Meet Maimouna

Meet Maimouna, a three-year-old farmer’s daughter living on the outskirts of the Central African Republic’s capital, Bangui.

In a country battling with high food prices and a decline in agriculture, many children, like Maimouna, are malnourished.

Maimouna arrives to a therapeutic feeding centre at Bangui Paediatric Centre after a 55 mile trek with her aunt, as her mother is too ill to accompany her. She is suffering from "kwashiorkor", a form of severe acute malnutrition. This type of malnutrition is characterised by the appearance of oedema: a swelling of the limbs caused by excessive water retention. A child suffering from kwashiorkor is at high risk of death and requires immediate treatment.

To celebrate World Food Day 2010, you can follow Maimouna’s day-by-day recovery.

25th September 2010

Once Maimouna arrived at the centre, Action Against Hunger staff members immediately take her measurements. Maimouna weighs a mere 10kg. This is grossly insufficient for her age and height. Her nutritional status is also checked by measuring her mid-upper arm circumference, known as MUAC

26th September 2010

Additional tests are performed and the doctor requests a chest X-ray because Maimouna suffers from a persistent cough. We discover that she has pneumonia; malnutrition is often induced, among other factors, by diseases such as pneumonia. Maimouna immediately receives medical treatment.

27th September 2010

Maimouna and her aunt meet again with the doctor. Daily monitoring is needed to properly assess her progress. It also allows her aunty to u

28th Sepetmber 2010

Maimouna has now been ill for a whole month. Before coming to the clinic, she was treated with traditional medicines at home, but there has been no improvement which her aunt brought her to the clinic.

29th September 2010

Maimouna receives therapeutic milk five times per day. The milk is rich in vitamins and minerals, but low in protein, sugar and fat. Maimouna is at the most critical and sensitive stage of her treatment, so our goal is to treat her medical symptoms and for her condition to stabilise, rather than focusing on increasing her weight.

30th September 2010

It is important that Maimouna is in a calm, stable atmosphere whilst she takes her milk. Maimouna’s aunt is there to softly encourage her. The milk must not be forced, so Action Against Hunger staff members advise parents and carers on the correct practice.

1st October 2010

Some of Maimouna’s fellow patients at the centre are suffering from another type of severe acute malnutrition, known as “severe wasting”. This type of malnutrition is characterised by a massive loss of body fat and muscle tissue and is recognisable by an emaciated body with a paunchy belly.

2nd October 2010

Maimouna’s condition is slowly improving. After five days, her oedema is disappearing and Action Against Hunger staff members refer her to the next phase of her treatment. In this so-called transition phase, Maimouna will receive a different therapeutic milk, however, she must still remain on antibiotics.

3rd October 2010

The daily monitoring of Maimouna’s weight continues. Good news! The curves show a drop in weight, which indicates that the oedema is fading.

4th October 2010

The therapeutic feeding centre not only treats severely malnourished children, but also holds regular information and awareness raising sessions for mothers and carers. A small change in care and feeding practices can prevent their children from relapsing into malnutrition.

5th October 2010

Malnourished child need specialist care by trained professionals; general paediatric nursing is not sufficient, therefore, our teams train local staff in the treatment of malnutrition. By working in close collaboration with local communities and training local staff, we are providing long-term solutions for the treatment of malnutrition.

6th October 2010

After a week at the centre, Maimouna is doing really well. She continues her nutritional treatment, and can finally play with the other children. Playtime cannot be underestimated as it is important to stimulate their development.

7th October 2010

Good hygiene at the centre is also crucial. All parents and/or carers receive soap and hygiene training when they arrive at the centre. Children are always washed at the hottest time of the day to avoid hypothermia.

8th October 2010

According to her latest health check, Maimouna is doing well and will now enter the final phase of her treatment.

9th October 2010

Maimouna receives ready-to-use therapeutic food, a nutrient rich, high protein treatment which will aid her recovery

10th October 2010

Whilst Maimouna gets stronger, more acutely malnourished children arrive at the centre. The Central African Republic has alarming malnutrition rates which not only affects a child’s life, but impacts upon the whole community.

11th October 2010

Another little girl, Kossi, is also at the centre today. She also suffers from acute malnutrition, but has maintained her appetite with no medical complications; therefore she does not need to stay at the centre. Instead she will receive a weekly amount of therapeutic food.that’s ready prepared for use at home.

12th October 2010

Depending on the situation, we also provide extra supplementary food to families to ensure that the family has enough food to feed all their children and the malnourished child receives the specialised therapeutic food needed for his or her recovery.

