Action AgAinst Hunger | ACF InternAtIonAl

Action AgAinst Hunger | AcF internAtionAl

Action Against Hunger | ACF International is a global humanitarian organization committed to ending world hunger. Recognized as a leader in the fight against malnutrition, ACF saves the lives of malnourished children while providing communities with access to safe water and sustainable solutions to hunger. With more than 30 years of expertise in emergency situations of conflict, natural disaster, and chronic food insecurity, ACF runs life-saving programs in over 40 countries around the world.

ACF’s 4,600+ professionals carry out innovative programs in nutrition, food security & livelihoods, and water, sanitation & hygiene. These programs directly assist nearly five million people each year; countless others benefit from our capacity-building initiatives in collaboration with local partners. Committed to principled humanitarian action, Action Against Hunger restores dignity, self-sufficiency, and independence to vulnerable populations around the world.

ACF-USA www.actionagainsthunger.org Chairman: Raymond DebbaneChief Executive Officer: Nan Dale

ACF-France www.actioncontrelafaim.org Chairman: Benoît Miribel Executive Director: François Danel

ACF-Spain www.accioncontraelhambre.org Chairman: José Luis LealExecutive Director: Olivier Longué

ACF-UK www.actionagainsthunger.co.uk Chairman: Paul Wilson Executive Director: Jean-Michel Grand

ACF-Canada www.actioncontrelafaim.ca Chairman: Diane BussandriExecutive Director: Richard Veenstra

To view our financial information, please visit www.actionagainsthunger.org/financials

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Cover photo: ACF-Malawi, courtesy S. Vera

2 Welcome From the Chairman of the Board and the CEO

4 NutritioN Detecting and treating deadly malnutrition

8 Food Security & livelihoodS Preserving and strengthening livelihoods

12 Where We WorK ACF’s programs span the globe

16 Water, SaNitatioN & hygieNe Providing sustainable access to clean water

20 emergeNcy reSpoNSe Providing life-saving support during emergencies

24 our dedicated employeeS Devoting their lives to helping others

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CONTENTS

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oN the cover

our comprehensive approach to global hunger delivers a range of community-centered solutions to populations in crisis, like this child’s community in Malawi.

With global operations spread across more than 40 countries—in Africa, Asia, latin America and europe—Action Against Hunger | ACF International is adept at tackling the devastating problem of world hunger with life-saving programs that benefit nearly five million people each year.

United by a common vision of a world without hunger and a shared approach to preventing and treating malnutrition, our program staff include committed professionals from around the globe—French nutritionists, Kenyan nurses, Pakistani water engineers, American agronomists, along with drivers, logistics coordinators, human resource specialists, and a broad range of others with technical expertise from virtually all corners of the map.

By collaborating with local communities, Action Against Hunger implements programs that help families, villages, and entire communities regain self-sufficiency. thanks to our pioneering innovations and perseverance, we’re able to restore health and independence to countless people faced with life-threatening forms of malnutrition. And for the most vulnerable, especially young children and pregnant women, our help can mean the difference between life and death.

In recent years, we have made tremendous progress in preventing people from dying of acute malnutrition, but there are still an estimated 3.5 million children lost each year from hunger-related causes. Fortunately, solutions are within reach. We know how to treat acute malnutrition, and how to detect and prevent it. And with the latest nutritional products, combined with our approach to developing long-term food security and access to clean water and sanitation, we seek to end hunger as a cause of premature death for children the world over.

With the support of international agencies, government funding, private corporations, and concerned individuals worldwide, we’re working to put the ravages of acute malnutrition alongside polio and the plague as a measure of humanity’s progress in defeating unnecessary suffering and death. n

For More tHAn 30 yeArs, ACtIon AgAInst HUnger HAs led tHe WAy In restorIng dIgnIty, selF-sUFFICIenCy, And IndePendenCe to vUlnerABle PoPUlAtIons AroUnd tHe World.

