ADRA

Updates and special concerns

11/07/08
Congo Crisis: ADRA Readies Response for the Displaced
Silver Spring, Maryland—In response to the outbreak of violence in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo’s North Kivu province, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is preparing an emergency response plan to provide relief to tens of thousands of displaced persons who fled their homes near Goma along the border between Congo and Rwanda.
The recent surge in violence between government and rebel troops has caused food in Goma to become scarce, resulting in a severe spike of food prices, leaving thousands without access to nourishment. ADRA is mounting an emergency response to provide food, blankets, and other essential items to internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the region.
“Food prices have soared more than 50 percent in Goma and food is barely available for purchase,” said Romain Kenfack, country director for the ADRA DRC East office in Goma.
Widespread security concerns continue to be a problem for aid workers, limiting access to supplies and assistance. “The situation is very tense,” said Kenfack. “People are still very much afraid.” According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the fate of at least 50,000 people remains uncertain as several IDP camps near the town of Rutshuru, some 56 miles (90 km) north of Goma, have been reportedly looted and burned.
Since Tuesday, November 4, new fighting has broken out between the National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP), Congolese Tutsi rebels led by General Laurent Nkunda, and the local pro-government Mai-Mai militia. The rebels report that Rwanda Hutu Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda (FDLR) rebels, and government forces have fought along with the Mai-Mai at Kiwanja, near Rutshuru, but were pushed back.
A peace deal was signed between the Congolese government and various rebel groups in January, but General Nkunda has refused to disarm, in an apparent attempt to protect his fellow Tutsis from attacks by Rwandan Hutus believed to be responsible for the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
On October 24, days after a shaky, week-old cease-fire negotiated by the United Nations disintegrated, Congolese rebels launched a new offensive in the North Kivu province. Since then, an estimated 100,000 people have been uprooted from their homes.
This weekend, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon will meet with Congolese President Joseph Kabila and Rwandan President Paul Kagame, while attending the emergency summit that will be held in Nairobi, Kenya, in order to find a solution to the conflict. This summit is hosted by the African Union, and will also be attended by the leaders of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, South Africa, and Burundi. The DR Congo crisis will also be addressed at the 15-nation Southern African Development Community summit held in Johannesburg this same weekend.
Due to the escalating violence, the ADRA office in Goma was closed on October 28, when rebel soldiers advanced to within six miles (10 km) of the city. Field offices in Bunia, Bukavu, Uvira, and Baraka, however, remain operational, as they are located in more secure areas. An estimated 95 percent of ADRA’s projects in the region are carried out in field offices, said Kenfack. ADRA’s work in the Goma region has primarily focused on helping IDPs and returnees with rehabilitation and resettlement, providing them with the means to begin again.
Over the last two months, approximately 250,000 have been displaced, totaling nearly one million IDPs in Congo, or 20 per cent of the population of the entire North Kivu province, according to the United Nations. Of that number, many are currently displaced in and around Goma.
Since 1996, more than 4 million people are believed to have died in the Congolese conflict, according to UN estimates, mostly due to preventable diseases and starvation.
At present, the greatest needs are for food, water, health kits, shelter and blankets.
To assist in ADRA’s emergency response to the growing humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo, contributions can be donated to ADRA’s Refugee and Displaced Persons Fund, by phone at 1.800.424.ADRA (2372) or online at www.adra.org.
ADRA is a non-governmental organization present in 125 countries providing sustainable community development and disaster relief without regard to political or religious association, age, gender, race, or ethnicity.
Additional information about ADRA can be found at www.adra.org.











