Last Minute Challenge!

Hi jay- There are just two hours left in 2012 to make a donation. And we have a very last minute challenge for you! Tradition Capital Bank and Air Cleaning Technology have teamed up to help you double your impact for people in need. Any donations made in the next two hours (until Midnight US Central Time) will be matched. Make your gift now at: http://www.arcrelief.org/donate . These two companies will match gifts up to $2,000. But only for the next two hours.  Thank you for your generosity and your partnership. I wish you and your family a happy and healthy new year.  Sincerely, -Daniel Daniel Wordsworth President, American Refugee Committee

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16 Hours Left

Hello jay -    There are just 16 hours left to make a tax-deductible donation in 2012. Just like you, ARC has many resolutions for the New Year - new initiatives we're pursuing. But the most important thing we can do is to be there for families after they've lost everything. When people have fled their homes they're suffering the most vulnerable moments of their lives. They need our help. Will you be there for these families in 2013? Will you make a donation at http://www.arcrelief.org/donate? Happy New Year! -Daniel Daniel Wordsworth President

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Inside ARC - 12.26.12

Hi jay, Happy Holidays! This is the last update for 2012 of what’s been happening around the American Refugee Committee. Thank you so much for your support this year. We look forward to continuing to work as partners in 2013. Happy New Year! -Daniel Daniel Wordsworth, President ***********************************************  *A Sound Investment* The next few days are the busiest of the year for charitable giving. Supporters make donations to organizations that will act effectively and efficiently to help people in need. ARC has always been an excellent steward of your donations, stretching each dollar for the world’s most vulnerable people. But in 2012, we’ve been particularly acknowledged for our work. The Peter F. Drucker Institute recognized ARC with their 2012 Nonprofit Innovation Award in September.  Charity Navigator issued ARC a second consecutive ‘4-Star’ rating, while CharityWatch again gave us top marks – an ‘A’ for the efficiency and effectiveness of our programs. If you’d like to make a donation, you can do so at: http://www.arcrelief.org/12match . Atomic Data will match your donation! And - if you're willing - let a friend know about ARC's work with refugees and that you support our efforts. *Congo Response*   ARC continues to respond for families inside of Congo, where violence between rebel groups and the Congolese military has forced hundreds of thousands of people from their homes since April. ARC’s relief team has been on the ground for several weeks helping civilians and learning more about the humanitarian situation. One of the team’s efforts has been to set up a ‘salle d’ecoute’ or listening post with our partner Heal Africa. Rape and violence against women have been widespread during the conflict in Congo. At the listening post, women can receive counseling from trained professionals. The counselors can also help survivors to access medical attention if they need it. Our team has also distributed much needed medical supplies and is working on long-term interventions to help and protect families who’ve been affected by the ongoing violence. *16 Days of Activism in Uganda* Our team in Uganda recently observed the “16 Days Campaign”—a global campaign organizing people around the world to call for the elimination of all forms of violence against women.  In Kyangwali refugee settlement, ARC community activists led the effort to raise awareness with activities that included a community dialogue, dramatizations, a tug-of-war rally, cultural gala, and more. Partners made remarks about community participation to prevent and respond to violence—they focused on community silence and encouraged people to speak out in order to eliminate violence. A dance group performed the “Larakaraka” dance, encouraging people to work together to create peace in homes and families. And, information on the ARC emergency hotline to help survivors was distributed to event attendees. *Giving*    At the request of readers, I always include these links so they’re easy to find when you need them. Thanks so much. Become a Monthly Donor: http://www.ARCrelief.org/givemonthly Donate Online: http://www.ARCrelief.org/donate Give Us a Call: (800) 875-7060 Send in a gift: American Refugee Committee Donor Service Center P.O. Box 1002 Minneapolis, MN 55480-1002 USA