WELCOME

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rAymond debbAneChairman of the Board

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ERon a visit to one of our nutrition programs in Africa, I met scores of mothers struggling to keep their children alive. their strength and dignity against a backdrop of some of the most broken places on earth continually amazes me. theirs is a constant battle to survive, much less to retain some semblance of family life, in the face of extreme poverty, devastating epidemics, violence and political upheaval—circumstances they did not create and cannot control.

everywhere I traveled, I met people weak from hunger and disease who managed somehow to make it through another day without surrendering the hopes and dreams they have for their children. For today, they depend on the nutrition programs and access to clean water and sanitation our teams provide. But for tomorrow, they are eager to find their way back to self-sufficiency and a life that allows for their aspirations to develop. Working in partnership with the very people we are there to help, our teams are committed to immediate action to save lives today and long-term strategies to strengthen communities for tomorrow.

drawn from around the globe, Action Against Hunger’s seasoned professionals work to detect, treat and prevent acute malnutrition, with the aim of transforming our short-term interventions into sustainable, locally managed programs that will one day help eradicate hunger. Knowing that the elimination of hunger is the prerequisite for fulfilling all other possibilities, our remarkable staff bring a deep commitment and tenacity to solving this most fundamental of humanity’s problems.

“Hunger is an aberration of the civilized world,” remarked nelson Mandela when he accepted the Action Against Hunger Humanitarian Award. It’s an aberration that we can, and must, correct—not just through shared beliefs, but by joining together to take action against indifference, against suffering, and against hunger. n

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oUr teAMs Are CoMMItted to IMMedIAte ACtIon to sAve lIves todAy And long-terM strAtegIes to strengtHen CoMMUnItIes For toMorroW.

nAn dAleChief Executive Officer

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nutritionAction Against Hunger’s methods for detecting and treating deadly malnutrition are internationally renowned.

ACF-D.R. Congo, courtesy S. Vidyarthi4

ACF-Nepal, courtesy S. Remael

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Based on the unique demands of each situation, its context, and the local culture, Action Against hunger designs nutrition programs that will best meet the needs of the target population. Core components include an evaluation of the community’s nutritional needs, treatment and prevention of malnutrition, and logistical and technical support for public health systems. The approach is guided by a strategy of flexible response to conditions that can rapidly change. Ultimately, we work to integrate the programs into existing public health structures to ensure the future nutritional well-being of the community.

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ACTION AgAINST HuNgER’S NuTRITION pROgRAMS dETECT ANd TREAT ACuTE MALNuTRITION FOR THE MOST vuLNERAbLE, INCLudINg yOuNg CHILdREN ANd WOMEN WHO ARE pREgNANT OR NuRSINg. THE pROgRAMS ARE LAuNCHEd MOST OFTEN duRINg TIMES OF CRISIS—WHEN AN EARTHquAkE dEvASTATES A CITy, WHEN CIvIL WAR TEARS ApART A COuNTRy, WHEN dROugHT LEAdS TO FAMINE, WHEN FAMILIES FLEE vIOLENCE ONLy TO CONFRONT HuNgER. THE CONTExTS IN WHICH WE WORk CAN bE AS vARIEd AS THE CRISES: FROM RuRAL MOuNTAIN vILLAgES, TO ETHNICALLy dIvIdEd CITIES, TO THE CONFINES OF CAMpS FOR INTERNALLy dISpLACEd pEOpLE.

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1) evaluating nutritional needs. Understanding the root causes of a specific outbreak of malnutrition is essential to the design and implementation of an effective program. Action Against hunger draws on the full range of its technical expertise—in nutrition, food security & livelihoods, and water, sanitation & hygiene—to conduct an analysis of the situation. in addition to baseline data on core nutritional indicators, the assessment includes information on local capacities, resources, culture, infrastructure, and geography. The resulting evaluation helps determine the strategies and interventions required for an effective response to the crisis.

2) treating Acute malnutrition. Drawing on over three decades of experience, ACF’s methods for treating acute malnutrition include field-tested protocols and nutritional products backed by an international Scientific Advisory Committee. Our therapeutic nutrition programs treat the most severe cases of malnutrition in highly vulnerable groups such as infants, young children, and pregnant or nursing women, with intensive inpatient care and community-based, outpatient programs. inpatient programs provide around-the-clock feeding and medical care for those requiring hospitalization, while community-based programs allow treatment at home with nutrient-dense Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Foods like Plumpy’nut. Without proper treatment,

these women and children would face imminent death. With treatment, the vast majority return to health after some 30 days.

3) Preventing Acute malnutrition. Our prevention programs focus on those at risk of life-threatening malnourishment: patients recently discharged from our therapeutic nutrition programs; children diagnosed with moderate acute malnutrition; and all children under five in communities facing cyclical or anticipated nutritional crises. For these highly vulnerable populations, our work includes providing Ready-to-Use Foods or other supplementary nutritional products that can be easily transported to remote locations. This approach has the potential to save the millions of children who die of

People are food secure when they have sustainable access, in sufficient quantities, to food.

our programs provide immediate assistance and long-term relief for malnourished children and their families.

