Tomorrow, we depart India to return to the U.S. This brief visit has revealed to us the struggles and hopes the women here face. We have seen a side of India that only a program field visit could offer. Despite the prior knowledge that we would be traveling to one of India’s poorest regions, Bihar, no statistics could have prepared us for our visits with women who are at the front lines of the daily battle against chronic hunger and poverty.In the rural, agricultural landscape of deeply impoverished Bihar, I met Vimla Devi. Although Vimla could not tell me her age, or the age of her children, there was a number that she knew quite well: two. Not long ago, Vimla lost two of her children to a devastating disease in her village-malaria. Vimla and her family have very little to eat-they are lucky when their two daily meals of rice are accompanied by a few vegetables. About four times a month, she forgoes her meals altogether so that her children can eat. As an added struggle, one that is difficult to overstate, Vimla and the entire village belong to what was once a caste of “untouchables” in India. This caste system and its cultural stigmas still very much persist and will take a long time to eradicate. (more…)
It’s that time of year. The time to make mental lists of all the things you’re thankful for. As I sift through recipes for the best mashed potatoes or the creamiest pumpkin pies, I am thankful for the bounty that is available to me. I am thankful for my local Trader Joe’s, which I know will be stocked full of just the right honey or cheese or squash.
But I know I am among the fortunate to have such bounty at my fingertips. I remember those who are living on less than a dollar a day. And I am thankful that I am in a position to share their stories.
And at work, as the emails pile up and the paper copier jams, I am thankful that there are people out there thinking of their own bounty–and giving a little back.
To the interns and volunteers who tirelessly show up for work day after day and pitch in to help carry the load–thank you. To the vendors who ensure that our annual reports arrive in time for our yearly mailing–thank you. To the Trustees who are lending their expertise to make this the best organization it can be–thank you. To the donors who send us that little bit of extra bounty they can spare because they know it will make the life of a family better–thank you. To the many supporters Freedom from Hunger is blessed to have around the world–thank you. And for the new readers who are visiting our website for the first time and have taken the time to stop and read this–thank you.
Thank you for spreading the word. Thank you for your extra donations. Thank you for caring and for making it possible for us to end hunger… for good. Together, we truly are making a difference.
That was my voice you heard on the Philippines podcast. I was interviewing Nolie Estocado, a micro-entrepreneur whose life has clearly changed because of microfinance. Meeting Nolie (and women like her) is the kind of experience that lives with me every day. She has transformed her life by her own hard work and determination. She is a self-help hero. Freedom from Hunger Day celebrates women like Nolie. And there are many more women just like her! I hope that her life sparks action in your own. When I’m not traveling to meet women like Nolie, I am working hard to spread the word to the greater public about Freedom from Hunger’s work. Freedom from Hunger Day itself was created to raise awareness of the lives of women like Nolie. What do you want to know about the self-help heroes we are here today to celebrate?
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