news FaLL 2010 Carter Center PresidentPresident Carter’sCarter’s MissionMission toto nnorthorth KoreaKorea HealthHealth eeducationducation KeyKey inin rriveriver BlindnessBlindness FightFight waGInG PeaCe . FIGHtInG DIsease . BuILDInG HOPe . From the President and CEO news n 1986, when The Carter Center decided to take on the chal- lenge of eradicating Guinea worm disease, outside observers probably believed success to be impossible. After all, there were FaLL 2010 It’s3.5 million the cases ofBattles the disease spread that across 20 countries in impov- erished areas and no vaccine or medicine to stop the scourge. Not wto mentionin the that The w Carterar Center was a four-year-old organization with just a handful of staff. News & Features President Carter negotiates release But threat of failure has never Carterof american in north Korea . 4. been a deterrent to us, and 25 years later, there are only a few thousand as river Blindness Declines, Health remaining cases of Guinea worm Centereducation Intensifies . 6. disease in just four countries. The ssue Massacre Fuels survivor’s Commitment success of the eradication campaign I to Democracy in Guinea . 8 is just a matter of time. Parasite-Fighting Medicine Brightens Along the way, it’s been the nigeria’s Future . 9. small victories propelling the Center I forward. Little by little, country by s country, intense efforts in small vil- DepartmeNts lages have made a global impact. From the President and CeO . .2 . We have worked in Liberia news Briefs . 3. for more than 20 years on targeted Profile: teshome Gebre . 10. efforts to resolve conflict, observe elections, and advance human rights. Philanthropy . 11. The problems of this war-torn nation tHI notes from the Field: The Carter Center’s ongoing have been so vast one would have Mental Health and Our Veterans . 12. peace work and new health thought it impossible to make a real project in Liberia bring hope of a Carter Center news is produced by the Office betterdifference. life for Eventhe next five generation. years ago, citizens had no reliable electricity, of Public Information, the Carter Center, One few paved roads, and little running water. Nonetheless, we renewed Copenhill, 453 Freedom Parkway, atlanta, Ga, 30307, 404-420-5100, www .cartercenter .org . our assistance, this time helping the government to strengthen its Contributing photographers: Carter Center, 5 bottom both; justice system and citizens in rural areas to understand their rights In Frew Demeke, 10 right; Peter DiCampo, cover, 6 all, 7; Louise under the law. Today, our weekly radio show on the rule of law airs Gubb, 9 top; Antonio Fiorente, 3 top; Deborah Hakes, 2 bot- nationally. tom right, 5 center, 8 all, 11 bottom; Kyodo via AP Images, 5 top; Charles Mostoller, 12 bottom; Connie Nelson, 2 top; And on the health front, we just launched an initiative to help Annemarie Poyo, 12 top; Emily Staub, 9 center and bottom, Liberia train mental health workers. 10 left; Ahn Young-joon/AP Photo, 4. Many Liberians suffer from trauma, lba Lucia Morales Castro, depression, and other mental health health education adviser with issues following more than a decade of On tHthee COVCarterer Center–sponsored civil conflict. With only one psychiatrist Onchocerciasis Elimination Program in the entire country, and just a handful for the Americas, entertains children of nurses with mental health training, during a health education lesson in El treating those who suffer from mental Xab, Guatemala. As the prevalence of illnesses has been almost impossible. the disease, also called river blindness, We do not expect success overnight. lessens in Latin America, “the most Our experience has shown making prog- important thing to do is health edu- ress in little ways over the long term cation — both for the health workers yields the greatest rewards. John Hardman, M.D., is and the communities,” Morales said. president and chief executive officer of The Carter Center. a s F been trained. Approximately, 90 percent of e I Ethiopia’s rural population now has primary health services available reasonably close, and life expectancy has increased. mart phones and their apps have taken ethiopiafter 13 Health successful p rogramyears of Today, the Center is confident the smartthe United phones States m ayby astorm.ssist Now, in working with the Ethiopian Ethiopian government can sustain and build a project with the Georgia Institute of news Br transfers to National Technology,in election The Observation Carter Center is testing mgovernmentinistries and several universi- on the program’s achievements, and other ties to improve the state of public health African countries are considering using the smart phones for use in election observa- training in Ethiopia, The Carter Center is project as a model. tion. The technology could become a tool turning over its administrative support to to help compile the findings of observers in the government of Ethiopia. a fast, efficient, and transparent way. When The Carter Center, in partner- During elections currently, observers