Planet Aid Post For the Environment, For People
Vol. 4 No. 1
FOOD SECURITY How we are helping to alleviate food shortages and strengthen food security
A large cabbage grown using conservation farming techniques introduced through the Planet Aid–sponsored Farmers’ Clubs program in Mozambique.
W
e live in an age of unprecedented wealth and remarkable technological advancement. Yet despite these achievements, hunger remains a pernicious global problem. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, today 795 million people are without enough to eat, and 98 percent of them are in developing countries.
Planet Aid is a strong supporter of development projects that strengthen food security and enable the poor to rise from poverty. In this issue of the Planet Aid Post, we highlight some of our work to create stable and sustainable local food economies.
Read about our projects in Mozambique to develop local capacity Feeding those who suffer from chronic hunger is both a moral issue to eliminate hunger and malnutrition, and learn how we are helping as well as a practical one. Starving people are prone to desperate women in South Africa gain greater independence through farming. measures, and analysts predict disputes over water and food as In other stories, we examine how much is being spent on international increasingly critical security threats. development and highlight the progress that has been achieved. The World Food Program indicates that research has linked higher food prices to widespread protests and riots in developing countries. For example, severe price spikes in staple grains in 2007-2008 caused unrest around the globe and helped foment protests that led to the revolution known as the Arab Spring. Similarly, in 2010 a sharp rise in food prices in Mozambique led to intense rioting. What is contributing to food insecurity in developing countries? The problem is intertwined with many factors that include chronic poverty, the impact of climate change, and population growth. In addition, many of these countries had long suffered from chronic exploitation, which disrupted local systems of food production. Nineteenth century colonization of Africa by European powers siphoned off resources and disrupted cultural ways of life. Complex sustainable agricultural systems were wiped out and replaced by large plantations that grew high-priced export crops, such as sugar, coffee, and tobacco. These factory-like farm systems made huge profits for colonial trading companies, but their lasting legacy severely disrupted how communities produce food for local consumption. The principle of putting profits ahead of feeding people has continued to the present day. For example, the crisis of 2007–2008 mentioned above doubled the price of wheat, rice, and soy, in some cases virtually overnight. However, much of this “agriflation” was driven by speculators, who were betting on future food prices. Such speculation generated huge profits for U.S. investment companies trading in crop futures, but wreaked havoc in many parts of the world.
CON T E N T S Food for Knowledge in Mozambique ................................................... 2 Empowering Women Farmers in South Africa ...................................... 4 Doing a Lot with Very Little ...................................................................... 5 Planet Aid News ...................................................................................... 6 Earth Day Art Contest Winners ............................................................. 7 Planet Aid Kid’s Page ........................................................................... 7
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Helping Mozambique Develop from the Ground Up
M
ost children in rural Mozambique go to school with an empty stomach. Breakfast is a rarity and only a few families have enough means to provide their children with a lunch or a coin or two to buy a snack during the day.
Launched in 2013, the FFK project will provide more than 4 million lunches through 2016. But FFK is not just a lunch program; it is also building capacity within the country by developing infrastructure and by training teachers, government officials, and other professionals.
In fact, many Mozambican families cannot afford to eat more than once a Kitchens, Storerooms, Water, and Sanitation day. The meal often consists of rice or maize flour porridge called xima and, if lucky, of a stew made of cassava or pumpkin leaves. The nutritional value In order to ensure that the schools have the necessary facilities, the program has built new kitchens and installed firewood-saving stoves and of such a meal is poor, lacking in necessary proteins and micronutrients. built storerooms at each of the participating schools. Hunger, malnutrition, and very low levels of schooling have been afflicting the people of Mozambique for many years. The country continues to rank The program also aims to ensure that children have access to clean water. among the least developed in the world, and it is estimated that up to 43 Water systems that include a combination of wells, water tanks, and water pumps have been installed or existing ones refurbished. Separate latrines percent of Mozambican children suffer from chronic malnutrition. for boys and girls have also been built (or existing ones made workable) Lack of food compromises the development of children and affects the as a way to promote better hygiene practices and improve health. immune systems, leading to greater susceptibility to infectious diseases such Improving Learning Outcomes as pneumonia, malaria, and HIV. Delays in growth and in motor and cognitive development may also occur A key objective of the Food for Knowledge project is to improve learning and can become irreversible. The effects include memory and attention outcomes and help children become good students at a key stage in their deficiency, learning disabilities, reduced language development and development. The daily school meals are the foundation upon which these problem-solving skills, high dropout rates, low school attendance, and poor outcomes are able to improve. academic performance. Food for Knowledge Thanks to support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service, Planet Aid is helping give the children of Mozambique a chance at a brighter future. The USDA provided 3,600 tons of fortified porridge (made from a corn-soy-blend) to Planet Aid for use in implementing a school-lunch project in Mozambique. The project, called Food for Knowledge (FFK), has been providing daily meals to 65,000 primary school children.
