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Farmer by trade and tradition; generous by nature 

The power of The Hunger Project is driven in large part by the generosity of investors in Australia and globally – strategically paired with the time and energy invested by our village partners. Ivan Halbert has been investing in THP consistently for more than 20 years and recently gave his largest investment ever. We spoke to Ivan from his humble one-bedroom flat in Perth about his lifelong commitment to The Hunger Project.

Originally coming across the work of The Hunger Project in 1995, Ivan immediately knew it was something he wanted to be involved in.

The Hunger Project Australia CEO, Melanie Noden, with Ivan Halbert

“I thought it was a good program and it fit with my ideas of giving back to the world,” Ivan said.

“My thinking on giving internationally is that if all the countries The Hunger Project works in reach self-reliance and improve their local conditions, then the whole world improves.”

Ivan is a farmer by trade and tradition, but he pressed pause on his life on the land to open a health and well-being retreat with his wife. They ran this for 10 years and, throughout that time, The Hunger Project remained a big part of Ivan’s life.

“Being part of The Hunger Project was integral to my family’s upbringing. It first started with my wife and I, and then on to my daughters, who have been involved in The Hunger Project’s work as well. It has just been a big element of my life,” Ivan said.

He said his family’s charitable heart and his established hard-working ethic have influenced his lifetime of investment in organisations like The Hunger Project.

“I became partners with my dad on our farm and I carried on with it for years. It was a very large farm and I feel I was very privileged to have owned it,” Ivan said.

“Giving was part of my upbringing. My dad and my mum were very generous; generosity was bred into me.”

Deborah Protter (THP WA Board Member), Melanie Noden (THPA CEO) and Ivan Halbert.

A few years ago, Ivan was in Uganda on a personal visit. His experiences in Africa cemented in his mind why the work of The Hunger Project is so important.

“I was talking to a taxi driver in Uganda and I told him I was involved in The Hunger Project. After that, he completely opened up and took me around to see the level of poverty. I went to a quarry where children as young as five were working and smashing rocks all day,” Ivan said.

“Seeing the levels of hunger and poverty firsthand was eye-opening.”

Reflecting on why he has chosen to invest in The Hunger Project for more than two decades, Ivan said the level of transparency and effectiveness makes investing in THP worthwhile.

“The ethos of the Hunger Project of training the local people to lift themselves from their current situation to see the possibility of rising above “what is” to a new level of life is inspirational. It’s not about giving money; it’s about giving skills,” he said.

“Another thing for me is that The Hunger Project’s program work is virtually run by volunteers. When I give a dollar, I know that a majority of that will go directly to the people who require it. It is important that the money goes directly to where it should be going.”

The Hunger Project Australia thanks Ivan and his family for their dedication and generosity throughout the past 20 years, and acknowledges the enormous impact they have had as a result.

Join Ivan and his family in the efforts to end hunger:

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Our future work in Zambia

Restoring Zambia as the breadbasket of Africa.

Part of The Hunger Project’s global mission is advocating for the widespread adoption of our sustainable, grassroots, women-centered strategies in countries throughout the world. In 2017, the Patter Foundation offered The Hunger Project an opportunity to expand into a new country: Zambia.

Due to the large amount of investment in mineral resources, Zambia is a country with high levels of inequality. It is also a vast country with tourism opportunities and underdeveloped agricultural potential. The country has a widely-shared national vision (adopted in 2006) to be “a prosperous middle-income nation by 2030 that provides opportunities for improving the well being of all, embodying values of socioeconomic justice” (Zambia achieved middle-income status in 2011).

Zambia’s Vision 2030 sets the goal of reducing poverty to 20% from its current level of 54%. It also has policy framework – as yet not fully implemented – that is almost a perfect fit for The Hunger Project’s gender-focused, community-led Epicentre Strategy.

The Patter Foundation underwrote a scoping exercise to determine Zambia’s suitability for The Hunger Project’s work. Part of the exercise involved codifying our Epicentre Strategy in a Toolkit so that we can advocate for its widespread adoption. Now, the Global Board has approved The Hunger Project’s entry into Zambia. This is an exciting milestone in the journey of ending hunger globally.

Making our vision for a hunger free Zambia a reality

“We spoke to Roger (Massy-Greene, a THPA National Board member) about finding a way to direct our philanthropy to work happening in Africa. Roger spoke so passionately about the Epicentre communities that he had invested in for many years together with his wife Belinda and their family.