13th October 2010

While Maimouna and other children are treated at the centre, Action Against Hunger’s team is also implementing activities in villages aimed at preventing malnutrition, promoting its early detection and its management within the community. It is crucial to address the causes of malnutrition to prevent children from developing malnutrition.

14th October 2010

Her latest medical assessment shows that Maimouna has now regained her health! She no longer has any oedema, has reached her target weight, and no longer has medical complications. Her aunty is understandably relieved.

15th October 2010

Today Maimouna is well enough to leave the centre! She will be given ready to use therapeutic foods to prevent any relapse and her aunty is now fully aware of Maimouna’s nutritional needs. It is fantastic news that Maimouna has made a full recovery, but we must not forget the thousands of other children who need our help. Our fight against hunger will continue…

Humanitarian Emergency in Pakistan

Mohamed Mechmache, Action Against Hunger’s Emergency Field Coordinator, reports on Action Against Hunger’s response to the crisis


What is the current situation?



Pakistan was hit by the worst flooding in its history, affecting an estimated 20 million people. The flooding began in the north but has since moved south, washing away homes, bridges, roads, irrigation systems and some of the country’s most fertile and productive lands. In the southern province of Sindh, the Indus River has spilled over its banks, leaving fields and entire villages buried in muddy water. Millions are displaced and families have lost literally everything—their homes, their crops, their livestock and their livelihoods or small trades.





In 2009 over two million civilians in this area were already displaced by ongoing fighting, so this was another blow to families who have already suffered through a lot. The situation is much worse than the 2005 earthquake in Kashmir that left three million people homeless, in part because flooding in the northwest hit a population that was reeling from last year’s drought and conflict between the Pakistani Army and the Taliban insurgents. In 2009 over two million civilians in this area were already displaced by ongoing fighting, so this was another blow to families who have already suffered through a lot.


What are the biggest concerns?

In Pakistan, like other places that have experienced natural disasters, deadly water-borne illnesses can spread exceedingly quickly. The death toll from these diseases might exceed the current death toll from flooding itself (over 1700 have died) if we do not address this concern properly and rapidly. Water and sanitation infrastructure has been damaged and destroyed throughout Pakistan, forcing people to drink from contaminated sources and use the bathroom out in the open. I can’t emphasize enough how big a risk this is to public health, as thousands of cases of acute diarrhea and cholera have already been reported. Right now, we are very focused on stemming these kinds of illnesses.

How is ACF controlling water-borne disease outbreaks?


In the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in northwestern Pakistan, our teams are responding to the urgent needs of 52,000 people sheltering in temporary camps or returning to their villages. We have begun organising daily distributions of 32,000 liters of drinking water through a range of methods, including water trucking, installation of pumps and portable reservoirs, and the restoration of 100 water points and damaged irrigation systems. We’re constructing 600 emergency latrines, hand-washing stations and showers to help make sure conditions are sanitary in the camps and nearby villages. And to meet basic hygiene needs, we are distributing 7,500 kits with essential items like buckets, soap, detergent, sanitary pads and water purification tablets.



Our teams are responding to the urgent needs of 52,000 people sheltering in temporary camps or returning to their villages. We’re also training families on effective emergency hygiene practices and launching programmes to spray affected areas with insecticide. In addition, we are beginning a cleaning campaign to clear areas of dangerous, unsanitary debris through cash-for-work activities that will help community members select adequate food, improve their livelihoods and recover their autonomy.



In the Sindh province in southeastern Pakistan, where hundreds of thousands of people were recently evacuated because of surging floodwater, we are gearing up to deliver emergency programmes in water, sanitation and hygiene to help 80,000 people. Similarly, we’ll be trucking in water, repairing water points, distributing hygiene kits and constructing latrines, along with other activities to help make sure deadly diseases like cholera and diarrhoea don’t spread.

Our cash-for-work and fresh food voucher programmes are going to provide financial support to more than 10,000 families in the months to come. What other help will people get from Action Against Hunger?



As mentioned briefly before, our cash-for-work and fresh food voucher programmes are going to provide financial support to more than 10,000 families in the months to come. These programs are focused on helping restore their ability to feed themselves. In the same spirit, we will support hundreds of traders and small business owners, including women, through access to business restart grants while rehabilitating small scale community and market infrastructure. We’ve also identified the most vulnerable households in the areas where we’re working to receive cooking utensils, blankets, sheets, mosquito nets and mattresses so that they can slowly begin to rebuild their lives.