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Inside ARC - 12.11.12

Hi jay, Here’s the latest news from around the American Refugee Committee. -Daniel Daniel Wordsworth, President ***********************************************  *Congo Response* Violence between the Congolese military and rebel groups has forced Congolese families from their homes. People are fleeing for safety to Rwanda, Uganda, and other parts of Congo.  They join the more than 400,000 other Congolese men, women, and children who have fled their homes this year alone.  ARC is responding to the crisis. ARC currently has a team on the ground in eastern Congo, carrying out needs assessments, providing important medical supplies, and working with a local partner to implement a protection program for families living in displaced person camps. We will keep you posted on the team’s efforts. *4-Star Charity*   On December 1, ARC received its second consecutive 4-Star rating from charity evaluator and watchdog Charity Navigator. The 4-Star rating recognizes ARC’s sound fiscal management and commitment to accountability and transparency. “Only 17% of the charities we rate have received at least 2 consecutive 4-star evaluations,” said Charity Navigator’s Ken Berger, “indicating that American Refugee Committee outperforms most other charities in America.” ARC is also accredited by the Better Business Bureau, and we receive an ‘A’ rating from CharityWatch. *16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence* According to the World Health Organization, one in every three women around the world will be beaten, raped, or suffer another form of abuse during her lifetime.  The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence Campaign seeks to raise awareness about gender violence.  The campaign begins each year on November 25 (International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) and ends on December 10 (Human Rights Day).  This year, the theme for the campaign was “From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World”.  The emphasis on sexual violence during and after conflict is particularly relevant to the work of ARC, and our programs around the world participate in the campaign each year. *Giving*    At the request of readers, I always include these links so they’re easy to find when you need them. Thanks so much. Become a Monthly Donor: http://www.ARCrelief.org/givemonthly Donate Online: http://www.ARCrelief.org/donate Give Us a Call: (800) 875-7060 Send in a gift: American Refugee Committee Donor Service Center P.O. Box 1002 Minneapolis, MN 55480-1002 USA

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Alert: Congo Update

Hello Friends of ARC -    I want to alert you to the situation in Congo and let you know ARC is responding. It’s chaos in eastern Congo. Violence has erupted, and civilians are yet again paying the price. 400,000 people had already fled their homes since April. But with the escalation in violence and the capture of the provincial capital Goma last week, thousands more are fleeing. To Uganda. To Rwanda. To safer parts of Congo. Congo has been atop the headlines since last week. This is from the front page of yesterday’s New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/26/world/africa/as-rebels-gain-congo-again-slips-into-chaos.html?hp/ If families stay in their homes, they risk abuse from one or more of the armed groups roaming unopposed – extortion of what little money or resources they have, forced recruitment of men to fight, and rape or murder of men, women and children who resist. Conditions are grim – with food shortages and not nearly enough medical professionals to attend to the injured and sick. In Uganda and Rwanda, ARC is already assisting families who’ve fled by providing shelter, clean water, health care, counseling and other support. We've deployed an emergency  team into Congo - they will quickly assess the situation and begin responding. We’ll keep you updated as we learn more from our team  on the ground. Thank you, -Daniel Daniel Wordsworth President

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Inside ARC - 11.21.12

Hi jay, These bi-weekly insider updates are meant to connect. To connect you to the work that you’re making possible with your support…To connect you to the people you’re helping…To connect you to our team around the world, working on your behalf to help people in desperate need. I hope you feel connected to what you make possible. If there is any way we can improve in this regard, please let me know. And, below is an update on what’s been happening with ARC. Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at ARC! -Daniel Daniel Wordsworth, President ***********************************************  *THANK YOU!* Recently, we asked ARC donors to send a message of thanks and support to our aid workers around the world. We received dozens of heartfelt responses. We’re compiling those messages and sending them in a care package to aid workers next week. If you wrote a message, thank you! If you’d like to send a message, just respond to this email and we’ll include your message in the package. Below are just a few of the messages ARC supporters have shared: "I can’t tell you and the others who work with ARC how much I admire and respect all you have done for the children and families you have served.  Your efforts have made a difference in this world and I salute you for it." -Ken "How terrible that people become refugees.  They didn’t want it, but it happened.  How wonderful there are people like you to help them.  Thank you for all the wonderful work that you do." -Ruth "Thank you for doing such difficult work on behalf of all Americans.  I pray for your safety and success." -Carolyn "Thank you for doing the work that I am too old and unwell to do.  You are a special group!  Stay safe." -Marcia "Your work is hard, so you must have strong spirits.  We wish you well and safe in your efforts to care for refugees." -Catherine