From there, we did our own research and met with the THPA team to find out more. We were already supporting some students from a quite extraordinary not-for-profit school in Zambia that is a leading light for the national government. We visited one of the villages where the children come from; there, many of the parents are unemployed and most families are living well below the poverty line.

We were really impressed with the Epicentre strategy’s holistic nature with the ultimate goal of self-reliance – and that it is community-led development.

We immediately saw that in this village and those surrounding it that The Hunger Project’s Epicentre Strategy would be an invaluable benefit to the community. Zambia is a country that has so much potential; it has the potential to be a ‘breadbasket’ of Africa. We also believe that it is critical to the survival of big game, as it borders Botswana, Malawi and Zimbabwe. This – along with the fact I was born there as were my dad and grandfather – led us to the decision that we wanted to find a means to make a large impact in the country.

We agreed to fund a scoping study by The Hunger Project to look at how we could expand the Epicentre Strategy into a new country – Zambia – to see if we can make our vision for a hunger-free Zambia a reality.”

Nikki And Paul McCullagh
The Patter Foundation

Mpingo Epicentre makes history

The Hunger Project’s Mpingo Epicentre community is the third community in Malawi to reach self-reliance. What’s most exciting about this news is that all three of these communities in Malawi have been funded by Australians.

The 11,835 people of Mpingo have partnered with The Hunger Project since 2003 – and with the Eureka Benevolent Foundation since 2015.

There are 3 criteria an Epicentre must achieve in order to be declared self-reliant. Mpingo has achieved all three of them with flying colours:

1) The first criteria required is to have legal recognition as a community development organisation in their own right (separate to The Hunger Project).

2) The second criteria required is a title deed for the property on which the Epicentre building is constructed.

3) The third criteria required is to have a minimum self-reliance score of 80% based on their achievements on 53 measures.

Their future: As a result, the community declared themselves self-reliant, and Then Hunger Project is able to withdraw – and focus our attention on bringing other communities to self-reliance.

Results at Mpingo

Since reaching self-reliance Mpingo has achieved some amazing results across the board in terms of health, education and community engagement.

95% of births are attended by a licensed health care professional.

94% of households have at least one literate person.

90% of farmers are using improved farming methods.

88% of individuals are aware of their HIV status.

84% of children age 4 to 18 are attending school.

84% of individuals now believe they have the ability to implement change.

You can read more about the Mpingo Epicentre and much more in our 2017 Annual Report.

3 things that will end hunger for good

The Hunger Project’s innovative and holistic approach to ending world hunger calls for the empowerment of rural communities in India, Africa and Bangladesh to take charge of their own development, transform entrenched harmful traditional practices and beliefs, and be active citizens who know their rights and hold the government to account.

All of our programs – while adapted to meet local opportunities and challenges – share three essential things that will end hunger for good:

1) Start by empowering women as key change agents

The vast majority of people living in hunger and poverty are women. Women bear almost all responsibility for meeting the basic needs of the family, yet are systematically denied the resources, information and freedom of action they need to fulfil this responsibility.

Studies show that when women are supported and empowered, all of society benefits. Their families are healthier, more children go to school, agricultural productivity improves and incomes increase. That’s why we focus on building the capacity of women.

2) Mobilise entire communities into self-reliant action

Our aim is to overcome the deep resignation within people living in hunger, and awaken them to the possibility of a different future, one free from hunger. We build people’s knowledge, skills and leadership, so they can take action to improve their own communities.

3) Foster effective partnerships to engage local government 

We work in partnership with local government bodies to ensure that they are effective, include women in leadership positions, are directly accountable to local people, and provide access to resources and information. We also educate and encourage communities to demand what they’re entitled to from their governments, including services, resources and financial schemes and benefits.

You can read more in our 2021 Global Investor Report.

 

Ending child marriage in Bangladesh

The Hunger Project Bangladesh recently led a community-wide event to raise awareness of the harmful effects of child marriage and to highlight The Hunger Project’s commitment to empowering women and girls.

Around the world, 39,000 girls get married every day. This is a challenge in low-income countries like Bangladesh where one in three girls are married before the age of 18.

Participants of the community event presented information about child marriage, expressing their opinions and their priorities – opening up a dialogue about a long-held community issue. The session successfully ended with a joint pledge to reduce child marriage from 81 percent to less than 30 percent in their community.