Phil's first blog in aid of Blog Action Day 2010- Water and Malnutrition

I work with Action Against Hunger as an emergency nutrition coordinator and am lucky enough to see firsthand the impact that jointly tackling water and malnutrition together can have. Action Against Hunger works with an ‘integrated approach’ to help people suffering from hunger and malnutrition, and we believe we can only be effective at this by acknowledging water, food and health are tightly interlinked. If we only provided food and ignored the essential right people have to access clean drinking water, we would undoubtedly fail in our mission!



The causes of malnutrition can be complicated, but we can consider two broad immediate factors: lack of food and disease. Water-borne diseases can cause dehydration, lack of appetite and alter the body’s metabolism. These factors in turn can cause malnutrition and start the vicious cycle whereby malnutrition reduces immunity and increases the risk of further infection. This is why in Chad Action Against Hunger is working hard to reduce the impact of cholera outbreaks, and in Haiti and Pakistan we focused the first relief efforts on providing clean water.



Once clean water is provided for communities it provides the platform for other food and nutrition-related projects to take place more successfully. You can find out more about our work on www.actionagainsthunger.org.uk

Addressing Malnutrition in Bangladesh By Nichola Connell, Nutrition Advisor in Bangladesh

11 August 2010 - "Located not far from Cox Bazaar, a seaside resort boasting one of the longest beaches in the world, I found myself in the small village of Kutupalong in the South-East corner of Bangladesh, a stone’s throw from Myanmar across the Naf river. In stark contrast to the beautiful nearby beaches, Kutupalong is an overcrowded and resource-poor area struggling to cope with the added burden of a large refugee population.


Kutupalong hosts one official refugee camp which, together with one other official camp an hour south, is home to 22,000 UN registered refugees who arrived from neighbouring Myanmar in the early nineties. However, another 200,000 to 400,000 unregistered refugees have arrived since then living in two unofficial camps, the largest of which is in Kutupalong, as well as in the surrounding villages. Bangladesh is the second poorest country in the world. With its own population struggling with access to clean water, food, health facilities and education, the country is unable to provide any assistance to the unregistered refugees, leaving them in an extremely vulnerable situation.



As a nutritionist, my job was to take over the running of the nutrition programmes in a newly opened Action Against Hunger Emergency Operation centre in Kutupalong. These are programmes aimed at helping children under five years old suffering from moderate or severe acute malnutrition, as well as pregnant and lactating women. In addition to the nutrition interventions, Action Against Hunger also implements water, sanitation and hygiene programmes and psychological support activities for the population.


I particularly enjoyed my work at the outpatient treatment centre for severely malnourished children under five years of age. Often these children would arrive completely listless and full of infections as well as with a very low weight for height. With a lot of effort from all the staff and volunteers they would grow from strength to strength as they received therapeutic food provided by Action Against Hunger and routine medication from the nurse.



This was certainly the case for Mohammed, a 12 month old boy who arrived severely malnourished. After just 6 weeks he was nearly up to his target weight and his mother Rashida had participated in hygiene promotion sessions aimed at promoting adequate hygiene practices that can help reduce the occurrence of illnesses and relapses into malnutrition. His father came to thank me personally for everything we had provided for his son which enabled him to recover - they had been resigned to the fact he would not live much longer.


One of the severest cases I dealt with involved treating 21 day old twin girls who arrived one day in December. They were brought in by their grandmother as the mother had passed away a few days after giving birth. The twins had not received any breast milk for 15 days. Consequently they were severely malnourished and very hungry. Many people are not aware that it is possible to relactate, enabling grandmothers to breastfeed their grandchildren if needed. Since breastmilk is very important for young infants, we used the Supplementary Suckling Technique which involves stimulating breastmilk production and providing therapeutic milk to the babies at the same time. The grandmother was able to breastfeed the twins on her own after a few days and the condition of the babies stabilised. The twins went on to make a full recovery. Their recovery shows what a huge difference our work can make. By giving just a small amount of advice and guidance, lives can be saved.


The good work of Action Against Hunger continues today in Bangladesh with new nutrition programmes being planned for the Bangladesh people in the surrounding villages, as well as providing continued support to the refugees. Having seen what life-threatening problems people there face every day, it is essential this work continues, to give children such as Mohammed and the twins a better chance in life. We should not forget how lucky we are in the UK to have access to good quality food, water and good advice: such simple things that literally mean the difference between life and death in Bangladesh."