We ensure effective assistance for the most vulnerable by working directly with communities to customize lasting solutions to hunger.

ContInUed FroM PrevIoUs PAge

OuR IMMEdIATE AIM: TO SAvE LIvES duRINg A NuTRITIONAL CRISIS.

6 (From left) ACF-Uganda, courtesy T. Frank; ACF-D.R. Congo, courtesy S. Vidyarthi

in Kwilu district, located in eastern democratic republic

of congo, local organizations and community health officials

were the first to notice a significant increase in malnutrition.

Based on a preliminary assessment, it was estimated that

more than a quarter of the population could be at risk of acute

malnutrition, and diets were especially lacking in vegetables

and sources of protein. A subsequent, more comprehensive

study conducted by Action Against Hunger confirmed

alarmingly high rates of acute malnutrition and established

the need for immediate humanitarian action.

While there were already systems in place to treat acute

malnutrition, the effectiveness of these systems at the

local level was constrained by a lack of technical expertise,

compounded by insufficient resources. our strategy focused

on strengthening the technical skills of the local institutions’

staff to detect and treat outbreaks of acute malnutrition. We

provided training to 110 public health workers in four existing

national therapeutic stabilization Centers, and to nearly

2,000 community representatives who helped identify women

and children suffering from malnutrition and refer them for

treatment. In close collaboration with local leaders, we put in

place a network of 20 supplementary nutrition Centers to be

managed by a team of nurses. overall, this network served a

community of just under 100,000 people. our immediate task

was to bring the current crisis under control, but our overall

goal was to ensure that future outbreaks could be managed

locally—and prevented whenever possible.

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OuR uLTIMATE gOAL: TO pREvENT FuTuRE OuTbREAkS OF dEAdLy HuNgER WHENEvER ANd WHEREvER pOSSIbLE.

causes related to malnutrition while we continue to work on sustainable, long-term solutions to hunger.

4) building local capacity. Even at the outbreak of a crisis, when all efforts are focused on providing treatment and saving lives, we are already helping strengthen or rebuild a country’s health infrastructure to protect against malnutrition. We begin by filling over 90% of our field positions with staff recruited from the countries and communities where we work. As soon as the situation stabilizes, we begin to integrate our programs into a country’s existing public health system. When the crisis subsides and Action Against hunger can eventually depart, we ensure that local capacity is in place to support continued improvements in a community’s nutritional health. n

From tHe Field: A collAborAtion in d.r.

congo to treAt & Prevent mAlnutrition

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Food security & liveliHoodsTackling the root causes of hunger: problems of access, income, and production.

ACF-Southern Sudan, courtesy T. Frank

ACF-Southern Sudan, courtesy J. Seagle/Counterpart Images8

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ACTION AgAINST HuNgER’S FOOd SECuRITy & LIvELIHOOd pROgRAMS COMpLEMENT OuR LIFE-SAvINg NuTRITION INTERvENTIONS. WHILE NuTRITION pROgRAMS RESTORE TO HEALTH INdIvIduALS SuFFERINg FROM ACuTE MALNuTRITION, OuR FOOd SECuRITy & LIvELIHOOd ACTIvITIES AIM TO pREvENT THIS LIFE-THREATENINg CONdITION by AddRESSINg ITS uNdERLyINg CAuSES IN AFFECTEd COMMuNITIES. AS dEFINEd by THE 1996 WORLd FOOd SuMMIT, “FOOd SECuRITy ExISTS WHEN ALL pEOpLE, AT ALL TIMES, HAvE pHySICAL ANd ECONOMIC ACCESS TO SuFFICIENT, SAFE ANd NuTRITIOuS FOOd FOR A HEALTHy ANd ACTIvE LIFE.” uNFORTuNATELy, WITH NEARLy A bILLION uNdERNOuRISHEd pEOpLE ON EARTH, gENERAL FOOd SECuRITy IS FAR FROM A gLObAL REALITy. ACF’S FOOd SECuRITy & LIvELIHOOd pROgRAMS HELp SOME OF THE MOST vuLNERAbLE COMMuNITIES AROuNd THE WORLd REgAIN NuTRITIONAL SELF-SuFFICIENCy.

