Inside ARC - 2.24.12

Hi jay, I created these regular emails to give you quick updates on what’s happening at the American Refugee Committee. I hope you find them valuable and informative. If you have a minute, please send me a quick note and let me know what you think. Here’s the latest news from our programs around the world. Sincerely, -Daniel Daniel Wordsworth, President ***********************************************   *Music For Relief*  The situation in Somalia is the worst humanitarian emergency in the world today. But amazing people around the world are stepping forward in solidarity to help. We’ve blown right past our Music For Relief goal – and raised $50,000 for Somalia in the process. There are 13,315 likes on the I Am A Star Facebook page. From Mexico to Sweden to Uganda to Qatar, people from more than 30 countries have gotten involved. And the most common language you’ll find on the page is Spanish! Now, we have a new goal. Hip-hop star K’naan and Music For Relief want 10,000 more messages of solidarity. And they’ll donate $5 for each one. Will you help us take advantage of this opportunity? You can post a simple message of hope, a photo, artwork, music, a video, or whatever you want. If you’re logged in, view K’naan’s video request here on Facebook. If you’re not logged in to Facebook, you can see it here on YouTube. Creativity is making a difference. $50,000 has already been sent to help. Please, help us earn another $50,000 for relief in Somalia! *Emergency Response in Jonglei, South Sudan*    In Jonglei state in South Sudan, recent waves of violence and conflict are fracturing communities and putting thousands of lives at risk. In situations like this, rape spikes. The United Nations has asked the American Refugee Committee to take the lead in responding to gender-based violence in Jonglei and helping protect women and children from abuse. Background on the Conflict: Jonglei, the largest state in South Sudan, has been marred by a long history of inter-communal fighting, dating back to Sudan’s civil war. The recent violence is the latest in a series of large-scale clashes between the Lou Nuer and Murle that have taken place over the past year. Even before the most recent clashes, an estimated 1,100 people had lost their lives, and about 63,000 people had been displaced in 2011. Insecurity and limited road access have constrained the humanitarian effort. The impact on women and children during conflicts is disproportionally large. Sexual violence usually increases and is used as a weapon of war. There are a large number of unaccompanied minors in the region, and we fear these children are at risk. With no services to address gender-based violence in the state, the needs are immense.  How We Help: A team from the American Refugee Committee deployed for a month-long mission on Feb. 8. The team will conduct an assessment, train local and international partners in gender-based violence emergency response, and help set up services and a referral pathway. Information about support services will be disseminated to all recent arrivals in Jonglei. *Preventing Violence in Thailand* Involving men and boys is imperative to prevent and mitigate the risks of gender-based violence. Through awareness, discussions, and trainings, men and boys can become more effective agents of change in their communities.    The Thailand team initiated a four-part training on gender awareness, violence against women, anger management and effective communication. Participants included men and boys from three refugee camps who are members of village savings and loans associations. As a culmination of the trainings, the men drafted an action plan that set out their intentions to apply what they learned into their own lives and their communities. They committed to helping their wives with household responsibilities and to communicate more effectively with their loved ones. In their communities, they committed to speaking out against violence toward women and helping intervene if they witnessed violence. Most of the participants also belong to community-based organizations, and they plan to share what they learned with their peers.     *Giving*    Whenever I send an email that doesn’t include ways to donate, I receive feedback. People often ask for a quick link to donate or a phone number to call and make a donation.   From now on, I'll always include easy links so it's easy to find when you need it. 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 - 2.10.12