From Trickle to Torrent

A blog by Action Against Hunger’s Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Advisor, Nick Radin


"The road to Hombo is a muddy mess. When it rains in D.R. Congo, driving a few miles, even in a four-by-four vehicle, can take hours. I’m travelling to see our water installations in Hombo with Mamady Camara, who began working with Action Against Hunger seven years ago in his native Guinea, and now manages our water, sanitation and hygiene programmes in the zone. We’re also accompanied by two national staff, Congolese water technicians named André and Bonaventure, who grew up in the area and know it inside and out.

Over the last six months, the people of Hombo have taken in a wave of new arrivals coming to escape violence and seeking refuge with local families. Compared to surrounding villages, Hombo is perceived as relatively safe because of its close proximity to a base of U.N. Peacekeepers. This recent influx of displaced people has increased the village’s population by nearly 40 percent and put enormous pressure on local resources.

Before Action Against Hunger arrived, the only clean water source for all of Hombo was an unprotected spring - barely more than a trickle, really. You had to stand there for more than two minutes just to fill one 20-litre jerry can with water. This may not seem like a long time, but because there were 5,000 people that needed water every single day, they would sometimes have to wait in line for hours to get it.

Since each family was only permitted to fill one jerry can of water per day, not nearly enough for all their daily needs and far below minimum humanitarian standards, they were forced to draw much of their water from a nearby river.
This is the same river where people bathe, mothers wash their families’ laundry and animals drink and defecate. You can get a whole host of illnesses from drinking dirty water like this, including cholera, diarrhea and dysentery, which kill thousands of children in D.R. Congo every year.

We get out of our vehicle by the river in Hombo and are greeted by a group of women ecstatically whooping and hollering. They are gathering clean water from the tanks Action Against Hunger has installed by the river, and the joy on their faces is contagious.

In June, our teams set up a series of tanks to treat and fully decontaminate water that’s drawn from the river. The clean water from these tanks is then fed directly into a row of taps, where the women and children of Hombo now come to collect water each day. These taps provide more than enough water for the whole village, including the 2,000 newcomers that have arrived over the last few months, which means that all families now have access to as much safe water as they need.

I’m introduced to Bashige Dorcase, who, full of relief, no longer worries about having enough clean drinking water for all her children. Mamaday shows me the place near the river where our hygiene promoters are conducting sessions on practices like hand-washing, safe water handling and latrine usage. These are crucial steps in stopping the spread of water-borne illnesses that have ravaged communities across Congo, and they’re part of our integrated approach to fighting hunger and disease.

In addition to caring for her own children, Bashige has taken in her three young nephews. Full of relief, she tells me how she no longer worries about having enough clean drinking water for all her children. She also says that the residents of Hombo are getting along much better since they don’t argue any more over access to the limited water supply.

Bashige and her family aren’t the only ones whose lives have been changed. Two months after Action Against Hunger came to Hombo, the number of people seeking treatment for diarrhea at the local health centre was cut by more than half. There’s been a dramatic 95 percent drop in reported cholera cases, too.

My job takes me to villages across East and Central Africa just like Hombo. But seeing hope and gratitude on the faces of women like Bashige never gets old for me. At home in New York, it’s sometimes easy to forget how something as simple as a glass of clean water can make a world of difference. But today, it’s obvious. I hear it in the joyous shouts of the people of Hombo”

Action Against Hunger | ACF International is an international humanitarian organisation committed to ending child hunger. For more information, please visit: www.actionagainsthunger.org.uk and become a fan at http://acf-uk-facebook.tk/

Haiti - Two Months On

PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI — Two months on from the earthquake that devastated Haiti, Action Against Hunger| ACF International continues to ensure that survivors have the basics for survival. Already providing food and water to tens of thousands of survivors, our teams are racing against time to prepare for yet another challenge – the rainy season. Sanitation and the distribution of shelter are now paramount to ensure the humanitarian situation does not deteriorate further.

Update from Port-au-Prince



Action Against Hunger is providing services in clean water, nutrition, sanitation and hygiene to more than 100,000 people in some 40 camps in Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas including Leogane, Mergie and Gressier.