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Food security & livelihood programs encompass a wide array of activities customized to meet the specific needs of each community. We often launch these programs during periods of crisis when natural disasters destroy the food supplies of otherwise healthy communities, when violence forces thousands to flee their homes, or when drought or other climatic conditions disrupt food production. in these instances, emergency distributions of food, cash, and other essential items help prevent acute malnutrition in the short-term, while we work to support local markets, help small businesses recover, and ensure that crops can be replanted and livestock replenished for the future. By helping families regain self-sufficiency, we greatly reduce the likelihood that they will have to return to our therapeutic nutrition programs.

Unlike nutrition, where treatment is guided by standard protocols based on human nutritional requirements, food security and livelihoods depend on a broader set of factors, including climate, geography, access to markets, the prices of staple foods and agricultural inputs, culture, and political structures. As a result, the programs we implement are highly contextualized and begin with a comprehensive assessment of the situation and its underlying causes.

This needs assessment is conducted by a team with expertise in areas such as agricultural production and natural resource management, economics, fisheries, and veterinary services. The team carries out surveys, administers questionnaires, and meets directly with a cross-section of the affected community and its leadership, as

well as local governments and other stakeholders. in emergency situations, we can complete a rapid assessment in as few as three days, but a thorough analysis typically takes three to four months.

By actively involving the local population in both the assessment and analysis, we identify their existing strategies for managing crises and environmental changes to help us develop appropriate responses. in some cases, there are good coping mechanisms in place that should be encouraged and reinforced—for example, a communal network of mutual support. in other cases, when existing methods—like deforestation or the depletion of seed stocks—have negative consequences, we offer alternatives to strengthen their food security and livelihoods for the future.

our staff are seasoned professionals and technical experts in water and sanitation, food security, public health, and nutrition.

By involving local populations in research and analysis, we identify existing coping mechanisms that help us develop appropriate food security strategies.

our food security programs offer a broad range of solutions for generating income and boosting food production.

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OuR FOOd SECuRITy pROgRAMS AddRESS HuNgER’S uNdERLyINg CAuSES.

10 (From left) ACF-Southern Sudan, courtesy T. Frank; ACF-Guatemala, courtesy S. Vera

there is no “one size fits all” strategy for helping communi-

ties rebuild their livelihoods after a crisis, and our response to

Kenya’s political turmoil was no exception. the city of nakuru had

been particularly affected by the 2007 post-election violence that

tore through Kenya, displacing populations along ethnic lines,

disrupting livelihoods, destroying homes, and forcing families into

makeshift camps.

our initial assessment called for cash-based interventions to sup-

port small businesses of those displaced by the conflict, but na-

kuru’s diverse, urban environment presented certain challenges.

given the context, we devised an innovative program that en-

listed a local bank to set up formal accounts for the recipients of

cash grants. the project targeted heads of households who were

single parents, elderly, disabled, chronically ill, or who had a

family member in an emergency nutrition program. through the

program, 1,000 households received cash grants of $130 each,

distributed in two installments. over 80% of the participants were

households headed by women, and all were required to attend

financial management training sessions.

Beneficiaries of the program used these grants for a range of

short-term needs and long-term investments, from farming

inputs to rehabilitating micro-enterprises. For example, one

group of women formed a cooperative by pooling its money to buy

motorized spinning wheels and raw wool. despite a very mod-

est outlay, this well-timed program helped restore independence

quickly for some 1,000 families whose very livelihoods had been

jeopardized by the outburst of political violence.

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OuR STRATEgIES STRENgTHEN LOCAL LIvELIHOOdS, ENSuRINg SuSTAINAbLE ACCESS TO FOOd ANd INCOME.

informed by the results of our field assessments, and in collaboration with the local population, we implement programs that help families access food of a sufficient quantity and quality. Our programs include the distribution of agricultural inputs like seeds and tools; training in small business management and farming techniques; livelihood diversification activities; and support for community-led initiatives to manage natural resources, reduce the risk of disasters, and implement early warning systems. And just as we begin by conducting needs assessments, our work is not finished until we measure the impact of these programs on local communities. Though the activities vary widely, our interventions all share a common goal: to fight hunger by improving food security and strengthening livelihoods in a sustainable manner. n

From tHe Field: innovAtive cAsH trAns-

Fers restore HoPe And dignity in KenyA

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comPreHensive APProAcH Action Against hunger integrates activities in emergency nutrition, food security & livelihoods, and water, sanitation & hygiene. to tackle the underlying causes of hunger, we address a range of social, organizational, technical, and resource concerns essential to a community’s well-being.

lAsting solutions Action Against hunger works to ensure that our programs are sustainable. By integrating our programs with local and national systems, we transform effective, short-term interventions into sustainable, long-term solutions.

community-centered A community-centered approach is central to building local capacity to manage and maintain our programs. Through training, technical workshops, and mentoring, Action Against hunger builds local capacity and cultivates community expertise.

indePendent & imPArtiAl As a nongovernmental humanitarian agency we are apolitical. But when it comes to human suffering, we are not neutral: We strive to deliver effective humanitarian assistance wherever it’s most needed.

