Page 37 - Presbyterian Connection

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SUMMER 2023
Connection
PRESBYTERIAN WORLD SERVICE & DEVELOPMENT
PRESBYTERIAN
37
Ending World Hunger Together
A mother in Somalia receives therapeutic food for her malnourished child.
was better at keeping moisture and soon more than doubled its production.
Witnessing such positive change, neighbours decided to copy her ways to see if they would achieve similar results. That kind of domino effect is indicative of the effectiveness of a project, which is ultimately what we are aiming for. Projects like this also build farmers’ resilience in the face of increasingly unpredictable weather patterns due to climate change. Furthermore, Esther’s children may well learn from her successes and use similar tech- niques or even improve on them, thereby creating lasting change.
We also engage in life-sav- ing nutrition projects at the Foodgrains Bank. PWS&D is currently supporting two key projects in Somalia and Haiti. In both cases, local partners identify children under the age of five who are severely malnourished. With- out assistance, their chances of survival are very slim. With thera- peutic feeding and other neces- sary medical interventions, many of the children are able to start eating again. After a few weeks and gaining back some weight, many can eat regular food again. In these nutrition projects, funds are matched 4:1 by the Govern- ment of Canada, much like food assistance projects.
The matching funds available at the Foodgrains Bank allows PWS&D and other members to maximize the impact of our work by multiplying donations up to four times. This was the case af- ter the earthquake that struck Tür- kiye and Syria in February. When PWS&D undertakes food security programming—suppor ting farm- ers in improving their produc- tion—we access other types of matching funds at the Foodgrains Bank, with formulas ranging from 1:1 to 3:1, depending on the geo- graphic location of the project and availability of matching funds.
As we mark the 40th anniversa- ry of the Foodgrains Bank this year, we remain thankful for the work of the Christian churches through this ecumenical project. These joint efforts make it possible to reach nearly one million people every year as we work to end world hunger, one step at a time.
In the immediate aftermath of the quake, hot meals were distributed to peo- ple displaced from their homes. PHOTO: GOPA-DERD.
Syria-Türkiye Earthquake Response
PHOTO CREDIT: D&P/TRÓCAIRE.
By Guy Smagghe, PWS&D Director
In 1983, the Canadian Foodgrains Bank was formed by Mennonite Central Committee as a common ecumenical response to world hunger. At the time, a few church- es joined the coalition. Ten years later, in 1993, PWS&D joined the Foodgrains Bank.
This Christian response to hun- ger is aimed at: assisting in times of disaster to get people through periods of drastic food scarcity; seeking sustainable solutions to hunger by equipping farmers with knowledge through training; and advocating to address the root causes of hunger. Together, we are working to meet “Sustainable Development Goal 2: Zero Hun- ger” through food security, im- proved nutrition and sustainable agriculture.
The Foodgrains Bank has be- come an important hub of ex- pertise on food security, food assistance and nutrition issues. At PWS&D, we both benefit from
this expertise and contribute to the mission in various ways.
As we seek sustainable solu- tions to hunger, we focus more on transfer of knowledge than handing out goods, with the main exception being the distribution of food in times of crises. It is much more effective to help farmers gain knowledge on farming tech- niques that maximize the use of locally available resources than to simply provide farming tools and other inputs. When new knowl- edge is acquired and applied, the results speak for themselves, and others might want to replicate the new techniques after witnessing local successes.
This is what I saw when I met Esther in Karonga, northern Ma- lawi. Esther had been trained in conservation agriculture and she was now making and using compost, leaving crop residues in the fields, not tilling the land anymore, and intercropping corn with beans. As a result, her field was losing less soil to erosion,
By PWS&D Communications
In early February 2023, a 7.8 magnitude ear thquake rocked Syria, Türkiye and the surround- ing regions. With more than 59,000 people losing their lives, and a hundred thousand more in- jured, the devastating quake also destroyed and damaged many families’ homes.
“We felt the earthquake and woke up at 4:15 a.m. The ground shook us for a few seconds. Then immediately we went downstairs. Our house, which is located on the fifth floor collapsed. The fourth, fifth and sixth floors of the building collapsed,” shared one survivor.
The Syrian population was already deeply affected by the ongoing war and the economic
ACT Alliance members continue to deliver medical aid to those affected by the earthquake. PHOTO: GOPA-DERD.
collapse of the country. Now, many people must deal with be- ing displaced and losing their live- lihoods. In response, Canadian Presbyterians have contributed almost $230,000 to respond to this crisis.
PWS&D was able to immedi- ately respond in Syria through our networks and coalitions. Through the ACT Alliance*, PWS&D pro- vided food, winterization materi- als—including blankets and mat- tresses—as well as medical aid to communities affected by the ear thquake.
In the months following the earthquake, PWS&D provided food assistance through Cana- dian Foodgrains Bank members, with matching funds from the Government of Canada. A re- sponse with ADRA Canada sup- ported the initial food needs of 1,200 households. An additional 600 families received pantry items for four months. Together with the Mennonite Central Com- mittee, PWS&D is also helping to provide 8,800 individuals in Alep- po, Latakia and Tartous with nine months’ worth of food parcels, as well as water and sanitation kits and psychosocial support.
*This response was imple- mented by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East-Department of Ecumeni- cal Relations and Development (GOPA-DERD).
Guy and Esther in her field in northern Malawi.