* Clean Water: Action Against Hunger has installed 49 large water reservoirs and seven water stations that are providing 740,000 litres of safe drinking water to over 75,000 people daily

* Sanitation: 600 latrines equipped with hand-washing stations have been installed, and 100 staff members are conducting public awareness campaigns on best hygiene practices in emergency settings



* Nutrition Services: A dozen makeshift tents are now operational providing nearly 750 mothers and their young children with a safe setting for breastfeeding, as well as counselling and psycho-social support. The large majority of women are repeat visitors and have received vital support either through group discussions, or in individual sessions. Action Against Hunger is also providing 40 infants whose mothers were killed or injured in the earthquake with nutritional support

* Distribution: Action Against Hunger has distributed 62 tons of high-protein biscuits benefiting some 60,000 people. Action Against Hunger has also distributed kits containing blankets, tarps, buckets, soap, toothbrushes and other basic hygiene materials to more than 30,000 people sheltering in the temporary camps.

* Boosting the Local Economy: Action Against Hunger launched a “cash-for-work” programmr to benefit some 2,400 Port-au-Prince residents, who are clearing roads and doing other critical recovery jobs in anticipation of the rainy season.


Sanitation Critical as Rainy Season Approaches





At the onset of seasonal rains in Haiti, Action Against Hunger is ramping up its emergency sanitation and hygiene programems as the risk of disease outbreaks grows. The organisation is rushing to build latrines and conduct public awareness campaigns in displacement camps where sanitary conditions will likely deteriorate in the coming weeks due to flooding that typically arrives in the early spring.





“Many Port-au-Prince neighborhoods lack drainage systems to handle unsanitary debris deposited by flooding and are extremely vulnerable to mudslides because they’re located on steep hillsides,” says Lucile Grosjean of Action Against Hunger. “It’s a race against time to get sanitation infrastructure in place and train residents to take health precautions during this critical period.”



The raised-platform latrines, managed by local residents recruited by ACF in the camps, are equipped with hand-washing stations and a hundred ACF staff members are providing instruction in best hygiene and sanitation practices in vulnerable areas across the city.



Strengthening programmes in the cities of Port-de-Paix and Gonaives



More than 500,000 people affected by the quake have left Port-au-Prince to take refuge with their families in other regions of Haiti. This has increased the number of those in need of help across the rest of the island. Action Against Hunger’s teams, already present in Gonaives and Port-de-Paix since 2001, have reinforced the programmes that were in place before the earthquake struck. This includes the treatment of severely malnourished children, waste management, building latrines, providing access to drinking water, and the technical and logistical support of hospitals and health centres.





Support received



The budget for Action Against Hunger's Haiti operation currently amasses €16.5 million. These funds have been designated to the emergency phase of our operation and long-term recovery programmes.



30% of all funds, €5.4 million, have come from private donors, with the remainder from institutional donors and trusts. On 10th March, nearly €2.5 million had been spent.



Call 08456 003618 or click here to make a donation to Action Against Hunger's Haiti emergency appeal

Hunger and Malnutrition Crisis Resurfaces in Niger

Niger
11/03/10

In response to massive food shortages and staggering acute malnutrition rates in Niger, international humanitarian organisation Action Against Hunger | ACF International launched an emergency response to provide nutritional support to children, increase the income of vulnerable families and bolster a national initiative to dampen the impact of the crisis. These interventions come on the heel of an announcement by the government of Niger that the rate of severe food insecurity in the country has tripled since last year.

Government authorities estimate that nearly a million children in Niger are moderately malnourished and another 200,000 have severe acute malnutrition, a life-threatening condition. Over 58% of Niger’s population is deemed food insecure, according to recent surveys. Assessments conducted in December showed that some 7.8 million people will be forced to cope without food reserves for at least six months before the October harvest; food stocks for severely insecure households — approximately 20% of the population — have already been depleted. These severe food shortages result from a number of factors, including drought-like conditions, high staple food prices and a sharp drop in the market price of cattle.



“The food situation in Niger has reached a critical stage,” says Lauren Taylor, Niger Desk Officer for Action Against Hunger, which has implemented humanitarian programmes in Niger since 1997. “Families with no other options are going days without eating or are resorting to begging and borrowing to cope with massive shortfalls.”



Action Against Hunger is providing logistical and technical support for the Nigerien government’s response, which includes cash-for-work programmes to create 800 new village grain banks and reinforce another 1,000 existing banks, food and seed distributions to vulnerable households during the planting season, bolstering national grain reserves and nutritional care for children under five. The national plan covers approximately 30% of the food insecure population for three months.



With support from the UK Department for International Development, Action Against Hunger is also launching an emergency intervention in the Mayahi region of southern Niger to provide nutritional support to roughly 18,000 acutely malnourished children under five and cash-based grants to 1,900 vulnerable people to boost purchasing power at local food markets.