Full AccountAbilty & trAnsPArency We directly oversee the implementation of our programs, requiring full access to the communities we assist. We are committed to a policy of transparency and disclosure by ensuring that key financial information is publicly available and that our programs undergo external evaluation to assess their impact.

eFFicient & cost-eFFective We consistently receive top marks from rating agencies like the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance, Charity Navigator (their highest 4-star rating), the American institute for Philanthropy (an “A” rating), the independent Charities of America (as a “Best in America” nonprofit), and Guidestar.

Action AgAinst Hunger: A globAl HumAnitAriAn orgAniZAtionOur comprehensive solutions to global hunger are context-specific, needs-based, and customized through direct community participation. While the programs we run may vary by country, they all share this defining set of characteristics:

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this map reflects the reach of ACF International as of december 31, 2010.

the breadth of Action Against Hunger’s international expertise goes beyond the scope of our current programs. We have worked in many other countries, including Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Cambodia, Cameroon, north Korea, Mozambique, Macedonia, rwanda, and tanzania.

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ACTION AgAINST HuNgER IS COMMITTEd TO SAvINg THE LIvES OF MALNOuRISHEd CHILdREN WHILE pROvIdINg COMMuNITIES WITH ACCESS TO SAFE WATER ANd SuSTAINAbLE SOLuTIONS TO HuNgER. ACTION AgAINST HuNgER HAS puRSuEd ITS vISION OF A WORLd WITHOuT HuNgER FOR OvER THREE dECAdES, COMbATINg HuNgER IN EMERgENCy SITuATIONS OF CONFLICT, NATuRAL dISASTER, ANd CHRONIC FOOd INSECuRITy. OuR STAFF OF 4,600+ pROFESSIONALS WORk IN OvER 40 COuNTRIES AROuNd THE WORLd, CARRyINg OuT INNOvATIvE, LIFE-SAvINg pROgRAMS IN NuTRITION, FOOd SECuRITy & LIvELIHOOdS, ANd WATER, SANITATION & HygIENE. THESE pROgRAMS REACH NEARLy FIvE MILLION pEOpLE EACH yEAR, RESTORINg dIgNITy, SELF-SuFFICIENCy, ANd INdEpENdENCE TO vuLNERAbLE pOpuLATIONS THROugHOuT THE WORLd.

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ACF-Southern Sudan, courtesy J. Seagle/Counterpart Images

wAter, sAnitAtion & HygieneAction Against Hunger provides access to clean water and sanitation for communities at risk of acute malnutrition.

ACF-Pakistan, courtesy N. Sobecki

ACF-Southern Sudan, courtesy J. Seagle/Counterpart Images16

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ACTION AgAINST HuNgER FIgHTS HuNgER by ExTENdINg WATER ANd SANITATION SERvICES TO COMMuNITIES FACEd WITH WATER SCARCITy, uNSAFE dRINkINg SOuRCES, INAdEquATE SANITATION, ANd pOOR HygIENE. A COMMuNITy’S HEALTH ANd WELL-bEINg REquIRE A LASTINg SuppLy OF CLEAN WATER ANd THE kNOWLEdgE OF HOW TO CARE FOR IT pROpERLy. NEARLy A bILLION pEOpLE LACk ACCESS TO CLEAN dRINkINg WATER, WHILE MORE THAN A THIRd OF THE WORLd’S pOpuLATION LIvES WITHOuT bASIC SANITATION INFRASTRuCTuRE. THIS RESuLTS IN MILLIONS OF dEATHS EACH yEAR THAT ARE ENTIRELy pREvENTAbLE THROugH pROvEN, COST-EFFECTIvE MEASuRES.

