JUNE 2004
Partner Countries Fund the End of Hunger
Partner country leaders meet in New York, February 2004.
The Hunger Project is funded by committed individuals from more than 20 countries around the world. In addition to fund-raising in the United States, Hunger Project investment is mobilized by legally registered Hunger Project organizations in 10 “partner countries.” In 2003, partner countries funded 26 percent of the global budget.
In the partner countries as elsewhere, the lion’s share of work is done by volunteer investor activists. In fact, 3 of the 10 partner countries have no paid staff at all!
This year, partner countries are making a major effort to upgrade systems and put in place the rigorous strategies necessary to sustainably expand Hunger Project investment. Already, as of mid-May, Australia, the Netherlands and New Zealand have surpassed the level of fund-raising achieved through all of 2003.
Creating The Hunger Project Everywhere
Dr. Hugo Gonzalez from Mexico at event in Germany, 2003.
Wherever you live, you are at the center of The Hunger Project.
Investors from the partner countries participate as global citizens — at global events and investor trips around the world, and through events and activities in their own countries.
Partner countries are always represented on investor trips, such as the just-completed investor trip in Senegal.
And the partner countries have already launched themselves into action to have a record-breaking turnout at an event in New York on 6–7 November: “The Girl Child: The Future Depends on Her.”
In July, activists from the partner countries (including Mexico, which is also a program country) will come together with their US colleagues to strategize a powerful completion of 2004.
Each year, our partners in Australia have mobilized investors — and brought them into the center of The Hunger Project — at events featuring one of our country directors. This month, our country director from Ghana, Dr. Naana Agyemang-Mensah, is touring Australia as the featured speaker at fund-raising events organized by The Hunger Project-Australia in Perth, Sydney and Melbourne.
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In the same way, The Hunger Projects in
Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland held events last winter
featuring Mexico’s country director, Dr. Hugo Gonzalez.
Partner countries generate strategies to seize local opportunities. The Netherlands has opened doors in the international development community. Australia is mobilizing a team of more than 30 investor animators, who each are committed to raising at least US$10,000. Partner country teams have been enormously resourceful and creative in communicating The Hunger Project in many cultures and languages. There are now Hunger Project Web sites in Spanish, French, German (one each for Germany and Switzerland), Japanese, Dutch and Swedish. There are distinct English sites for the US, UK, Canada and Australia. Articles from the monthly newsletter are translated into Dutch, French, German, Spanish and Swedish and distributed broadly. In addition, distinct cultures and legal frameworks call for different kinds of publications. Sweden produces a newsletter that its corporate investors consider to be advertising — a requirement of corporate philanthropy in Sweden, where, unlike most countries, corporations must prove direct benefit from their giving.
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Update on the Financial Family Upgrade Campaign
Tom Lemons in Malawi, July 2003. |
During the past month, more than 75 US Hunger Project investor activists took to the phones to reach out to the members of the Financial Family — those individuals who invest a specific amount each month until hunger is ended. The initial results have been outstanding. “Count me in,” responded 91-year-old Erma Johnson, “I will stay the course!” Tamzen White increased her pledge from US$25 per month to US$100, and in her note, promised to look at increasing it more later this year. Tom Lemons — who was a US$50 per month member for 20 years — responded to a phone call in 2002, became a major investor, traveled to Malawi in 2003 and is now a volunteer in this campaign.
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Events were held last month in Atlanta, Chicago, Cleveland, New York, Phoenix, and Pompano Beach, Florida, at which Financial Family members could come together and be updated on what they’ve been making possible. More events are scheduled in the weeks to come — visit www.thp.org and click on “Coming Events.”
At the beginning of June, campaign chair Valerie Harper sent personal notes to each Financial Family member who has not yet responded to the campaign. “I have always been proud of my Hunger Project, and these days — as it expands and directly empowers millions of hungry people — I’m more proud than ever. I hope that all of us will step forward in this campaign to provide the funding to bring our strategic work to more villages and more countries. Together we will accelerate the fulfillment of our vision of a world free from hunger.”