfficer,OMSSudan,ElGeneina Mr Mulalic,Nedzad,P-3,SecurityOfficer,OMSSudan,Nyala Ms Mitchell,Arlene,D-2,Director,OEDOfficeofExecutiveDirector Management Department Ms Malcorra,SusanaMabel,ASG,DeputyExecutiveDirector(Admin),OMOperations Ms LovonCastro,Margarita,P-4,RegionalAssessmentOff.,OMPBureauPanamaCity Mr Katsaros,IoannisEmmanouel,P-4,LogisticsOff.,OMLFFreightAnalysis&SupportBranch Ms Honorati-Zucconi,Donatella,G-5,ProgrammeClerk,ODMPProgrammingService FOUR WEDDINGSANDTHEFIELD weddings, includingoneinLondononJuly W , along-timePIofficerinRomeandSouthern and challengingoperating , PIOfficerfortheoPt,found F By BrendaBarton,DeputyDirector,OEDC. P better thanontheirfirstdate. the Monks”)where,accordingtoLee,foodwasmuch coast ofBrittanyinFrancecalledL'ileauxMoines(“Isle happy coupleweremarriedinJuneonasmallislandoffthe win herover?“Ourfirstdatewasatake-awayKFC.”The unsurprisingly caughtmyattention!”saysLee.Howdidhe there, apartfromme,andtheonlywoman,she UNAIDS. “Sinceshewastheonlyotherpersonunder50 agency meetinginlate2002,whenshewasworkingfor French wifeGaelattheregionalUNofficesduringaninter- Richard Lee 01/12/2007 through30/06/2008

former Guardian O at achateaunearby,whereStephandPascal the Bordeauxwinecountry,andareceptionfollowed Steph's homevillageofLagupy,outsideMarmandein wedding wasinthetinytownhall('mairie') this dispatchfromthesceneofwedding: (and theonlyfield-basedPIbachelorleft!)sent Nairobi. MarcusPrior,aPIOfficerbasedinNairobi Humanitarian AirServiceforSomalia,basedin settled onPascalVuillet,headoftheUN Nairobi toDakarcomethroughthanherheart No soonerhad B , WFP'sPIOfficerinJohannesburg,methis I T U Stephanie Savariaud A R I E 's transferfrom S The

PIPELINE 11 wfp_pipeline_43 4-08-2008 7:36 Pagina 12

THE WAY FORWARD SPECIAL VISITS TO WFP In June, WFP's Executive Board approved a new four-year Strategic Plan (2008-2011) to address growing hunger needs due to the global food crisis. The Plan marks a historical shift U.S. First Lady Laura Bush visited WFP Headquarters from WFP as a food aid agency to WFP as a food assistance agency, with a more robust set for the first time on 12 June where she addressed of tools to respond to critical hunger needs. WFP's Executive Board. Sitting next to WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran, the First Lady spoke about WFP/Cesare Lombardo “This strategic plan marks a revolution in food aid that supports local markets in breaking actions recently taken by President Bush to address the cycle of hunger,” said Josette Sheeran, WFP Executive Director. high food prices, including his bid to U.S. Congress to provide an additional US$770 million to support U.S. The Plan outlines WFP's five Strategic Objectives: food aid and development programmes. She projected o Save lives and protect livelihoods in emergencies; that over the next two years, the U.S. will spend at o prevent acute hunger and invest in disaster preparedness and mitigation measures; least US$5 billion to fight global hunger. Mrs Bush also called on Congress to support o restore and rebuild lives and livelihoods in post-conflict, post-disaster or transition a proposal to purchase up to 25 percent of food assistance directly from farmers in situations; the developing world. o reduce chronic hunger and undernutrition; o strengthen the capacities of countries to reduce hunger. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also made his first visit to WFP Headquarters in June. In a speech to WFP staff, the SG praised Josette Sheeran for her leadership There will also be a focus on prevention, local food during the global food crisis and her ability to purchases, and using targeted cash and voucher mobilize resources. Mr Ban said that the ‘silent programmes when food is available locally but not tsunami’ is the ‘greatest challenge in WFP’s accessible by the hungry. The overarching goal is history’. Referring to the Memorial Wall, Mr Ban WFP/Cesare Lombardo to reduce dependency and to support governmental also paid a tribute to WFP staff who have been and global efforts to ensure long-term solutions to killed in the line of duty. Josette Sheeran the hunger challenge. presented Mr Ban with an “Award of Merit” which honoured him as a “Champion in the To read the full document, please visit the Battle Against Hunger”. wfp.org/strategic plan.

