Visualize: Somalia's Nutritional Needs

The UNICEF Somalia Country office prepared this infographic demonstrating the depth of the Horn of Africa famine in Somalia. Source: http://yfrog.com/kkli3aj

Famine in the Horn of Africa: What you can do to help

Rebeca Grynspan of the UNDP recently stated, "Food aid is a decision between life and death. We have no right to be fatigued." I couldn't agree more.

The famine in the Horn of Africa is now being labeled as "the most severe humanitarian emergency in the world." Little or no rain in the past year has left Somalia, in particular, in dire need of food and emergency supplies. Refugees are leaving by thousands each day to neighboring countries of Kenya and Ethiopia, who are also affected by the drought.

According to UN's OCHA, 11.6 million people are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance in the Horn of Africa region.

REUTERS/Jakob Dall/Danish Red Cross/Handout

SIMON MAINA/AFP/Getty Images

ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP/Getty Images

Aid agencies need help. Many refugees who make it to camps are now facing the reality that there isn't much food there either. Relief organizations estimate that $300 million is needed in the next two months to stop the spread of the famine to surrounding countries.

Below is a list of organizations taking monetary donations to supply the famine victims with medical care and supplies, shelter, and of course, food and water.

Equally as important, spread the word. Use twitter, facebook, linkedin, google+, emails, etc to pass the word along.

UN World Food Programme:
https://www.wfp.org/donate/hornofafrica
*supplies food and water

Save the Children:
http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.7539035/k.B9FB/Africa_Drought_Sparks_Food_Shortage_Child_Hunger_and_Humanitarian_Crisis.htm?msource=weoexchc0711
*supplies food, water, and medicine

UNICEF:
http://www.unicefusa.org/work/emergencies/horn-of-africa/?gclid=CKTynZ-2kKoCFQHu7QoddxOsxw
*supplies food, water, sanitation, and immunization for children

Oxfam International:
http://www.oxfam.org/eastafrica
*supplies water

UNHCR (Refugee agency):
http://www.unhcr.org/emergency/somalia/global_landing.html
*supplies food, shelter, and survival kits

CARE:
http://www.care.org/emergency/Horn-of-Africa-food-poverty-crisis-Dadaab-2011/index.asp
*supplies food and shelter

International Rescue Committee:
https://www.rescue.org/donate/drought_africa

Amartya Sen: Freedom is a multi-pronged idea

Amartya Sen, a Nobel Prize winner for his work in welfare economics, is probably one of the most well-respected voices on international development.

In a video for PBS's POV series, Sen talks about possible solutions to crises around the world and spotlights the work of FXB International.

"We need to recognize that freedom is a multi-pronged idea. And all the prongs matter," says Sen.

Watch the full episode. See more POV.

Visualize: By the time you finish reading this, there will be 120 newly infected people with TB




http://www.nghealthcareeurope.com/media/media-news/infographics/100111-Health-Tuberculosis.png

 

FYI: MDGs Progress

The deadline set for the Millennium Development Goals is just four years away. Are we anywhere near success?

According to the UN report released a few days ago, progress of MDGs is a mixed bag. Find out where we are succeeding and where countries need to beef up their commitments.

The good:

• The global poverty rate is set to drop to below 15%, a better percentage than the 23% goal set out by the UN. 
• Child mortality rates have improved. In 1990, the number of children under the age of 5 who died was 12.4 million. In 2009, this number dropped to 8.1 million.
• Deaths from malaria have decreased 20% since 2000.
• HIV infection rates have dropped 21% since 1997.
• Approximately 1.8 billion people now have access to clean and safe drinking water.

The not so great:

• Development has been uneven and large gaps of peoples within countries are not reaping any benefits from progress in the MDGs. 
• The poorest children are still behind in progress with regards to nutrition. In 2009, a quarter of children in the developing world were underweight. 
• Areas of conflict damper any development progress. For example, 28 million or 42% of primary school age children who are not enrolled in school live in conflict affected areas.
• Employment opportunities for women are still slim and with the recent global economic downturn, growth in employment for women was lower than for men. 
• More than 2.6 billion people still lack access to toilets.