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Action Against hunger has honed its expertise in water, sanitation & hygiene programs over the past three decades and has advanced a number of solutions for populations at risk of water insecurity. We truck water into affected communities during emergencies, decontaminate wells, and install hand-pumps. Employing sophisticated geophysics, we locate water resources, drill boreholes, dig wells, and tap aquifers. We protect natural springs and pipe water into villages and health centers. And we rehabilitate damaged infrastructure to ensure access to adequate sources of clean water. Our ability to deliver clean water is central to our comprehensive solutions to hunger and malnutrition. Sanitation and hygiene programs

are of equal importance, as entire communities can become ill when these areas are neglected. For example, outbreaks of cholera and dysentery—infectious diseases that complicate malnutrition with life-threatening diarrhea and dehydration—frequently attack communities that drink and wash with contaminated water. in response, Action Against hunger builds latrines and introduces basic sanitation infrastructure. As a UN report laments: “That 2.6 billion people around the world are forced to defecate in plastic bags, buckets, open pits, agricultural fields, and public areas in their communities should generate a collective outcry for immediate, concerted efforts to expand access to improved sanitation

facilities.” Action Against hunger ensures that communities benefit from improvements in sanitation, health, and hygiene. Our programs’ long-term benefits, however, would be hard to sustain without a painstaking commitment to community participation. Developing and extending water and sanitation services involve much more than quick technical fixes. A community-centered approach is central to building local capacity and harnessing a population’s participation, sense of ownership, energy and resources. By organizing and training community-based water committees, we ensure local commitment to managing and maintaining the systems we rehabilitate and install. in our campaign to end

We organize and train water committees to manage the water systems we rehabilitate and install.

our emergency interventions ensure access to clean water, a first line of defense in mitigating a natural disaster.

In addressing malnutrition, clean water is as essential as food, but only by cultivating local expertise can we ensure its sustainability.

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EvERy dAy 4,000 CHILdREN dIE FROM ILLNESSES CAuSEd by pOOR SANITATION ANd dIRTy WATER.

18 This page, from left: ACF-Uganda, courtesy T. Frank; ACF-Southern Sudan, courtesy J. Seagle/Counterpart Images; ACF-Guatemala

to improve our ability to deploy the most effective solutions for

communities lacking access to clean water, Action Against Hunger

has partnered with tyco International and its Flow Control division to

launch the Clean Water Access Initiative.

dedicating more than $2 million over the next three years, and

drawing on tyco Flow Control’s extensive product line, its global

workforce, and the company’s technical expertise in water

distribution systems, this ambitious initiative will focus on providing

sustainable access to clean water in some of the most vulnerable

places across the globe.

the partnership will implement clean water projects in communities

affected by acute malnutrition where tyco’s resources can be most

effectively deployed. In some cases, tyco might provide equipment

appropriate to the local context. In other instances, a tyco engineer

might work in concert with ACF’s teams on-the-ground to develop a

customized water distribution system. the company’s commitment

will include $750,000 in direct funding for targeted water projects,

along with another $750,000 of in-kind support. In addition, tyco

has pledged $150,000 annually for emergency relief operations in

the aftermath of a natural disaster or other humanitarian crises

requiring an immediate response.

“the initiative, the first global corporate partnership for ACF,

employs a truly innovative model of collaboration designed to

enhance our capacity while scaling up the reach and impact of our

clean water programs,” says david Blanc, Action Against Hunger’s

director of operations. thanks to the visionary commitment of

tyco International, the Clean Water Access Initiative promises a

comprehensive set of solutions to water problems around the world.

ACF ENSuRES ACCESS TO SAFE dRINkINg WATER ANd SANITATION WHILE buILdINg LOCAL CApACITy FOR THE LONg RuN.

hunger, clean water is as essential as food, but only the cultivation of local know-how can ensure its sustainability. While the scale of global needs is truly daunting, we know how to extend water and sanitation improvements, how to instill better hygiene practices, and how to teach populations to manage their resources themselves. Action Against hunger’s programs reach nearly five million people each year; reinforcing these efforts is one way to improve conditions for vulnerable communities around the world—populations whose lack of clean water leaves them exposed to daily indignities and appalling rates of disease and death. n

From tHe Field: cleAn wAter Access

initiAtive lAuncHed in PArtnersHiP witH

tyco internAtionAl

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emergency resPonseACF’s emergency response efforts save lives during conflicts, severe food shortages, and natural disasters.