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Inside ARC - 11.9.12

Hi jay, Every year at this time I am overwhelmed by the unbelievable generosity and commitment of our neighbors - locally and globally - for humanitarian relief. More than 50% of the critical support we receive each year arrives in our office during the month of December alone. It's truly remarkable to see. And it fills all of us with a deep sense of gratitude.   Thank you so much for helping to make ARC the incredible organization it is today. Sincerely, -Daniel Daniel Wordsworth, President ***********************************************  *DRC Refugees in Rwanda* More than 14,000 refugees from eastern DRC now reside in Kigeme camp (the camp built by the ARC team earlier this year in response to the flood of people seeking refuge in Rwanda).  The team is now moving people out of tents and setting up semi-durable shelters. The team is also putting in place improved drainage systems and reinforced terraces to prevent landslides.  Future plans include planting trees (including fruit trees) and looking at ways to harvest rainwater for use in homes.  Here is an article that describes some of the environmental challenges-ARC staff member Yaya Sidi Sackor is quoted in the article: http://www.arcrelief.org/site/R?i=NLJD6G9q8duzNjWf_BgJUA *Responding in Maban, South Sudan*  Since Fall 2011, hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced by fighting between the Sudanese military and SPLM-North in Blue Nile State, which lies along the border between Sudan and South Sudan. More than 100,000 refugees have sought safety across the border in Maban County, South Sudan. UNHCR anticipates the number of refugees will likely increase. The ARC team continues to respond to the crisis. *RUN TO UNITE* In late October, ARC's I AM A STAR program hosted "Run to Unite"-a run/walk to unite neighbors to have fun, share Somali culture, and build community in our own neighborhoods-while raising critical funds for lifesaving care in Somalia. The event drew a diverse crowd-young and old alike-of more than 500 runners, walkers...and "cheer-ers".  We ended up reaching our $100,000 goal, thanks to a $50,000 matching gift from Dahabshiil.  You can see a TV story about the Run here: http://www.arcrelief.org/site/R?i=inmcOqJWBrE4Ok2eqn1OGQ . We also created a Facebook photo album, which you can view here: http://www.arcrelief.org/site/R?i=YaPOxiJAPj5MBsAXnOOncw (note:  If you click on an image, you will be directed to a larger image; from there, you can then click through to view all 118 photos on the album). *Giving*    At the request of readers, I always include these links so they’re easy to find when you need them. Thanks so much. Become a Monthly Donor: http://www.ARCrelief.org/givemonthly Donate Online: http://www.ARCrelief.org/donate Give Us a Call: (800) 875-7060 Send in a gift: American Refugee Committee Donor Service Center P.O. Box 1002 Minneapolis, MN 55480-1002 USA

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Inside ARC - 10.11.12

Hi jay, Here’s the latest on what’s been happening at ARC. Sincerely, -Daniel Daniel Wordsworth, President ***********************************************  *Flash Flooding in Somalia* Last week, heavy rains flooded the Shabelle River in Central Somalia and devastated communities. 21,000 people became homeless overnight when houses, wells and latrines were all swept away. The situation is likely to get worse, and thousands more are at risk. Our relief team is on the ground near Baladwayne, distributing critical relief items and talking with flood survivors about what other support they need. Flood survivors are receiving mosquito nets, plastic sheeting, soap, water purification tablets and jugs for water. Our aid workers are also establishing an emergency medical post where survivors can seek medical attention. We are partnering with Somali-MN aid organization HARO in this relief operation. If you have any questions about our flood relief efforts, send an email to Said Sheik-Abdi at SaidS@ARChq.org . *Medical Device to Reveal 'Hidden' Threat*  We are partnering with the University of Minnesota’s Mechanical Engineering School to design a medical device that could easily and accurately count the respiratory rate – number of breaths a child breathes in one minute. Why is this important? Acute respiratory infection (ARI), mostly in the form of pneumonia, is the leading cause of death in children under five, killing more than two million children annually. Up to 40 percent of children seen in health clinics suffer from ARI, and many deaths attributed to other causes are, in fact, “hidden” ARI cases. No single clinical sign is better to detect pneumonia in children under 5 than respiratory rate —specifically fast breathing. However, health workers’ ability to count breaths may be hindered when they do not have watches to count the time, the devices they use need to be charged, or the batteries on their devices die. To measure respiration rate, health workers must also watch the child’s chest and the clock at the same time. The U of M is helping us to overcome these barriers and have already developed several proto-type solutions. We will continue working with them on these solutions and solutions to other front-line problems. *Addressing Violence in Uganda* The American Refugee Committee has been working to address violence against women in the settlements in Uganda since 2008. We recently received supplementary funding from the U.S. Bureau of Population Refugee and Migration (BPRM) to address the issue in four refugee settlements: Kyangwali, Kyaka, Nakivale and Rwamwanja.  “With the support of BPRM, we have been able to build a-drop-in center, which acts as a safe haven for survivors of gender-based violence who are at risk of further harm,” said Ralf Nico Thill, ARC’s Country Director for Uganda. “The safe house provides shelter to survivors during the period they need medical or legal attention—and its proximity to the health unit and police post makes it easy for survivors to access services.”  ARC has helped more than 25,000 refugees who fled to Uganda from five countries, including Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Sudan, Rwanda, Burundi, and Kenya. *Giving*    At the request of readers, I always include these links so they’re easy to find when you need them. Thanks so much. Become a Monthly Donor: http://www.ARCrelief.org/givemonthly Donate Online: http://www.ARCrelief.org/donate Give Us a Call: (800) 875-7060 Send in a gift: American Refugee Committee Donor Service Center P.O. Box 1002 Minneapolis, MN 55480-1002 USA