Kitchens and storerooms
Firewood-saving stoves
For example, in addition to motivating students to come to school and thus improve attendance, the meals also help to increase student attention spans during classes as well as support overall cognitive development. After-school learning clubs have also been established to create a robust environment for learning, and spelling bees and mathematical championships help to inspire motivation. Read the stories on the facing page to learn more about how the educational component of the project is having an impact.
Read more about the Food for Knowledge Project in Mozambique at Planetaid.org/FFK.
Water pumps and storage tanks
Daily nutritional lunches
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For the Environment, For People
Food for Knowledge Stories from the Field... Julieta lives in the village of Mucombo in Magude District. Her daughter Victoria attends the Magude Primary School, where the Food for Knowledge Project is being implemented. She offered her view of the project from the perspective of a parent. “Before [the project], many of our children didn’t go to school. Those who did had to go there hungry and didn’t learn well. Many children left their home in the morning and the parents thought that they were going to school, but often they never arrived there. The school was too far and the children were too hungry. It was common to see children just sitting along the road during the whole day. Hunger was a real problem in our schools. “We are now seeing a change. Our children go to school. Some of them run to school well before the classes because they know that they will receive something to eat there, and that their stomachs will be satisfied. “I have seen a difference in my oldest daughter Victoria. She is 14 years old and goes to fifth grade. Now that they have lunch at school she comes home with lots of energy and helps me in the field. This is important because I am alone in raising three children. “Victoria has given me ideas on how to grow vegetables. She has also helped me grow more cassava and sweet potato. It was her suggestion that I add kale, onion, and carrot to our garden and only sell a portion of it. Now we eat them almost every day, even raw. I am still not used to the taste of raw carrot but Victoria learned at school that it is good for our health. They have a garden at the school where they teach these things. “I hope Victoria will study as much as possible so that one day she could become a teacher or a nurse. I would be very proud of her if she did.”
Isabel is a young student in Maputo in training to become a primary school teacher. She is receiving support from the Food for Knowledge Project. Of her three siblings, she is the only one who has received a post-secondary school education. “My dream was always to become a teacher and to work with children. In this sense my dream is now coming true,” reveals Isabel during a pause from her teaching practice at the primary school neighboring the ADPP Teacher Training College in Maputo. “I have always enjoyed learning,” she says. “I wish to transmit the same joy to others.” Something in the gentle and encouraging way Isabel interacts with her students and the eagerness and curiosity with which the children look up to her leaves no space for doubt: Isabel is clearly good at what she does. Every now and then she sits down with a student to help him or her solve a problem and to encourage them to try a little harder. The individual attention is something she knows can help inspire a child and move them past the obstacles they face. “Children should be given an active role in the learning process,” Isabel explains when asked about her method in teaching. “I avoid giving orders and often let the children decide on the themes to discuss or the game to play during PE lessons,” she adds. “This takes lots of creativity and flexibility, but it pays off in the end. I win over the attention of the children and they learn better.” Isabel is convinced that learning should feel effortless. “Learning should happen without the child even noticing it. This is at least the goal I am reaching for,” she laughs. She adds with a more serious tone. “A good teacher knows how to read each individual and to adapt his or her teaching accordingly.”
President Abraham Lincoln called the Department of Agriculture “The People’s Department.” Lincoln signed the law that created the Department of Agriculture in 1862. Today, more than 150 years later the USDA continues to help improve conditions not only for Americans but for communities around the globe. The USDA has been given an important role in promoting U.S. good will overseas through educational and nutritional support. A cornerstone of the USDA’s effort is the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program. McGovern-Dole supports education, child development, and food security in food-deficit countries that are committed to universal education. The program has helped feed millions of children over the years. Planet Aid is proud to be a recipient of funding from the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service under the McGovern-Dole Program.
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Empowering Women Farmers in South Africa South Africa’s agriculture sector is at a significant crossroads. Climate change is reducing water availability to extremely low levels. This year’s dry season was the fourth worst in 29 years, and the drop in crop production has caused a spike in food prices.
Nonyameko is a middle-aged woman who has six young children. “My husband and I did not have jobs. So I joined Farmers’ Clubs in July 2012 where I received training that helped me to start planting vegetables using conservation methods. I now have enough vegetables to feed my family and even sell my spinach, cabbage, and beans for income,” she said.