The event, which took place as part of The Hunger Project’s involvement in the Her Choice Alliance, saw volunteers and staff members share new data about child marriage in communities across Bangladesh. Her Choice is an alliance of organisations that are working to halt child marriage in 11 countries, with the long-term goal of creating communities in which girls and young women are free to decide if, when and whom to marry.

At The Hunger Project, we believe in measuring what matters. Our philosophy of monitoring and evaluating our community-level programs is centred on the understanding that empowering individuals and communities with knowledge, information and opportunities is essential for achieving sustainable self-reliance and ending hunger.

All of our programs are monitored through a participatory monitoring process. This means that we start with grassroots, community-led engagement to close the feedback loop between our projects’ performance and community expectations and goals. Objectivity is key, so we embed transparency and accountability for data throughout all of our monitoring and evaluation processes.

Learn more about how The Hunger Project ends hunger and poverty in Bangladesh.

Malawi to end child marriages

The country with one of the highest rates of child marriages has taken a major step to end the practice by adopting a constitutional amendment that raises the minimum age of marriage from 15 to 18 years-old. 

In a major win for young girls all across the continent, on 14 February the Malawi Parliament took a landmark decision towards advancing gender equality by banning child marriage in the country. Unanimously the Parliament of Malawi adopted a constitutional amendment that raises the minimum age of marriage from 15 to 18 years, for both girls and boys. The amendment aligns the Constitution with the 2015 Marriage, Divorce and Family Relations Act enacted by the Parliament.

Each year around 15 million girls will be married before they turn 18. The Hunger Project and 0ur partners have been strong advocates for an end to child marriage

According to the UN, half of the girls in Malawi are often married before the age of 18 and teen pregnancies contribute to 20-30 per cent of maternal deaths in the country. The practice of child marriage locks girls into a cycle of poverty, with many forced to leave their education after they marry, rendering girls more vulnerable to violence.

The new reform aligns the Constitution with Malawi’s international and regional obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and others, including the Sustainable Development Goal 5 on gender equality.

Your donation can help bring an end to child marriage.

 

 

This is what ending hunger looks like

Almost half of the population of Senegal lives on less than US$1.25 a day. One in five children between the ages of 5 and 14 are working and not in school. There are often shortages of food and high levels of unemployment.

These statistics are not just figures. They are the reality for thousands of people living in Senegal. It is also what life was like for people living in Ndereppe, a community in Senegal, before the community partnered with The Hunger Project 13 years ago.

“Everyone here in Ndereppe has been impacted by The Hunger Project. It was as if we were living in the dark and now we finally see the light.” – Aseensar, a member of the Ndereppe community.

The Hunger Project’s partnership was the catalyst for the people of Ndereppe to interrupt their own mindset about what was possible for themselves and their future – and ultimately to achieve self-reliance.

“Before, I did not have the ability or funds to own sheep. My situation began to improve after I attended The Hunger Project’s Entrepreneurship Workshops and took a microfiance loan from the local bank. At the start, I was afraid to make investments and take loans, but I’ve found the confidence to do it, and as a result I have yielded 2 tonnes of grain for my family and trading.”

The magnitude of Ndereppe’s success would not have been possible without your support and the commitment and persistence of the Ndereppe community. By empowering women and men to become the authors of their own destiny, they have been able to achieve things they used to think were impossible. Children are attending school, unemployment has dropped and the community has access to clean water and quality healthcare. They have ended hunger in their community.

EMPOWERING A GENERATION OF YOUNG CHANGEMAKERS

Recently, 14-year-old Afrina travelled across India by train with 49 other visionary young women on an exciting peer-to-peer learning adventure. The moment these girls boarded the train they broke down the isolation of the walls of their homes and expanded their horizons. As they travelled across the country, they explored the barriers faced by women and girls and learned how to overcome them.

The trip was part of The Hunger Project’s new Adolescent Girls Program. During this three-year pioneering training program, girls are educated on their rights, health, nutrition and the importance of education. They are also unleashed psychologically and emotionally to believe in their own power to make a difference in their lives and the lives of others.