at ship with Ethiopia ministries of health and polling stations call a base field office every education and seven universities, began the fews hours on election day to report their Ethiopia aPublic Health Training Initiative findings, which are transcribed by hand into in 1997, the country faced severe chal- a database. The Center hopes that smart lenges — one in six children would not see phones will allow observers to enter their his or her fifth birthday, and life expectancy findings into a phone; the entries will be was just 41 years. The single biggest factor transmitted with encryption and automati- of poor health was lack of access to trained cally added to a database. This will not only health personnel. save time but also allow for easier compari- The goal of the training initiative was son of overall observer findings. A woman receives a shot at the Haramaya Health to create a corps of qualified health workers The Georgia Tech students developing Center in eastern Ethiopia. Clinics around the the technology “have been trained with all nationwide. Working side by side with country are staffed by health officers who graduated Ethiopian teaching staff, the Center helped from universities that are partners in the Ethiopia these geeky skills, and most of the time, conduct training workshops and seminars Public Health Training Initiative. we end up applying those skills toward that enhanced faculty skills and assisted in something that’s not philanthropic,” said developing learning materials based on the Michael Hunter, a research scientist at Ethiopian experience. In the classroom, the assengers waiting at Hartsfield-Jackson the university. “There’s a whole different Center helped provide computers, journals JimmyAtlanta Carter’s International Life Airport can spend level of satisfaction in creating something and reference books, anatomical models, some time with a president. The new exhibit with more meaning that can be used to and medical supplies for students. “JimmyChronicled Carter: atGeorgia’s airport Native Son” is enhance election observation in a develop- Since the program began, more than packed with rare photos, art, and arti- ing country.” 26,000 health center professionals have facts, giving viewers a snapshot of President The smart-phone technology was tested Carter’s life as a peanut farmer, a politician, in the field earlier this year during a small a president, a humanitarian, and a Nobel observation mission to the Philippines. Peace Prize winner. “The exhibit is special becausep it’s Jimmy Carter, the only president from Georgia,” said white House David Vogt, airport art program ByDiary Jimmy Carter manager. “From the art program In his latest book, perspective, it was important for former U.S. Presi- us to highlight and showcase the dent Jimmy Carter new Jimmy Carter Library and reflects on the criti- Museum as well as to tout one cal issues he faced while in office. of the most famous Georgians to “White House the international audience we see Diary,” released daily here at the airport.” in September, features never- On display until July 2011, before-published excerpts of President Carter’s the exhibit is located in the cor- daily notes during his four years as president. In addition, President Carter has annotated the ridor between main security and diary with his candid reflections on the people Concourse T. and events that shaped his presidency. Visit In the future, smart phones may help Carter Center election www.cartercenter.org for more information and observers file reports from the field quickly and easily. a schedule of book signings. 3 uring a private humanitarian mission in August, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter gained the release of an American teacher imprisoned Aijalon Gomes greets his family in Boston after being taken home from North Korea by former U.S. in North Korea for seven months. President Jimmy Carter. Aijalon Gomes had been sentenced to amnesty and allow him to return to the eightPresident years of hard labor with a fine of aboutCarter ‘They wantednegotiates me to United States.” $700,000 for illegally entering North Korea. The Gomes family expressed gratitude He lived in South Korea for two years teach- come in the hope that to President Carter and The Carter Center, ingr Englishelease prior to his arrest and of is believed a mericanI might help resurrect in n orthto the government Korea of North Korea for agree- to have entered North Korea to support ing to release him, to the Swedish Embassy fellow U.S. activist Robert Park, who had the agreements on for being a communication channel, and to crossed into the country but was expelled President Carter requested Gomes be the U.S. State Department for working for after 40 days. released denuclearizationfor humanitarian purposes, and his release. President Carter was personally invited amnesty was andgranted peace.’ by Chairman of the Following the trip, in a column in the by North Korean officials to go to Pyongyang National Defense Commission Kim Jong Il.