The drought is severely impacting small subsistence farmers, who have fewer means to withstand the strain. These farmers number near 3 million, Nongejile, another female participant, echoes Nonyameko’s sentiments: “I and are comprised of mostly women who grow food to feed their families. have learned a lot through my experience.” Nongejile is applying her newly acquired conservation skills on her two small plots of land. Introducing Farmers’ Clubs “Techniques such as potholing and To aid these small farmers, Planet Aid has been supporting a subsistence intercropping have helped me increase farmer project in South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province called Farmers’ my yield and I am now using them when I Clubs. The project is also supported by the United Nations Development plant crops such as maize and pumpkin,” Programme (UNDP). she said. “I am happy with my production, Two-thirds of the 400 Farmers’ especially pumpkin; I have already sold Clubs participants are women. some pumpkins because they are many The project revolves around three and are big.” primary activities: 1) provide training to improve methods and offer opportunities to learn by experience, 2) organize farmers into sustainable clubs and cooperatives, 3) offer small grants of equipment and introduce a system of livestock pass-on grants.
More Than Agricultural Skills Helping women improve their agricultural skills is empowering for them. However, it is not all that is needed to create stability and growth in the community. The spread of HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis (TB) have decimated some farming villages, creating severe hardships for many families. The spread of these diseases is exacerbated by as lack of prevention information, as well as stigma and social ostracization. Wandile is a Farmers’ Clubs participant who is a widow and who also lost two children to TB and cancer. She found needed support to carry on through Farmers’ Clubs.
The project has been helping participants construct weir dams and dig new wells to expand water availability, while encouraging experimentation with drought-resistant crops and vegetables and introducing conservation techniques that save water and help increase production. In addition, “I am happy I joined Farmers’ Clubs because we are now working in our 20,000 trees are being planted in order to advance local reforestation groups,” she said. “The Project Leader has taught me a lot about the different issues affecting our community. She trained us in health and hygiene so that and help to prevent run-off and conserve soil. we can take care of our families,” she explained. After approximately three years, farmers have increased their yields substantially, boosting families’ food security as well as income; many In addition to South Africa, Planet Aid supports Farmers’ Clubs in Brazil, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, Guinea-Bissau, India, and participants have been able to sell a surplus at local markets. Zimbabwe. To learn more about the program visit Planetaid.org.
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Doing a Lot
with very little
Why We Must Expand Support for International Development One common criticism against support for international development is that it is too expensive. Some fervently claim that we simply can’t be giving money away to developing countries. But the critics fail to understand the kind of progress that has been made. Consider this example:
Making Sustainable Improvements Creating positive change in a developing country can be as simple and inexpensive as distributing mosquito nets for beds or drilling a new well. However, it doesn’t end there. In order for change to happen over the long term, people must be empowered to better their own circumstances and create sustainable improvements. There must also be “country ownership,” meaning a recipient country’s government must be invested in the outcome of a development project and be an active participant in its implementation.
According to a new report by UNICEF, 6.8 million fewer kids under 5 died from diseases caused by preventable conditions in 2015. That represents about a 53 percent drop since 1990 when 12.7 million children in the same demographic group died. That is an incredible savings of human life! And most of it was done with simple measures that involved better nutrition, Country ownership helps to ensure that development progress will continue health care, and sanitation. For example, more than 14 million deaths have forward long after a project is completed. In this sense, development is not, been prevented through measles vaccines alone since 2000. as some might call it, a “handout.” Rather, it is a joining of hands, a small The 53 percent drop in under-five mortality is substantial, but it is not provision of assistance in partnership with local governments to enable the poor to get on their feet and take charge of their own circumstances. enough. Too many young children are still dying needlessly.
“Rapid improvements since 2000 have saved the lives of millions of children. However, this progress will need to continue and even accelerate further, especially in high-mortality countries of sub-Saharan Africa.” — UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Wu Hongbo
Less Than You Think But how much do we actually spend on foreign assistance? Most people believe the U.S. government allocates a huge proportion of its budget to international development. For example, in a 2014 Kaiser Family Foundation poll, respondents estimated that, on average, the federal government spends 26 percent of its budget on international development. In reality, the federal government spends less than 1 percent of its budget on assisting other countries economically!