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Urgent: Flooding in Somalia

Hello jay - 21,000 people are now homeless, overnight. Heavy rains have flooded the Shabelle River in Central Somalia and devastated communities. Houses, wells and latrines have all been swept away. And the situation is likely to get worse. Hundreds of thousands more are at risk. If you can, make a donation to support our emergency relief efforts. We are seeking to raise $15,000 to distribute emergency supplies to families and assess the full extent of the damage. (A family wades through flood waters in Beledweyne) People need emergency medical care, clean water and shelter. Unless help is delivered quickly—waterborne diseases will threaten families in the region. Our teams will distribute critical relief items, such as mosquito nets, plastic sheeting, soap, water purification tablets, and jugs for water. The teams will also establish an emergency medical post and conduct a rapid humanitarian assessment. Please, make a donation to provide lifesaving relief to flood survivors in Somalia. Urgently, -Daniel Daniel Wordsworth President, American Refugee Committee P.P.S. Read more: 1000s Displaced in Somalia After Days of Floods (Press TV) P.P.S. A donation of any amount will make a big difference for families. Please give now.

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Inside ARC - 9.26.12

Hi jay, Here’s the latest on what’s been happening with ARC lately. Sincerely, -Daniel Daniel Wordsworth, President ***********************************************  *DRUM ROLL.......* The Winner of the 2012 Peter F. Drucker Award for Nonprofit Innovation is... American Refugee Committee! Chosen from 612 other nonprofit organizations from around the United States, ARC is being recognized for co-creating the I AM A STAR Somalia Relief program alongside the global Somali Diaspora community. ARC will receive a $100,000 prize from the Coca-Cola Foundation. I AM A STAR engages the Somali community in Minnesota and around the globe to help shape ARC's humanitarian response in Somalia—uniting and strengthening communities both in Minnesota and in Somalia. I AM A STAR has engaged tens of thousands of people online and in communities – from Norway to Qatar to Malaysia to the UK – to take creative action and build a global movement of support for Somalia. “Peter Drucker would have loved the idea at the heart of ‘I AM A STAR’”, said Drucker Institute Executive Director Rick Wartzman. “This is a social innovation at its best.” *Radio Campaign in South Sudan*   Our team in South Sudan recently organized a five-day radio campaign to raise awareness about violence against women. Prominent community leaders broadcasted messages supporting women and girls. Key among those messages – it is unacceptable to charge women who want to report an incident of gender-based violence to the police.  ARC has been working with the Police Commissioner of Western Bahr el Ghazal, South Sudan, on policy issues related to violence against women. The Commissioner was one of the leaders included in the radio programs and stated on air that “women in South Sudan have suffered all types of gender-based violence, and it is high time for community leaders to open their eyes and support the women and young girls in this young nation.” In addition to the five-day campaign, ARC runs a monthly radio program that educates the community on services available to survivors, including health, legal and psychosocial services. *Giving*    At the request of readers, I always include these links so they’re easy to find when you need them. Thanks so much. Become a Monthly Donor: http://www.ARCrelief.org/givemonthly Donate Online: http://www.ARCrelief.org/donate Give Us a Call: (800) 875-7060 Send in a gift: American Refugee Committee Donor Service Center P.O. Box 1002 Minneapolis, MN 55480-1002 USA

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Inside ARC - Innovation & More

