A female farmer and microcredit recipient in southern Malawi works in her maize field. |
writer: stephanie kinnunen
photographer: maciej dakowicz
-
united nations development programme |
| In one of the poorest countries on earth, how can people
be empowered to lift themselves out of abject poverty?
Is it naïve to dream that the nominal sum of $8 per
person, per year can improve the quality of life for those
who live on less than $1 per day? The Hunger Project
(THP) mobilizes communities surrounding their 82
epicenters throughout Africa to be: “the primary authors
and actors for their own development.” With this mindset
at the core of their strategy, THP provides the local
population with practical tools to develop and manage their own programs. |
THP provides support and encouragement for communities to construct a building that houses education programs, a health care center, a food bank, a community farm, clean drinking water and a bank from which people can receive microloans. These "epicenters" are the central point amid a cluster of villages that are within a 6-mile radius. Their locations are determined in consultation with the surrounding communities to identify the most central area.
Prior to building an epicenter, THP secures support from government officials. THP then mobilizes the communities to elect epicenter committees that manage individual programs. These committees are comprised of equal numbers of women and men, which is a unique characteristic in a society where women have traditionally been excluded from decision-making positions. |
| As the population surrounding the epicenter becomes more confident and organized, natural leaders begin to emerge. These leaders, called “animators,” are a critical element of THP’s strategy as they undertake leadership positions within each community. Many animators are trained to be teachers for the adult literacy program at the epicenter. Others are educated in HIV/AIDS prevention, key health and sanitation issues and topics related to gender inequality. Each animator is deeply involved in his or her own respective village as well as the epicenter itself. Animators meet monthly to exchange ideas, create new strategies and review the progress of each program. |
The Jali epicenter in southern Malawi serves 27 surrounding villages that have a combined population of 14,650. |
Gender equality is a top priority of the epicenter strategy. THP points out that gender is much more than being born male or female; it is the "different roles that society assigns to women and men." They believe that gender equality is central to addressing not only issues of hunger, but also economic and sustainable development, health issues such as HIV/AIDS prevention and infant mortality. |
Women attending an adult literacy class at the Jali epicenter. |
“When you look at where the sustainable future of humanity is being worked out, it’s not being worked out on Wall Street, it’s not being worked out in Silicon Valley – it’s really being worked out in the villages of the developing world, and who is on the front line of that struggle? … the women.”
-john coonrod, vice president
the hunger project |
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