Despite these programs, the population’s needs far outstrip available resources. Action Against Hunger is calling on donors to curb the impact of the crisis through immediate funding for nutrition, food security, and livelihoods.

Rebuilding Haiti

PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI—Action Against Hunger | ACF International has provided emergency services in clean water, nutrition, sanitation and hygiene to more than 100,000 people since the earthquake devastated the Haitian capital one month ago today. The humanitarian organisation has also expanded its current operations in Port de Paix and Gonaives, cities that have experienced an influx of hundreds of thousands of earthquake survivors fleeing the capital.



Update from Port-au-Prince

* Clean water: Action Against Hunger has installed 41 large water reservoirs and five water treatment stations in hard-hit neighbourhoods across Port-au-Prince that provide daily clean drinking water access to nearly 70,000 people.

* Sanitation: The humanitarian agency is constructing 100 latrines equipped with hand-washing stations and has mobilised 60 staff members to conduct public awareness campaigns in displacement camps on best hygiene practices in emergency settings.

* Nutrition Services: A dozen makeshift tents are now operational in Port-au-Prince, providing nearly 500 mothers and their young children with a safe setting for breastfeeding, as well as counselling and psycho-social support, each day. The centres also provide feedings to forty infants whose mothers were killed or injured in the earthquake.

* Distributions: Since the earthquake, Action Against Hunger has distributed 62 tons of high-protein BP5 biscuits, 3,600 blankets and more than 2,000 emergency kits containing plastic sheeting, soap, buckets and other essential items. Some 35,000 people have benefited from Action Against Hunger’s distributions.


Strengthening programmes in surrounding areas

In response to the arrival of an estimated 500,000 survivors from Port-au-Prince who have taken refuge with families in nearby cities of Gonaives and Port de Paix, Action Against Hunger has scaled up programmes in nutrition, health, clean water and sanitation already underway prior to the earthquake. Having run programmes in these cities since 2001, the organisation is focused on the treatment of severely malnourished children; the installation of clean drinking water stations, latrines and other sanitation facilities; and the provision of technical and logistical support for local health centres and hospitals.



The consequences of this disaster are unimaginable and it will take a long time before Haitians will be able to return to any kind of normality. The cameras might no longer focus on Haiti, but our teams are there, working together with communities to make a difference to tens of thousands of survivors.



Action Against Hunger has launched a public emergency appeal. Call 08456 003618 or click here

News from Haiti

•So far, 20,000 children have received high-energy biscuits so far, and Action Against Hunger UK are reaching more people on a daily basis

•400,000 litres of water are being distributed every day, providing access to safe drinking water to some 100,000 people. Every day, more water points are being set up in Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas

•Hundreds of breast-feeding mothers receive nutritional and psychological support in our baby tents, which have been set up amongst the makeshift tent cities all over Port-au-Prince

•Sanitation is an immediate priority. The rainy season is about to start and sanitation problems can quickly turn into a health disaster. Our teams are working round-the-clock to set up latrines, dig trenches and implement hygiene-promotion sessions

•We currently have some 40 international staff and 250 national staff in Port-au-Prince, plus an additional 50 colleagues in Gonaives and Port de Paix

•The media spotlight has moved on: but our teams continue to make a life-saving difference every day.

Aid Reaches Thousands of Earthquake Survivors in Haiti

Humanitarian organisation rushes to provide access to food, water & sanitation in stricken areas

February 2, 2010| PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI — Three weeks after the 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck parts of western Haiti, Action Against Hunger | ACF-International is providing displaced families with access to food, water and sanitation in hard-hit neighborhoods of Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas. In spite of gasoline shortages, airport delays and other logistical limitations, the international humanitarian organisation has assisted thousands of people left homeless and in dire need of life-sustaining supplies.


Targeted Food Distributions

As the risk of acute malnutrition grows in Haiti, ACF is distributing high-protein biscuits to families with children under five, who are most vulnerable to the life-threatening condition. To date, Action Against Hunger has handed out 26 tons of vitamin-laden BP5 biscuits to over 13,000 people. By working in close cooperation with the neighbourhood communities established in the camps, ACF is working to ensure efficient and safe distributions.



In cooperation with the World Food Programme, Oxfam, and the National Food Security Coordination Unit, Action Against Hunger is also carrying out a rapid assessment of the food security situation in affected areas to determine immediate and longer-term needs of the population.



