Organization Celebrates 60th Anniversary with New Initiative
in India
Davis, CA, September 14, 2006 – Freedom from Hunger, a nonprofit,
international development organization celebrating 60 years of global success
in combating chronic hunger and poverty, today announced it will support the
design and launch of an innovative program that will give adolescent girls in
India meaningful options to realize their potential, including alternatives
to early marriage. This three-year program will be supported through a $1 million
grant from the Nike Foundation.
“This grant from the Nike Foundation supports Freedom from Hunger’s
long-term commitment to pioneering programs that will aid in enhancing girls’
and women’s voices in rural India,” said Dr. Christopher Dunford,
president of Freedom from Hunger. “For example, by encouraging girls to
delay their entrance into marriage, Freedom from Hunger is improving the food
security of families in India for the long term, by having the time to educate
them before it’s too late.”
There are approximately 100 million girls between the ages of 10- and 19-years-old
in India who are particularly vulnerable to early marriage. More than one-half
of all girls are married by the time they reach the legal age of 18. Studies
show, marriage at a young age is associated with a variety of adverse health
outcomes, including increased risk of malnutrition, anemia, maternal and infant
mortality and high fertility.
“The Nike Foundation
is dedicated to giving the world’s neediest girls the opportunity to lead
full and active lives,” said Maria Eitel, president of the Nike Foundation.
“Freedom from Hunger’s effective self-help services align with our
goals and will help deliver sustainable solutions to these girls and their families.”
This grant will support the development and distribution of Freedom from Hunger’s
Learning Conversations -- a simple and powerful innovation in dialogue-based
adult education through a low-cost and sustainable network of service centers,
reaching millions of girls in some of the poorest rural communities of the poorest
states of India, including Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal.
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About Freedom from Hunger
Founded in 1946, Freedom from Hunger brings innovative and sustainable self-help
solutions to the fight against chronic hunger and poverty. Together with local
partners, Freedom from Hunger equips families with resources they need to build
futures of health, hope and dignity. The Davis, Calif.-based organization is
helping more than 500,000 families in 16 countries, providing resources to approximately
2.2 million people around the world in achieving lasting food security. For
more information, please visit www.freefromhunger.org.
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