Blog Moderator's blog

This blog is part of a series organized by The Chicago Council’s Global Agriculture Development Initiative and InterAction to highlight the importance of public-private partnerships in agricultural development. This commentary is cross-posted with The Chicago Council's Global Food for Thought Blog.

This blog is part of a series organized by The Chicago Council’s Global Agriculture Development Initiative and InterAction to highlight the importance of public-private partnerships in agricultural development. This commentary is cross-posted with The Chicago Council's Global Food for Thought Blog.

This blog is part of a series organized by The Chicago Council’s Global Agriculture Development Initiative and InterAction to highlight the importance of public-private partnerships in agricultural development. This commentary is cross-posted with The Chicago Council's Global Food for Thought Blog.

The final segment of the presidential debates is over. Unfortunately, not much was said about the importance and impact of U.S. aid to developing countries. We all know that the global economic climate is tough and it’s unreasonable to expect any increases in foreign aid. But what we can expect and hope will come to pass no matter who is in elected president next month, is that foreign assistance for global health and humanitarian aid will not be cut disproportionately.

Such drastic cuts would be ruinous. In fact, they would cost lives. 

Imagine living in complete isolation. Secluded from a bustling city, from any means to access resources for your family; just waiting for life to pass by. It is impossible to imagine what it’s really like until you experience it firsthand…

Lake Chad, once the sixth-largest lake in the world, has shrunk by more than 90 percent over the last 40 years. 20 million people faced dislocation and starvation as farmlands and livelihoods disappeared. For them, the combined impact of climate change and water mismanagement created a crisis that was unimaginable, and they joined the millions of others who face chronic poverty and food shortages in West Africa’s Sahel Region.

A few months ago, at CHF International, we were faced with a question that would have major consequences for us: do we change our name? At that time, I saw a discussion in Arabic on our Facebook page. Amid the Arabic floated three letters “CHF”, then three unsettling words: “Congestive Heart Failure.” Finally, in a response, I saw “Cooperative Housing Foundation.” I took it to a member of our staff who speaks Arabic, who explained to me that it was a serious discussion between a Palestinian doctor and another of our supporters.

There is more than enough food in the world to feed every man woman and child, and yet nearly 870 million people face starvation and malnutrition every day. Through innovative partnerships and with the political will, we can and will end chronic hunger and abject poverty. 

That’s why World Food Program USA is a proud partner in the Global Citizen movement. Global Citizens believe that solving global hunger and poverty is not an act of charity but a matter of justice. 

We know the relationship between poverty and education – no education means no job, no job means no income, and no income means no education.  It becomes an unbreakable cycle. Children are bound to this reality; a glass ceiling is created.  Education, while not simple in practice, is simple in solution and is integral to ending poverty and provides the structure for sustainable economic growth. 

“Let’s pool the funds and split them evenly.” I was surprised to hear these words while sitting around a conference table with the leadership of 10 different organizations. With many donors financially stressed and giving less, I expected Global Washington’s member organizations to begin competing for every dollar. However, this community is instead consistently choosing collaboration over competition.