WFP ALL-STAFF PHOTO, STORY AND VIDEO COMPETITION

Staff capture some quintessential WFP moments in our quarterly WFP all-staff photo, story and video competition. The photo prize this time around goes to Anna Yla Kauttu for her photograph showing WFP staff and partners discussing distributions beside a helicopter in Madagascar following Cyclone Ivan. Check out her winning photo and the runners-up below!

Also the winning video by Chris Kaye, WFP Representative in Myanmar, was an excellent example of how the flipcams dispatched by the Communications Division can be used with great effect - and acclaim - even making it onto the BBC website! (View his video on wfp.org's video page)

We look forward to seeing more stories, images and videos by the next competition deadline of 30 September 2008. Remember that the prizes for each category include the opportunity to send a child to school (chosen by the winner) for a year where they will receive WFP school meals, as well as a certificate from the Executive Director, who has taken a close interest in this competition. Please send story submissions to Natasha Scripture, photos to Rein Skullerud and video to Jonathan Dumont.

WINNER: Coordination and planning are This photo was taken in the Chittagong region in essential ingredients of WFP emergency southeastern Bangladesh. The child lives with his operations, such as this one in Soanierana parents on a small, remote island prone to Ivongo (east coast of Madagascar) recurrent floods. His mother participated in WFP's following Cyclone Ivan which struck the cash transfer pilot in 2007 designed to meet country earlier this year. Over the past 35 immediate food needs of vulnerable households. years, at least 50 natural disasters, Ugo Gentilini, Policy Officer, OEDP including cyclones, drought, epidemics, floods, famines and locust infestations, have been reported in Madagascar. Anna Yla Kauttu, SF Consultant

In Ambahohabe - a village School kids munch on WFP Smiles all around at a WFP that was only accessible by high-energy biscuits at the food distribution center in helicopter following Cyclone Mahavelou school on Sainte Bangladesh where WFP Ivan - a WFP beneficiary Mairie Island, off the coast distributed rice and high- holds a sleeping baby close of Madagascar. More than energy biscuits to victims of to her. Over 70 percent of 1,400 classrooms were a major flood in September the population in Madagascar damaged or destroyed during 2007. The family in this lives below the poverty line, Cyclone Ivan. In cooperation photograph, which includes and some 50 percent of with the Ministry of National a woman, her grandson, and children under three years of Education (MEN) and her younger son had sought age suffer retarded growth UNICEF, WFP conducted a refuge on a highway before due to a chronically food aid intervention finding shelter. inadequate diet. targeting pupils in cyclone- Sneha Lata, Programme Anna Yla Kauttu, SF Consultant affected schools. Officer, WFP Bangladesh F. Bertizzolo, Programme Officer, WFP Madagascar

In Madagascar's Analanjirofo region A locally-contracted driver takes a closer look alone, approximately 80,000 people under his hood in the emergency operations hub lost their homes during Cyclone Ivan town of Caia during the emergency flood and the weeks of uninterrupted response in central Mozambique in early 2008. rainfall that followed. In this photo, a Throughout the response, WFP managed road, WFP-chartered helicopter was greeted river and air operations for the Government and by a large crowd of people when it other humanitarian actors, providing food and touched down in the village of other emergency relief to over 250,000 people. Ambahohabe. Oscar Caleman, Project Officer, OMIE Jasleen Sethi