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ACF-Pakistan, courtesy N. Sobecki

ACF-Nicaragua

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FROM CHOLERA EpIdEMICS SWEEpINg THROugH REFugEE CAMpS, TO CATASTROpHIC NATuRAL dISASTERS, TO MALNuTRITION CRISES bROugHT ON by dROugHT, ACTION AgAINST HuNgER RESpONdS TO HuMANITARIAN EMERgENCIES ALL OvER THE WORLd, dELIvERINg IMMEdIATE LIFE-SAvINg SERvICES TO pOpuLATIONS IN dISTRESS. WITH EMERgENCy TEAMS ON CALL 24 HOuRS A dAy, ANd pRE-pOSITIONEd STOCkS OF ESSENTIAL SuppLIES REAdy FOR dEpLOyMENT, OuR INTERNATIONALLy RENOWNEd RApId RESpONSE CApAbILITIES ENSuRE THAT LIFE-SAvINg ASSISTANCE CAN bE dELIvEREd ANyWHERE IN THE WORLd WHEN NEEdS ARISE.

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ACF’s trained emergency response professionals reinforce on-the-ground efforts in the more than 40 countries in which we operate, providing support for rapid assessments, evaluating what kind of aid is most needed, and helping expedite the distribution of targeted assistance. in Kenya, for example, Action Against hunger responded rapidly to post-electoral violence by opening a new base in the provincial capital of Nakuru, where more than 30,000 people sought shelter in camps or with

relatives. We secured clean water, provided emergency sanitation facilities, and distributed essential non-food items such as soap, blankets, and clothing. And in Bogolay, Myanmar, our emergency response immediately after Cyclone Nargis provided crucial assistance to thousands whose homes were destroyed. The timely distribution of more than 5,600 tons of emergency supplies, including protein biscuits, water pumps, and purification kits, helped prevent what could have been a catastrophic loss of life.

Advanced planning to predict and reduce the impact of disasters is critical to helping vulnerable communities cope with and recover quickly from disruptive events. Routine nutrition surveillance, for example, helps our teams establish a baseline understanding of a community’s well-being so we can address alarming patterns as they develop. hunger is often cyclical and subject to seasonal patterns, which is why we pursue a variety of strategies to gauge how communities are faring. Monitoring market prices for

In the aftermath of natural disasters, ensuring access to clean water and sanitation is critical to avert outbreaks of water-borne illnesses.

From unprecedented flooding in Pakistan, to a devastating earthquake in Haiti, to typhoons in the Philippines, Action Against Hunger delivers rapid emergency relief after disasters.

emergency response professionals reinforce our programs in more than 40 countries to ensure that assistance is delivered as quickly and effectively as possible.

ContInUed FroM PrevIoUs PAge

OuR RApId-RESpONSE CApAbILITIES REFLECT OuR COMMITMENT TO EMERgENCy pREpAREdNESS, ANd OuR gLObAL REACH pLACES uS AT THE FOREFRONT OF dISASTER RESpONSE.

22 (From left) ACF-Haiti, courtesy L. Grosjean; ACF-Pakistan, courtesy N. Sobecki

when natural disasters cause large-scale emergencies,

the first 48 hours are critical for reaching survivors and

caring for the injured. As cholera and other water-borne

diseases spread with lethal swiftness, ensuring access to

clean water and proper sanitation quickly becomes a top

priority. In preparation for such emergencies, Action Against

Hunger maintains strategic stocks of emergency water

and sanitation equipment at staging grounds around the

world—stocks that can be airlifted along with disaster relief

specialists to anywhere across the globe within the first few

hours of a major catastrophe.

When a 7.0 magnitude earthquake devastated Haiti in early

2010, flattening much of Port-au-Prince and killing more

than 200,000 people, our teams launched an immediate

emergency response. In the first 15 days, we dispatched

five aircrafts delivering over 150 metric tons of emergency

supplies and reinforcements. these provisions enabled our

water & sanitation teams to set up over 180 clean water

distribution points serving over 300,000 earthquake survivors

each day. We restored damaged water treatment facilities,

constructed hundreds of latrines and hand-washing stations,

provided water to hospitals and health facilities reeling

from the disaster, and conducted public health and hygiene

campaigns in dozens of makeshift camps for the displaced.

ACF’s rapid-response capabilities are a direct function of

our emergency preparedness, and our expertise and global

reach place us at the forefront of disaster response.

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EMERgENCy pREpAREdNESS ANd dISASTER RISk REduCTION ARE AT THE CORE OF ALL ACTION AgAINST HuNgER pROgRAMS.

staple foods and livestock, for example, is essential for anticipating economic shocks and severe food shortages. Our teams also carry out annual post-harvest assessments to determine how long food reserves will last and use geographic information systems to map trends in available pasture, agricultural production, population movements, and water resources. n

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From tHe Field: ensuring emergency

Access to cleAn wAter And sAnitAtion

in Post-eArtHQuAKe HAiti

our dedicAted emPloyeesACF’s global reputation for excellence owes much to the committed professionals we employ.