Hi jay, Here’s the latest on what’s been happening around ARC lately. Sincerely, -Daniel Daniel Wordsworth, President ***********************************************  *ARC Named Top Ten Finalist for National Innovation Award* We have been named a top ten finalist for the Peter Drucker Innovation Award for our Somalia/I AM A STAR program. In the notification letter we received from the Drucker Institute, they wrote:  “This award consistently attracts a remarkably large and impressive group of applicants, and this year was no exception. In all, the Drucker Institute received 612 applications from nonprofits in 49 states and the District of Columbia…Your organization should be proud to stand out as one of the most innovative nonprofits in America.” Prizes will be awarded to the top three candidates in September. “Getting down to 10 finalists was no easy feat; the quality of the pool was especially strong this year,” said Rick Wartzman, executive director of the Institute.  You can read more about the award here: http://www.druckerinstitute.com/link/drucker-award-finalists-2012/. This top ten distinction is a real tribute to the incredible work of our Somali team that helps people in one of the world’s most difficult operating environments and to the global Somali diaspora who have come to support this effort in so many ways. We will keep you updated as we hear more. *World Refugee Day in Uganda*   The Uganda team recently led the World Refugee Day activities at Kyangwali Refugee Settlement. The day’s theme was “One Family Torn Apart by War is Too Many,” and the events drew more than 2,000 people. We had a mobile clinic onsite to provide information on support and referrals for violence survivors. We also organized awareness and sports activities: Pool Tournament: To help educate men on equal power relations and conflict resolution, our team hosted a discussion on power use and then hosted a pool competition. The first place winner was awarded a goat, second place a turkey, and third a chicken. All participants received a T-shirt and a dozen books. Sports Gala: A combined sports gala and football match featured competition among the Congolese and Sudanese who live in Kyangwali. The game ended on a 2/2 draw, and the teams received a goat for their participation. *Helping Migrants in Remote Thai Villages* In partnership with district and community hospitals, our health teams in Thailand provide mobile health care to three remote island villages that are home to many migrants. Each island can only be accessed by boat. Due to the remoteness of the villages and the lack of local health facilities (the nearest facility is two hours away from the islands), villagers face challenges in accessing health care.  Through our staff’s efforts, the villages receive basic health services, with a focus on preventing and treating tuberculosis. Patients with symptoms of tuberculosis are screened and tested. We also set up a community referral mechanism, patient care and a support system within the villages by recruiting migrant health volunteers. *Basketball Court in Rwanda*   Our Rwanda team recently partnered with refugees to build a basketball court in one of the camps we manage to provide a space for engaging the camp youth population. The “construction crew” poured cement, and then repaired and replaced hoops and backboards. *Giving*    At the request of readers, I always include these links so they’re easy to find when you need them. Thanks so much. Become a Monthly Donor: http://www.ARCrelief.org/givemonthly Donate Online: http://www.ARCrelief.org/donate Give Us a Call: (800) 875-7060 Send in a gift: American Refugee Committee Donor Service Center P.O. Box 1002 Minneapolis, MN 55480-1002 USA

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Inside ARC - Somalia & South Sudan Update

Hi jay, It’s feeling very festive around ARC’s headquarters office lately. Rows and rows of paper chains are hanging from the ceilings in our office. It’s all part of our I AM A STAR campaign to support Somalia. You can read about the chain and the latest news about our programs below. Check out a photo of the chain: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=332726596819557&set=a.135563133202572.29312.134596023299283&type=1&theater . Sincerely, -Daniel Daniel Wordsworth, President ***********************************************  *Dire Situation in Somalia* Somalia is suffering one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world – and one of the most complex. More than 2.5 million people are currently in urgent need. About 28 percent of people need food aid to survive. One in five children is malnourished. And nearly 100,000 people have died in the last 12 months because of the food crisis. We are one of the only humanitarian aid organizations working in Mogadishu providing critical aid like health care, medicine, clean water and latrines. Our team recently distributed food to 3,598 internally displaced families in Mogadishu. Each family received rice, pulses (the edible seeds of legumes) and vegetable oil. This is the first in a series of food distributions that are planned. In partnership with the International Committee of the Red Cross, we will distribute a total of 1,995 metric tons of food aid to more than 100,000 people in Mogadishu. In addition, we’re currently employing 300 workers – mostly women – to clean up trash and debris in an area of Mogadishu. They receive $4 a day that they use to feed their families and provide for their basic needs. We’re also working to build four wells and 500 latrines at camps for displaced people to ensure they have access to the sanitation they need. *Responding in Maban, South Sudan*   Since fall 2011, hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced by fighting in Blue Nile State, which lies along the border between Sudan and South Sudan. To date, more than 107,000 refugees have sought safety across the border in Maban County, South Sudan. The United Nations’ refugee agency anticipates the number of refugees will likely increase and that many people will remain in the area for several years due to the ongoing conflict, the lack of food sources back home and the high level of trauma the refugees experienced on their journey.  The death rate is well above emergency levels, and the malnutrition of children is around 40 percent. In June 2012, our country director and key staff travelled to Maban to assess the emergency situation. Since then, there have been two more assessment missions. And staff from our Malakal office has been helping to establish an ARC office in Maban. We have already started to provide clean water and offer psychosocial support to survivors. We will keep you updated. *Facebook Campaign: 50,000 Cheers = $50,000 for Somalia* We did it! With help from our Facebook friends and Hormuud, a Somalia-based telecommunications company, we raised $50,000 for relief efforts in Somalia. Under a new global Facebook campaign, Hormuud generously agreed to donate $1 each time someone cheered for the Somali Olympic team on the I AM A STAR Facebook page. Fans were able to cheer by liking, commenting, posting or sharing information through the page. The campaign was launched to help Somalia while supporting the country’s two Somali Olympians, Zamzam Farah and Mohamed Mohamed. Their road to the Olympics was harrowing; they braved death threats, ran on dirt tracks and received little investment in pursuit of their Olympic dreams. As Zamzam and Mohamed watched the cheers come in from around the world, they were moved by the incredible support of strangers. “Now, I feel that I’m not alone,” explained Zamzam. “I never imagined that people in places like Malaysia or Taiwan are thinking about Somali people. I used to hear that the world had forgotten us.” In keeping with the Olympic rings theme, we’re building a paper chain in support of the team. For every cheer on Facebook, we’re adding one link. The chain is currently 1.5 miles long.   *Giving*    At the request of readers, I always include these links so they’re easy to find when you need them. Thanks so much. Donate Online: http://www.ARCrelief.org/donate Become a Monthly Donor: http://www.ARCrelief.org/givemonthly Give Us a Call: (800) 875-7060 Send in a gift: American Refugee Committee Donor Service Center P.O. Box 1002 Minneapolis, MN 55480-1002 USA