“Everyone in my village was against me travelling alone. They told me that if boys do not travel such distances, how can a girl? I want to tell everyone that girls can live freely and have equal respect to men. Before this trip I was afraid, but being the first person from my family to travel to a city, I now know I can do something for myself and for others.” – Afrina

On their journey, Afrina and the other girls met strong women who are already tearing down gender barriers and transforming their communities. They discussed issues such as child marriage, their vision for a better and equal future for all, and how to achieve economic and social empowerment. They learned how to become champions for change in their villages.

When she returned home, Afrina was determined to make a difference. When she learned that her young cousin was going to be married, she knew she had to act.

“When I discovered that my underage cousin was getting married, I went to her house to confront my uncle. I told him that she should not get married. He was surprised. I proceeded to explain to him that child marriage is bad and that girls should get married after they are 18 years old. He scolded me and asked me to go home.”

“Later in the day, I came back with a group of friends to persuade him not to marry my cousin off. We all protested and explained to him why she should not get married before 18. We are only children. I never would have had the courage to stand up to my uncle had it not been for this experience,” says Afrina.

Thanks to the training she has received from The Hunger Project, Afrina succeeded in stopping her cousin’s marriage and she knows that anything is possible. She can follow her dreams and make an impact for girls everywhere.

CAMILLA x The Butterfly Effect

We are thrilled to announce the launch of The Butterfly Effect initiative in partnership with CAMILLA.

This initiative will create a brighter future for 1,000 young girls and their families in the Bihar community through education and training to end critical issues affecting their safety, freedom and livelihood. CAMILLA’s key mission of the initiative includes ending child marriage and delivering education and training on human rights, nutrition and sanitation for young girls, aged 13 to 18.

“During a trip to India a few years ago, I witnessed first-hand how some young women are mistreated and I now understand that with every dollar, guidance, education and support – we can help turn their lives around. My dream for CAMILLA is bigger than fashion. It’s about a full vision that helps empower girls and women by providing them with skills, education, purpose and a safe community,” says CAMILLA founder and owner Camilla Franks.

With dreams as big as this, CAMILLA needed to kickstart it to ensure the best infrastructure and mentors were in place. Through the sales of special-edition scarves in CAMILLA boutiques across December and January, they generated $50,000, with 100% of all proceeds exclusively used to launch the initiative. 

This grassroots funding would not have been possible without the support of CAMILLA customers who have shared the journey with CAMILLA from day one. For this, we are so thankful, as are the girls whose lives CAMILLA customers will help change.

The next fundraising phase will be the biggest! As part of CAMILLA’s Indian collection, The Long Way Home, CAMILLA has created a special print for The Hunger Project. For every piece of apparel and accessories from The Butterfly Effect print sold, 10% of profits will go towards funding The Hunger Project’s adolescent girls program.

Camilla Franks wearing The Butterfly Effect print.

CAMILLA’s overall aim is to raise a combined contribution of $120,000 to invest in the bright future of participants in the program.

“The young women whose lives will be transformed through this program need a guiding light, they need the strength and guidance to dream about a brighter future. Together with our partners at The Hunger Project, they will be taught the value of their own human rights and the protection of their body and freedom. Every young woman in this world should be free to dream and hope, in a safe environment where she believes in her heart that a change is truly possible,” says Camilla Franks.

India has a special place in CAMILLA’s hearts. It is a place that they turn to for inspiration, for spirituality, for craftsmanship and for family. Their hope is that they can help navigate positive change within communities that have changed their lives, too. 

Find out more and shop The Butterfly Effect print here.

Three Epicentres reach self-reliance targets

Three Epicentres in Africa have declared self-reliance – meaning the communities have demonstrated the confidence, capacity and skills to act as agents of their own development… an amazing achievement.

Mesqan Epicentre in Ethiopia –  An outstanding example of the progress made in the community is that the prevalence of diarrhea in children under 5 decreased by 37%, to only 7% of children, thanks to work by trained volunteers to raise community awareness and increase access to safe water and sanitation. Congratulations to our partners at Mesqan Epicentre and our team in Ethiopia!

Kiboga Epicentre in Uganda –  There was an 86% decrease in the proportion of households in extreme poverty since the time of construction. Congratulations to our partners at Kiboga Epicentre and the team in Uganda!

Zakpota Epicentre in Benin  – The Zakpota community in Benin have successfully reduced hunger by 96% in the past 4 years! Congratulations to our partners at Zakpota Epicentre.

When people are empowered to become the solution to their own problems they emerge as courageous, innovative, leaders who create sustainable and lasting changes in their communities.

Image credit: Johannes Odé