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ACF-Southern Sudan, courtesy T. Frank

ACF-Liberia, courtesy V. Burger

nobel lAureAte nelson mAndelA has noted that “Action Against hunger is in war-torn countries that many fear to tread,” and indeed, our 4,600+ field staff—seasoned professionals and technical experts in nutrition, water & sanitation, public health and food security—often carry out their life-saving work in regions that lack basic infrastructure like roads, electricity, or communications networks. These field teams combat acute malnutrition around the world by working with communities whose fragile economies and public health facilities have been ravaged by earthquakes, floods, droughts, and conflict. Working in insecure contexts brings daily hazards, and sometimes even the threat of violence. to limit our exposure to these risks, we have developed effective security procedures. Our success in keeping our staff safe over the years is a tribute to the seriousness of those who wear an ACF t-shirt, the professionalism and expertise of our senior staff, the breadth of ACF’s field experience, and our time-honored tactics for managing threats on the ground. We coordinate closely with partner agencies to exchange information and security analyses, and carry out targeted public outreach to make sure local groups understand who we are, why we’re there, and how we work. in keeping with our humanitarian principles, we build relationships with all parties in a given area

to ensure the safety of our staff and our access to the affected populations. ACF’s successes in the field stem directly from the dedicated professionals who oversee our programs, many of them in highly insecure regions around the world. One such staff member, Daisy Ruguru Nyaga, a Public health Program Manager for ACF in Kenya, was named Employee of the Year for helping empower Kenyan communities displaced after electoral violence swept the country in 2007. Daisy and her teams worked with displaced families to prevent outbreaks of cholera and other deadly water-borne illnesses through comprehensive sanitation and hygiene education activities. Despite the tensions that erupted after the elections, Daisy continued to oversee all aspects of ACF’s public health promotion in Kenya, including designing public information campaigns on proper hygiene and the prevention of malnutrition, managing the construction of hundreds of latrines and clean water points for families lacking basic facilities, and monitoring the impact these programs have on the ground. Staying alert to potential threats to themselves and to our beneficiaries, ACF employees reaffirm their dedication every day by opting to work in such difficult settings. This sense of commitment among our team members is extraordinary, and our employees, brave and tireless, help nearly five million people a year recover their dignity and independence. n

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ACF’S 4,600+ FIELd STAFF ARE SEASONEd pROFESSIONALS ANd TECHNICAL ExpERTS IN NuTRITION, WATER & SANITATION, FOOd SECuRITy, ANd pubLIC HEALTH.

From tHe Field: clAude bAnywesiZe cHigAngu, senior medicAl & nutrition coordinAtor

even under “routine” conditions, our staff display extraordinary courage.

Claude Banywesize Chigangu, our senior Medical & nutrition Coordinator

in the democratic republic of Congo, was honored for doing far more than

supervising nutrition projects. When humanitarians were targeted by armed

groups, Claude spearheaded an ACF awareness campaign to convince all

stakeholders—armed and unarmed—of the importance of humanitarian

assistance. remarkably, these efforts secured safety guarantees for the entire

humanitarian community—a very proud moment for ACF, and a testament to

the commitment and courage on display wherever ACF’s teams work to carry

out life-saving programs.

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ACF-D.R. Congo, courtesy S. Vidyarthi; Back cover photo: ACF-Southern Sudan, courtesy J. Seagle/Counterpart Images

RAyMONd dEbbANE, ChairmanThe invus Group, LLC

NAN dALE, SecretaryAction Against hunger | ACF-USA

ALExIS AzRIA

CHRISTOpHE duTHOIT The Boston Consulting Group, inc.

CRISTINA ENRIquEz-bOCObO Enriquez-Bocobo Constructs

pIERRE FAy Essilor

JEAN-LOuIS gALLIOT Natixis

buRTON k. HAIMES, Chairman EmeritusOrrick, herrington & Sutcliffe LLP

yvES-ANdRé ISTEL Rothschild, inc.

kETTy MAISONROugE Ketty Maisonrouge & Company, inc.

MARLA MAyER

dANIEL py Medical-instill technologies

THILO SEMMELbAuER, TreasurerShutterstock

kARIM TAbET tAP Advisors LLC

kARA yOuNg hair Rules

ACtiON AGAiNSt hUNGER’S

boArd oF directors

Printed March 2011

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