Today's updates includes a letter from ADRA. Read how they are improving farming productivity and access to food resources.
11/05/08

Silver Spring, Maryland—In the midst of soaring food prices and calls from Sierra Leone’s president for increased agricultural investment, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is improving farming productivity and access to food resources for more than 2,500 rural households in Port Loko District, in northern Sierra Leone. This recent project was launched on World Food Day, October 15.
Through a partnership with the Maragiri Women’s Cooperative Society, a local organization of farmers dedicated to ensuring access to food in their own communities and beyond, ADRA is improving food security in 29 villages in the Kaffu Bullom chiefdom, by providing farming tools, materials, machinery, and training in improved agricultural methods. The project also aims to give beneficiaries economic development opportunities in various areas, including bread making, salt processing, fishing, and Gara fabric dyeing. This project, funded by ADRA International, is valued at more than $79,000.
“By improving the ways in which local farmers grow their food, we will increase the crop yields of our farmers,” said Beryl Aseno-Nyamwange, country director for ADRA offices in Sierra Leone and Gambia. “This in turn will increase food security within the targeted region.”
In Kaffu Bullom, where one of the main economic activities is the production of food crops such as rice, cassava, and sweet potatoes, the project is expected to increase household incomes, ultimately resulting in a better quality of life for families and increased education opportunities for their children.
The launching of this project comes just weeks after Sierra Leone president Ernest Bai Koroma addressed the UN General Assembly on September 25, calling for more investment in his country’s agricultural sector.
“It is vital that Africa increases food productivity and achieves food self-sufficiency," he said, noting that rising food prices could have a negative impact on Sierra Leone’s stability. “African farmers need to adopt higher-yielding land practices, with increased use of improved seeds, fertilizers and irrigation.”
ADRA is also raising literacy rates in small-scale farmers’ associations through an initiative that aims to improve their networking and marketing skills. Participants will learn important skills in monitoring, documentation, and reporting, essential components that help them make informed decisions by recording activities and visualizing results. This enables ADRA to more effectively measure the ultimate impact of the project.
ADRA has been active in Sierra Leone for more than 20 years, focusing on relief work during the recent decade-long civil war, and promoting development in health care, education, agriculture, food security, water and sanitation, resource management, infrastructure, and HIV and AIDS.
ADRA is a non-governmental organization present in 125 countries providing sustainable community development and disaster relief without regard to political or religious association, age, gender, race, or ethnicity.

ADRA Ranks Among Top 400 U.S. Charities for Fourth Consecutive Year

Silver Spring, Maryland—Rising 161 places in the annual Philanthropy 400 rankings, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) placed 204th among the nation’s top 400 charities, besting its previous year’s ranking of 365, according to the Chronicle of Philanthropy, a bi-weekly newspaper focused on the non-profit world and the top news source for charities.

ADRA’s climb in the overall rankings has been a direct result of the generosity of private and corporate donors, whose contributions totaled nearly $103 million in 2007 alone. This is important for ADRA in light of the recent downturn in the U.S. economy.

“Our commitment to the communities that we serve around the world is reflected in the integrity of our work, with more than 95 percent of the funds that we raise being used for direct humanitarian assistance,” said Julio Muñoz, bureau chief for marketing and development at ADRA International. “We are grateful for the generosity and confidence that our donors have in us, as we work to bring hope to millions of people in need.”

This achievement is in addition to ADRA’s accreditation with the BBB Wise Giving Alliance, which awarded ADRA its Charity Seal for the fifth consecutive year in recognition of the agency’s efficiency and its commitment to transparency and accountability. ADRA also maintains a four-star rating with Charity Navigator, the nation’s largest independent charity evaluator.

The Chronicle of Philanthropy bases its Philanthropy 400 rankings on the amount of funds that organizations raise from private donors, including individuals, foundations, and corporations. This information is gathered primarily from tax return forms filed by non-profits with the Internal Revenue Service, in addition to annual reports, financial statements, and a questionnaire based on tax information.

In order to qualify for this year’s list, each nonprofit had to raise at least $49.6 million in private funding, up from $42 million in 2006.

According to the Chronicle of Philanthropy, the most essential component used in ranking organizations is their ability to attract support from U.S. donors, rather than government institutions or international sources.

Since 2004, ADRA has appeared in the prestigious Philanthropy 400 list. This year, ADRA is joined by other organizations, such as Georgetown University, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, and the World Wildlife Fund.

Additional information on the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s list of 400, can be found online at http://philanthropy.com.

ADRA is a non-governmental organization present in 125 countries providing sustainable community development and disaster relief without regard to political or religious association, age, gender, race, or ethnicity.

Additional information about ADRA can be found at www.adra.org.

Author: Nadia McGill

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