Radical Change Needed In 2000, world leaders came together to establish key anti-poverty targets, naming them “The Millennium Development Goals.” The MDGs, as they are now known, were set to make vast improvements in developing countries within 15 years in the areas of education, gender equality, child mortality, maternal health, disease, and the environment. As mentioned at the outset of this article, much progress has indeed been made, particularly in the area of health. But the job is far from finished, and in 2015 the global community established a new set of 15-year development goals. Called the Sustainable Development Goals (or SDGs), this new set focuses on finishing the job that the MDGs started. They seek to accomplish three basic things: 1) ending extreme poverty, 2) fighting inequality and injustice, and 3) fixing climate change.
Source: National Priorities Project
Planet Aid applauds the establishment of the SDGs but also recognizes that success will require a different strategy than that of the past, one that aims to make systemic changes in our basic economic relationships. Real progress will be elusive if the developed world continues to exploit the developing world and the planet as it has for so many years. Development must empower the poor to make changes in their lives and give them access to vital resources and information. Find out more and help create a more just world by making a contribution today at Planetaid.org.
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For the Environment, For People
Planet Aid News What’s Happening in the Planet Aid Service Areas Planet Aid collects clothes, shoes, and other textiles for reuse and recycling through our extensive network of conveniently located yellow bins located in 23 states. We sell the items we receive, and after covering our costs for our operations, donate the remainder of the funds to help the poor and disadvantaged all over the world. As our name implies, we are concerned about the planet as a whole and are committed to fighting the extreme poverty that is endemic to the developing world. However, we also help out local communities in the United States. Here’s a brief summary of just a few recent domestic Planet Aid events. For more about what’s happening locally, visit “Your Local Planet Aid” at Planetaid.org. Milford, Massachusetts: Planet Aid received a Green Difference Award for Outstanding Green Sponsor from Green Schools, Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to promoting environmental literacy and stewardship in children in grades two through 12. Planet Aid also celebrated the Grand Opening of a brand new Donation Center on May 30! The Donation Center, located in Middletown, Rhode Island, is a 24/7 drop-off point for clothes, shoes, household textiles, appliances, glassware, sports equipment, books, and more. Hudson, New Hampshire: Planet Aid donated school supplies for students in need in Litchfield and held a clothing drive to benefit Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth.
Coatesville, Pennsylvania: Planet Aid donated coats and other coldweather items to the CYWA Gateway homeless shelter. Annapolis, Maryland: Planet Aid helped Naval Academy students recycle their shoes after the famous Herndon Monument Climb during the 2015 graduation ceremony. Freshman students must climb the monument, which has been covered in more than 200 pounds of lard by upperclassmen, as fast as possible. The plebes discard their sneakers before making their attempt at the monument, and Planet Aid collects the footwear to make sure it doesn’t end up in the landfill. Gaffney, South Carolina: Planet Aid is proud to be supporting the Cherokee County Literacy Association, a nonprofit in Gaffney that recruits, trains, and retains volunteers to teach illiterate and undereducated adults to read, write, and compute in order to meet their needs.
Planet Aid teamed up with the Hudson Lions Club to recycle unwanted eyeglasses. The majority of the donated glasses are distributed in developing countries where they will have the greatest impact. The Hudson Lions Club has been serving the needs of the less fortunate in the Southern New Hampshire Region for more than 65 years.
Solon, Ohio: Planet Aid participated in the Timothy G. Smith Memorial Charity Tournament by hosting a clothing drive during the 2015 Littlest Heroes Tournament. All proceeds were donated to the Littlest Heroes, a nonprofit that aims to positively impact the lives of children with cancer and their families.
Rochester, New York: Planet Aid partnered with the IBERO Bry Mentoring Program and the United Way Latino Leadership Development class of 2014 to donate coats to local men, women, and children in need. People from the community were invited to select from hundreds of available coats that were donated by the public.
Commerce, California: Planet Aid provided financial support to the Burrito project, a group that meets monthly to commune with one another and share quality food with the disenfranchised people of downtown Los Angeles, Pasadena, and surrounding areas. Planet Aid also donated holiday turkeys to the Los Angeles School Police.
To find a nearby bin visit Planetaid.org.
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Global Warming ad
For the Environment, For People
GRAND OPENING October 1, 2015
We are proud to announce the grand opening of our very first thrift center. The store will sell men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing and shoes, as well as jewelry, accessories, home decor, toys, movies, books, and games. Proceeds help fund our sustainable development projects in Africa, Asia, and the Americas.
Planet Aid Headquarters 6730 Santa Barbara Court Elkridge, MD 21075 410-796-1510 Planet Aid is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that recycles used clothing and shoes. It is registered with the U.S. Agency for International Development as a private voluntary organization (PVO).
Support Planet Aid by donating online at Planetaid.org or by mailing this form: Planet Aid, 6730 Santa Barbara Court, Elkridge, Maryland 21075
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