More Supplies Arriving

A cargo plane carrying emergency supplies landed in Santo Domingo on Friday to reinforce ACF’s emergency relief efforts. This chartered flight, the organisation’s fourth since the quake, carried additional emergency food, and water and sanitation supplies, including 4,200 sheets, 14,000 blankets, 30 tons of BP5 biscuits, water taps and additional bladder tanks. Five ACF vehicles are currently en-route from the Dominican Republic to Haiti.



Action Against Hunger has implemented programmes in Haiti since 1985, focusing primarily on food security and water, sanitation and hygiene programmes in both emergency and recovery contexts in Port de Paix, Gonaives, Anse Rouge and Jeremiah.





Action Against Hunger has launched a public emergency appeal. Call 08456 003618 or click here

HAITI: mother-baby tents established to protect the youngest survivors of the quake

Port-au-Prince - Amidst the camps for earthquake survivors in Port-au-Prince, Action Against Hunger | ACF-International has established multiple mother-baby centres specifically designed to provide a range of services to mothers with young children, including a safe environment for breastfeeding, as well as medical, nutritional and psychological support. Some 5,000 mothers and their infants will receive assistance in these makeshift tents.



Action Against Hunger is targeting mothers with children under six months, who are vulnerable to malnutrition, as well as diseases resulting from contaminated water supplies and poor hygiene. Breast-milk contains a high concentration of antibodies and helps protect young children from infection. The centres are also designed to provide a sense of security for mothers and children recovering from trauma.



“Breastmilk is vital for a baby’s health, especially in an acute crisis situation such as this” said Lucile Grosjean, a spokesperson for Action Against Hunger in Haiti. “It is the best way to ensure a child is nourished and feels safe and protected. Breast milk contains a high number of antibodies and helps protect young children from infection. The centres are also designed to help mothers relax under these difficult circumstances.”



A woman named Helene arrived this weekend at one of our breastfeeding centres in the devastated Canape-Vert district of Port-au-Prince. Her baby was born in the street without any medical support. Due to the unhygienic conditions, the baby quickly developed conjunctivitis. Helene is now living in a makeshift tent with her 13 day old baby and her other children but is struggling to deal with a newborn in such difficult conditions. Upon arrival, Julie, a trained psychologist who runs the centre alongside her colleague Pierre, immediately performed a quick medial assessment and provided Helene with clean drinking water, food and a mat to lie on. With around-the-clock care, Helene’s baby is now recovering and Helene is breastfeeding her child successfully.



Before Action Against Hunger established these centres, Chantal, another young mother, scavenged for food and water for her three-month-old baby Cassandra among the rubble-strewn streets of Port-au-Prince. Now, she has a place to rest while she breastfeeds her child and receives additional nutritional support and hygiene instruction.



Action Against Hunger encourages mothers to visit these tents daily or as needs arise. Soon the centres will transform into nurseries where mothers can play with their children, engage in soothing activities like sewing and basket making, and embark on the long road to recovery.



Our team of nutritionists make regular visits to each of the nursing centres. “These centres are a real help to mothers in a crisis situation like this,” said Uwimama, Action Against Hunger’s nutrition coordinator. “In an emergency situation, young infants need special care. In addition, the bond between a mother and her child is really important for the child’s development and well-being. Mothers are traumatised so it is crucial to give them support and a feeling of security.”

Testimonies from Haiti: Resilience and mobilisation sets the mood - even in the most desperate of communities

By Lucile Grosjean, Port-au-Prince, Haiti

Here in Croix Deprez the mood is resilient and strong. I witness those who have lost everything, and are living day-to-day on the bare minimum. However, despite catastrophic circumstances, there is a real, heartfelt sense of community spirit, the pulling together in the name of national solidarity.

Today I met Serge Felix, a young 30 year old father. Luckily, Serge was at the barbers when the quake hit – his house was completely destroyed, and had he been there….he may not be alive today. With his head half shaven, as a result from the quake, he says:

“The clothes that I was wearing are the only things I have. I want to find a job to meet the needs of my family, and to make my contribution to those in need. Before the earthquake, I wanted to leave my country in order to do a Masters in Human Sciences, and then find work. Now everything has changed. I have solid training, I already have 10 years professional experience; I can help my country. So, without question, I must stay here to help. I am ready for anything now.”

True to his word, Serge is currently helping his community by assisting with Action Against Hunger’s relief efforts. He has already helped install a waterpoint near the refugee camp in Croix Deprez, and is distributing water units to his fellow survivors.

