Archive for January, 2009
I read this story in Sunday’s New York Times on children fleeing Zimbabwe “for lives just as desolate” in South Africa, and wanted to share it here on the ONE Blog.
Below are some excerpts but you can read the full piece on their site.
With their nation in a prolonged sequence of crises, more unaccompanied children and women than ever are joining the rush of desperate Zimbabweans illegally crossing the frontier at the Limpopo River, according to the police, local officials and aid workers.
What they are escaping is a broken country where half the people are going hungry, most schools and hospitals are closed or dysfunctional and a cholera epidemic has taken a toll in the thousands. Yet they are arriving in a place where they are unwelcome and are resented as rivals for jobs. Last year, Zimbabweans were part of the quarry in a spate of mob attacks against foreigners….
South Africa’s national police force is exasperated by the crimes… most victims do not file complaints. After all, they are here illegally, unless remaining in the Showgrounds. “Last week, I had 1,500 ready for deportation,” he said.
The captain stood up, walking over to a computer screen. “We keep photos of the refugees killed near the border.”…
Mention of the children seemed to feed his exasperation. “Street kids, more all the time,” he said. “They come in as if they are playing in a game.”
He asked, “What do we do about these kids?”
-Virginia Simmons
NY Times—Spread of Malaria Feared as Drug Loses Potency
The parasite that causes the deadliest form of malaria is showing the first signs of resistance to the best new drug against it. New studies have shown that artemisinin, an anti-malaria drug that’s been hailed in recent years as the biggest hope for eradicating malaria from Africa, is losing its potency, especially in southeast Asia. Researchers say increased efforts are needed to prevent the drug-resistant malaria from leaving inflicted regions and spreading across the globe.
Washington Times—Susan Rice offers Obama promise of ‘cooperation’
Newly arrived United States U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice on Monday pledged that the Obama administration would support broad U.N. goals to relieve global poverty and disease and work to improve the troubled U.N. peacekeeping mission in Darfur. “President Obama’s view is clear – that our security and well-being can best be advanced in cooperation and in partnership with other nations,” Ms. Rice said moments after formally presenting her credentials to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. “There is no more important forum, for that effective cooperation, than the United Nations.”
Reuters—Clinton “very concerned” by Zimbabwe impasse
On a day when regional talks in southern Africa regarding the future of Zimbabwe’s government again ended in uncertainty, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said she is “very concerned” by Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe’s refusal to reach a power-sharing deal with his opponents and wants South Africa to put more pressure on him. State Department spokesman Robert Wood said Sec. Clinton was “very focused” on the political stalemate in Zimbabwe and was looking at what could be done to ease the crisis.
Financial Times—World Bank says program cuts could see thousands die
The global downturn could result in tens of thousands of unnecessary deaths if countries do not protect programs targeted at the poor, a senior World Bank official warned yesterday. Julian Schweitzer, director of health, nutrition and population at the bank, told a conference that donors and developing countries should support initiatives including direct cash payments to the poor in order to reduce the likely severe impact on health services.
Financial Times—Call for teamwork on stimulus plans
Governments are not doing enough to cooperate on rebuilding troubled financial systems and fiscal stimulus packages alone will not boost economic growth, according to the heads of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. Robert Zoellick, the president of the World Bank, said yesterday that pumping government money into the economy was not enough by itself. Zoellick said the necessary solutions to the global economic crisis were well known: coordinating fiscal stimulus, keeping credit markets moving, dealing with bad loans in banks, fixing regulation, resisting calls for trade protectionism and safeguarding the most vulnerable developing countries.
-Steve Wilson
Jan 27th, 2009 2:45 PM UTC
By Field
I received a warm welcome from the students of Daniels Run Elementary in Fairfax, Virginia who were ready to take action against global poverty! The children were upset to see the majority of their peers eat only a handful of rice during the Oxfam Hunger Banquet which symbolizes the distribution of wealth around the world.