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A Pyramid Scheme For Good!

Hi jay - I’ve sent a couple of emails this week about the opportunity we have to cheer on the Somali Olympic team while raising $50,000 for relief in Somalia. We’re about one-third of the way towards the goal.  The cheering has been amazing. Our office staff actually built a human pyramid a couple of days ago to cheer on Olympians Zamzam Farah and Mohamed Mohamed (see the photo below). And that got me thinking… we need a pyramid scheme to reach our goal of 50,000 cheers for Somalia!  Here is how it would work: Each of us goes to http://www.facebook.com/iamastarforsomalia and posts a cheer for Somalia  Then, we tell just two friends about the campaign and encourage them to post a cheer and share it with two friends of their own.  And on… and on…we’ll have 50,000 cheers for the Somali Olympians in no time. Will you join me and try to get this pyramid off the ground? It will mean $50,000 for much needed relief in Somalia. Get started by posting a cheer now. Best, -Daniel Daniel Wordsworth President, American Refugee Committee P.S. If you are able, try to watch Mohamed Mohamed in his 1500m race today. His 1500m race is scheduled for 20:05 – 20:29 (London Time). Go Mohamed!

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You Cheer. Somalia Wins!

Hi jay- I am writing because we have a huge opportunity at our fingertips, and I need your help.   Over the next two weeks, we want to rally a global show of support for Somalia and for the amazing runners that they’ve sent to the London games…all in order to raise $50,000 in critical support for Somalia. Right now there are more than 2.5 million people in Somalia in critical need of nourishment for survival. In Mogadishu camps, people are hungry. Their only request is for food. We believe the Somali runners are an incredible example of the endurance and strength that we see so often in Somalia. They have trained in Mogadishu on a dirt track, ignored death threats, run under threat of gunfire, and have had almost no investment…. but they’ve persevered through it all.  You can learn a little more about the Olympians here: http://www.channel4.com/news/somalias-athletes-brave-war-to-train-for-the-olympics. Here’s how the campaign works: You can cheer on Somalia during the Olympics, and for every cheer on Facebook we'll be adding one ring to a paper chain we're building at our office. Once we've reached 50,000 links in the chain, Hormuud (a major Somali telecommunication company)  will donate $50,000 for relief work in Somalia. Every cheer = one link in a 1.5 mile long paper chain = $1 for Somalia!  Cheering is easy – just post, share or like at www.facebook.com/iamastarforsomalia. We’ve only got two weeks to raise $50,000! To make this work we need everyone close to ARC (and our I AM A STAR program) to share this challenge with their own friends, family, and co-workers. Don’t worry if you are not on facebook, if you would like to participate you can help by sharing this email with others. I hope you will join us. With gratitude, -Daniel Daniel Wordsworth President, American Refugee Committee P.S. Here are a flyer and web ad that you can look at. But, please let me know if you need any additional information/messaging/etc.