The same surge of solidarity can also be felt in Gonaïves, situated five hours North of Port au Prince. With a town barely recovered from the huge cyclones of 2008, and the community now faced with further destruction, locals are refusing to give into the situation, and those that can, are giving everything they have to those worse off. As such, gifts of clothes, toys and tools have all arrived at the Action Against Hunger office in the Gonaïves.

This mark of generosity and overall feeling of national solitary, in the face of adversity, gives me hope in a country so crippled by tragedy.


Action Against Hunger has launched a public emergency appeal. Call 08456 003618 or click here

Action Against Hunger extends programmes to towns outside Port-au-Prince

Port-au-Prince – One week since the devastating earthquake struck Haiti, it is now a race against time to provide access to clean, safe drinking water to the survivors. Action Against Hunger | ACF International is already providing safe drinking water to 40,000 individuals in the neighbourhoods of Champs de Mars and Canape-Vert while finalising the setting up of additional water reservoirs in the stadium and the Croix de Pres district. The organisation’s teams are also finalising preparations to set up water reservoirs and rehabilitate water points in Leogane, 30 kilometres west of the capital. The water network in the region had already been seriously damaged during the cyclones of 2008, and with 80% of the city destroyed, some 125,000 quake survivors are in desperate need.



“Our 120 strong-team is working with local communities to manage the security and effective distribution of water at all water points,” said Action Against Hunger’s Lucile Grosjean in Haiti. “Four community members are nominated to join each water management committee, in charge of running the distributions. By involving local volunteers, Action Against Hunger ensures the effective delivery of water to those in desperate need.”



Meanwhile, the organisation’s teams in the neighbouring town of Gonaives, which has seen a massive influx of people from Port-au-Prince, have started to distribute water to hospitals and health centres. “Not a single drop of water is currently available in the K-Soleil hospital,” reported Lucile Grosjean on Tuesday. “Doctors and nurses have no water to wash their hands and patients are desperately thirsty. Relatives are trying to buy water in the streets, but with little money available and prices doubling in most regions, it is nearly impossible to find drinking water.”



Action Against Hunger is also finalising preparations to launch food distributions, despite facing severe logistical problems, including fuel shortages and the hugely congested airport. 45 metric tons of protein biscuits to provide for the nutritional needs of 18,000 children under five years old are currently being transported from Santo Domingo to Port-au-Prince, and will be distributed from tomorrow onwards.





Action Against Hunger has launched a public emergency appeal. Call 08456 003618 or click here

Haiti: Access to Water and Sanitation Urgently Needed

PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI — Less than 48 hours after a massive quake devastated parts of western Haiti, Action Against Hunger’s teams already on the ground have fully mobilised to meet humanitarian needs. External emergency experts from Action Against Hunger | ACF International have also arrived to reinforce relief efforts already taking place, assess needs, and set up programs to assist disaster victims.

Action Against Hunger’s top priority is access to safe water and sanitation, and the organization is especially concerned about controlling epidemics, as large swaths of the population are living on the streets among the deceased. This massive population of homeless people has no access to adequate sanitation, including latrines, which greatly increases their risk of disease.

While conditions make it extremely difficult to carry out accurate assessments—with more than 80% destruction in certain parts of Port-au-Prince—ACF’s initial response will ensure access to clean water and sanitation, nutritional support for children (especially infants under six months of age), distributions of food rations, public health and hygiene promotion, and mental health services for at least the next several months. Emergency stocks of water and sanitation supplies have arrived from ACF’s programs in the nearby city of Gonaïves. These water treatment stations, vehicles, and communications equipment will enable the organization to begin mitigating the enormous water and sanitation challenges facing the Haitian population.

In response to the urgent need for additional emergency water and sanitation supplies, Action Against Hunger has partnered with Airbus to send an A340 cargo plane with 150 metric tons of material to Haiti, including: flexible water tanks, latrines, emergency units of water treatment, jerry cans, drinking water kits, computers and communications equipment, and an additional team of four technical experts.

Action Against Hunger expresses its appreciation to Airbus for their support in sending cargo and to Aquassistance for their provision of units of water treatment in response to the crisis in Haiti.

Action Against Hunger has implemented programmes in Haiti since 1985, carrying out emergency measures in the areas of health and nutrition. Since 2001, ACF has focused primarily on food security and water, sanitation, and hygiene programs in both emergency and development contexts in Port de Paix, Gonaives, Anse Rouge and Jeremiah.

Action Against Hunger has launched a public emergency appeal. Call 08456 003618 or click here...

Read more about Action Against Hunger's response to the earthquake in Haiti