They vowed to raise awareness and act locally by serving the homeless in the DC area. Students also will wear their ONE bands as a reminder to be an advocate each day for the world’s poor.
-Lauren Conn
Monday saw the beginning of the two-day UN food summit, held in Madrid, where top officials from countries and institutions like the World Bank gathered to discuss the global food crisis. The summit was an opportunity to strategize about addressing the food crisis – particularly for poor countries – as the excerpts below describe.
ONE’s Eloise Todd was at the summit, and will be reporting about the outcomes shortly on the blog.
Excerpts below, full article here
World Bank Managing Director Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who is leading a delegation to the two-day meeting starting on Monday, said more resources and attention are needed to help the poor.
“Food prices are now volatile and that factor, combined with the impact of the financial crisis, only serves to heighten the challenges confronting the developing world,” Okonjo-Iweala said in a statement.
“We expect high price volatility to continue and it will hit the poorest the most, as they spend half their income on food. More needs to be done as we must ensure those who are vulnerable get the assistance they need.”
Okonjo-Iweala said while food prices have fallen they are are still higher than, say, just three years ago. And in some countries, prices have not fallen as sharply as in others.
-Beth Adler
The United Nations is reporting today that approximately 2,971 people in Zimbabwe have now died from a cholera outbreak that has afflicted the country. We’ll keep you posted on this and other developments in Zimbabwe here.
Excerpts below, full report here
The U.N. humanitarian office said 2,817 new cases were reported Monday, taking the cumulative number of infections since the outbreak began to 56,123.
The global body said more than one person in every 20 who contract cholera in Zimbabwe is dying of the disease. The usual mortality rate for large-scale outbreaks is 1 in 100.
The outbreak began in August and spread rapidly because of Zimbabwe’s poorly maintained infrastructure and crumbling health care system.
-Chris Scott
This past Saturday I was able to attend “Living a Purposeful Life,” a youth event with Imam Johari Abdul-Malik, at Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center in Falls Church, VA. Dozens of junior and senior high school students worked with Imam Johari on developing life skills and thinking intentionally on what sort of life they would live as they become young adults. A “Purposeful Life” was not only filled with thoughts on career choices, family needs, and community concerns, but a commitment to fighting global poverty, hunger, and disease.
At the end of the event the students signed up to join ONE and most took an extra white band to share with a friend in school on Monday. It was an afternoon full of lively discussion with the students. In one side conversation, a student told her friend about the Millennium Development Goals and how it was possible to achieve them. Pretty impressive! Even so, what impressed me more was seeing the students depart the event acting toward that goal of achieving the MDGs.
-Adam Phillips
Davos scales back glitz amid economic downturn
With capitalism in crisis, the 2,500 business and political leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland this week will find less starpower than usual. Organizers say the five-day event that starts Wednesday will focus on work and on shaping the world after the crisis ends.
Reuters: Before UN food summit, World Bank urges aid for poor
Global food prices may have eased from their 2008 peaks but price volatility, together with the effects of the world financial crisis, has provided little respite for the poor, a senior World Bank official said on Sunday on the eve of a U.N. food meeting in Madrid.
AFP: Millions of Zimbabwe children could be denied education: charity
Millions of Zimbabwean children could be denied their education when schools reopen Tuesday, as thousands of teachers may fail to return to work, British charity Save the Children has warned. The start of Zimbabwe’s new school year has been delayed by two weeks because last year’s exams were not graded, after teachers demanded payment in foreign currency to mark them.
New York Times: West African Villagers Stake Their Fortunes on the Future Price of Rice
Hoping to take advantage of high global food prices that brought many poor nations to the brink of chaos last year, farmers across West Africa are reaping what experts say is one of the best harvests in recent memory. But after investing and borrowing heavily to expand their production, these farmers also run the risk of being wiped out as global food prices plummet.
-Chandler Smith