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Inside ARC - Congo Update

Hi jay, Here’s the latest on what’s been happening around here, including information on a briefing that took place at ARC headquarters on Wednesday. Sincerely, -Daniel Daniel Wordsworth, President ***********************************************  *Briefing on Congo* On Wednesday, we held a briefing for supporters and the public about the emergency in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) – and what we are doing to help. Ward Brehm, an ARC board member, spoke about his recent trip to DRC. Ward has been to Africa 35 times and was appointed by President Obama to the United States African Development Foundation (USADF) in 2010. President Bush had previously appointed him chairman of USADF in 2004. As Ward crossed the border from Rwanda into Congo, he said “it was like leaving heaven and going into hell.”  At a hospital he visited, he said his heart was broken by what he saw – teenage girls who had been raped multiple times having babies and requiring fistula surgery. “We heard stories of 3- and 4-year-old girls being raped,” Ward said. The lucky ones are the people who were able to flee the country. More than 18,000 people from the Democratic Republic of Congo – mostly vulnerable women and children – have crossed the border into Rwanda to escape horrific violence. Thousands have also fled to Uganda, and it’s estimated that 200,000 people have been displaced inside of Congo by the violence since April. New arrivals in Rwanda register at Nkamira Transit Center and will eventually be relocated to Kigeme Refugee Camp. About 11,000 people remain at the transit center without adequate health care, protection, clean water or latrines. We have teams on the ground putting up tents in Kigeme Camp and establishing the camp’s infrastructure. We’ve constructed emergency kitchens with stoves and firewood for cooking. And we built a temporary health post. We’ve also reinforced the terracing system that is used throughout the camp. We’ve welcomed thousands of people to the camp already. When families arrive from the transit camp, our teams provide them with an orientation of the camp and help them understand what services are available and how to access them. Ward is a strong advocate for the people of Africa – and urged others to be advocates, too. “I hope you may share a bit in the responsibility to do something about it,” he said. “Many, many lives are on the line.” *Safe Motherhood Campaign in Darfur*   The Sudan team recently conducted a five-day safe motherhood campaign in Ditto, South Darfur, Sudan. The campaign stressed the importance of seeking ante-natal care services, having babies delivered by skilled birth attendants and the benefits of child spacing. To date, we are the only organization that has conducted safe motherhood campaigns in Darfur. The topics were discussed through speeches by community leaders and staff, household visits and through the distribution of T-shirts, hats and educational leaflets. Our health providers also provided pregnant and post-natal women with iron tablets and Vitamin A supplements. *London Summit on Family Planning* On July 11, World Population Day, the U.K. government and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, with the United Nations Population Fund and other partners, hosted a summit to provide an additional 120 million women in the world's poorest countries with lifesaving contraceptives, information and services by 2020. The London Summit on Family Planning called for unprecedented global political commitment and resources to transform the lives of millions of women and girls, which will save lives and help lift families, communities and nations out of poverty.  We worked to make sure the needs of women in crises were heard at the summit in two key ways: The Inter-Agency Working Group on Reproductive Health in Crises, of which we are a member, sent a letter to the organizers of the summit, urging stronger efforts to make family planning services available to people affected by conflict and natural disasters. You can read the letter here: http://www.arcrelief.org/site/DocServer/IAWG_Open_Letter_FP_Summit_07112012.pdf?docID=2281 We signed onto the Civil Society Declaration for the London Family Planning Summit letter to the prime minister and Mrs. Gates, which was printed in the Financial Times on July 9. You can read the letter here (to see ARC’s name you will need to click “Expand”…ARC is the seventh agency listed in the “Global” section):  http://www.ippf.org/news/press/familyplanningsummit/letter  *Giving*    At the request of readers, I always include these links so they’re easy to find when you need them. Thanks so much. Donate Online: http://www.ARCrelief.org/donate Become a Monthly Donor: http://www.ARCrelief.org/givemonthly Give Us a Call: (800) 875-7060 Send in a gift: American Refugee Committee Donor Service Center P.O. Box 1002 Minneapolis, MN 55480-1002 USA

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Inside ARC - World Refugee Day

Hi jay, Here's our latest news, including information about a developing refugee crisis. Sincerely, -Daniel Daniel Wordsworth, President ***********************************************  *World Refugee Day and Crisis in DRC* A couple weeks ago, I told you about a developing refugee situation in Rwanda. Today, on World Refugee Day, I’m sad to report the situation has grown even worse. Recent violence has forced more than 10,000 people from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to cross the border into Rwanda, where they are in desperate need of help. The stories of rape and violence are absolutely horrific. The media has yet to report the story in a significant way. We’ve had a long history of helping Congolese refugees in Rwanda, where we manage the three major camps for refugees. We also assist Congolese refugees in Uganda and South Sudan and are expanding a program in DRC. We have staff working around the clock on our response. We’ll be sending more information as it becomes available. In the meantime, here are a few articles you can read: http://allafrica.com/stories/201206160124.html http://allafrica.com/stories/201206130766.html http://allafrica.com/stories/201206120053.html http://allafrica.com/stories/201206090100.html *SMS in South Sudan*   We recently partnered with Souktel, a company that develops mobile phone services to give low-income communities the information they need to improve their lives. A recent article in the Souktel corporate newsletter featured the partnership: “For years, aid agencies have been using basic mass media – like community radio – to send key messages to communities in need. But when ARC launched a campaign in South Sudan to raise awareness about gender-based violence, radio wasn’t enough: Over 60 languages are spoken across the country, making simultaneous broadcasts difficult. More importantly, measuring the impact of radio segments is tough….That’s where Souktel stepped in, partnering with ARC to create a custom mobile messaging platform that let staff send public awareness messages at scale, in multiple languages, with detailed data tracking. Working with the ARC field team in Juba, Souktel software developers built a cloud-based system which allowed staff in South Sudan – or in U.S. offices – to run SMS information campaigns: If operations on the ground became too risky, the campaign could be easily managed from outside the country, ensuring security and sustainability... A multi-language feature was added to allow for message send-out in English and Arabic script at the same time…Leveraging this mobile technology, ARC’s campaign was able to reach thousands of households across South Sudan.” *Essays for Somalia* Our I AM A STAR program has been partnering with a class at Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis for the past several months. Our staff presented to the class about Somalia, and the students were moved to do more. They made and sold I AM A STAR T-shirts, and then researched and wrote essays on what people suffering through the famine need most. Five essay contest winners recently visited our headquarters to share their essays. Here are some essay excerpts: “People need to have good health care so they can be happy and not suffering. People in Somalia need clothes because they can get a sickness if they don’t change their clothes that they wear. In Somalia people need a good house where they can sleep good.” “To get the word out that famine is out there and it is killing thousands of people will motivate the person to do something about it…when people find out Somalia needs help, people and schools will start making activities to help the Somali famine be stopped once and for all! … If we have a lot of people on supporting Somalia, it will give people with high authority something to think about and how it’s affected many people’s lives.”  “If there is truly a strong government and strong people then I [guarantee] you that there will be a strong country.” You can read the essays in their entirety on the teacher’s blog, located here: http://essaysfrom141.wordpress.com. For more information about I AM A STAR, visit www.IAMASTAR.org. *Giving*    At the request of readers, I always include these links so they’re easy to find when you need them. Thanks so much. Donate Online: http://www.ARCrelief.org/donate Become a Monthly Donor: http://www.ARCrelief.org/givemonthly Give Us a Call: (800) 875-7060 Send in a gift: American Refugee Committee Donor Service Center P.O. Box 1002 Minneapolis, MN 55480-1002 USA

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Inside ARC - 6.4.12

Hi jay, Here's the latest news from our programs around the world. Sincerely, -Daniel Daniel Wordsworth, President ***********************************************  *Poultry Project in Rwanda* Last year, the Rwanda team worked with refugees in Gihembe Camp to build a poultry house and to launch a poultry farming project. Through the project, participants – many of whom are widowed women – learned about investment planning and how to brand and market their chickens. Participants have begun to see the fruits of their labor. There are now 120 hens laying eggs, and 1,405 eggs have been laid, with 1,081 of these already sold to the nutrition center and local markets. The women earned a solid profit and are thrilled by the results. The project is being supported by new funding we received from the Julia Taft Foundation. *Hot Sauce for Somalia*   Sadia Korad Abdi of “Sadia’s Gourmet Sauces” is a Somali entrepreneur who started her own business selling gourmet cooking sauces. The company also has a philanthropic mission: donating 10 percent of profits to support our relief efforts in Somalia.  “I want to help other people – especially children who are dying of hunger in my home country of Somalia,” Sadia said. “They need help, and they need love. I am a mother, and I know what that love feels like. I also know what it is like to struggle; I helped sell vegetables on the street when I was 8 to support my younger brothers and sisters, as my family was struggling.” Sadia hosted a “tasting” recently and was featured in the Minneapolis Star Tribune (Sadia’s story starts at paragraph 7 in the article located here: http://www.startribune.com/printarticle/?id=152088945). Sadia began cooking at age 7 in Mogadishu, moved to the U.S. in 1999, and started her cooking sauce business several years ago. This year, according to the article referenced above, her business expects to sell more than $1.2 million worth of wholesale products this year. To see a video about Sadia’s story, visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzMoHyKqxhI. Check out her website, www.sadiassauce.com, to learn how you can purchase Sadia’s Sauces…and support Somalia! *TB Awareness in Thailand* Our Thailand team recently organized “Stop TB in my Lifetime,” a World TB Day event at Saen Tor sub-district, Thamaka District, Kanchanaburi Province of Thailand. TB is short for tuberculosis, a potentially deadly disease that usually affects the lungs. Among those who participated in the event were community leaders, government workers, health volunteers, local hospitals, nonprofit partners and hundreds of migrants. Stemming the spread of tuberculosis has been a global health success story:  the number of tuberculosis cases worldwide has been falling since 2006. *Giving*    At the request of readers, I always include these links so they’re easy to find when you need them. Thanks so much. Donate Online: http://www.ARCrelief.org/donate Become a Monthly Donor: http://www.ARCrelief.org/givemonthly Give Us a Call: (800) 875-7060 Send in a gift: American Refugee Committee Donor Service Center P.O. Box 1002 Minneapolis, MN 55480-1002 USA

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