Hi jay, Here’s what's been happening around the American Refugee Committee over the past few weeks. Regards, -Daniel Daniel Wordsworth, President ***********************************************   *Music For Relief*    As I told you about earlier this week, Music for Relief (American rock band Linkin Park’s foundation), Somali-Canadian hip-hop star K’naan, and our I AM A STAR campaign have joined together to help the children of Somalia. And they’re asking people around the world to join, too. Here’s how it works: K’naan is asking people to post creative messages of solidarity with the children of Somalia on the I AM A STAR Facebook page. For every post and page-like, Music for Relief will donate $5 to ARC to provide health care for children in Somalia. People are encouraged to post a message, a photo, artwork, music, video, or a message of hope. If you are logged in, you can view K’naan’s video here on Facebook. If you’re not logged in to Facebook, you can see it here on Youtube. So far, supporters like you have raised $23,250 - we're almost halfway to $50,000. Keep posting; your creativity is already making a difference!  *Congratulations Rocky, Muslin and Mbabazi*    Three staff members were selected to attend the “Managing Gender-based Violence Programs in Emergencies” training workshop, which is being hosted later this month by the United Nations Population Fund and International Medical Corps. The application process was very competitive: our three colleagues – Rocky Menya Oyoo (Uganda), Muslin Bootpech (Thailand) and Mbabazi Allen (Rwanda) – were selected from more than 300 applicants who competed for 25 spots! The course will deliver hands-on, practical tools that field practitioners can use to design and manage their programs, with the ultimate aim of expanding and strengthening the pool of skilled professionals working in the field of gender-based violence. The seven-day training will take place in Nairobi, Kenya. *Entrepreneur Fair in Liberia* This past month, our Liberia team hosted an Entrepreneur Fair, which drew 235 business development skills trainees from Kakata, Liberia. Fair attendees were able to meet private sector representatives, network, and receive real world advice about doing business in Liberia. Representatives from the Government of Liberia made opening remarks, followed by entrepreneurs who shared their success stories. Later, trainees met in small groups with successful entrepreneurs and agents from lending institutions who provided them with practical information about building their businesses, accessing credit, marketing, and customer service.    We hosted the event in partnership with Liberia’s Ministry of Gender and Development and the National Adult Education Association of Liberia.  *To Donate*    If you'd like to support the projects mentioned above and the rest of the work of the American Refugee Committee, visit www.ARCrelief.org/donate or call us at (800) 875-7060.

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How To: Earn $5 for Somalia

Hi jay,   Something really great is just getting started! People from around the world are sending messages of solidarity to families in Somalia…and they’re earning $5 for famine relief with every message!  You know that the famine has devastated millions of people in Somalia. It’s the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. People are still in desperate need of food, clean water, medical care and more. Now, Music For Relief has stepped up to give us a new way to help. For every message posted in solidarity on the I Am A Star Facebook page, Music For Relief will give $5 to provide medical care for children in Somalia. Somali artist and musician K'Naan - whose song "Wavin' Flag" became the anthem of the 2010 World Cup - has joined the effort, asking us all to get creative and show solidarity with Somalia. Check out his video here. You can post anything. A simple message of hope. A photo or work of art you create. A video or musical piece. So, go ahead. Get creative. Show solidarity. Post a message to Facebook.com/IAmAStarForSomalia and earn $5 for Somalia! Your creativity will make a difference! Sincerely, -Daniel Daniel Wordsworth President, American Refugee Committee P.S. If you’re having a hard time coming up with something to post, there are lots of great ideas to get you started on Facebook. The I Am A Star campaign – a program of the American Refugee Committee – is a grassroots effort to take action for famine survivors in Somalia and connect with and be inspired by our global neighbors.

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Inside ARC - 1.27.12

Hi jay, Here’s the latest news from our programs around the world. -Daniel Daniel Wordsworth, President ***********************************************   *American Refugee Committee Listed as Top Charity*    The American Refugee Committee was listed as a Top Charity by the Chicago Tribune, the sixth largest newspaper in the United States. See the listing here: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-charity-list-20111221,0,4624350.story.   *Former Refugee Staff Member Honored*    Paw Pree, a former Karen refugee staff member in Thailand, was recently named a “Community Hero” in her new home of Cleveland, Ohio. The Cleveland Plain Dealer newspaper awarded her this honor. Each year, the newspaper highlights Cleveland residents who “saw a need and stepped up to answer it.” Pree, 25, was described as “a lifeline for other Southeast Asian refugees being resettled in the Cleveland area.”  Pree added, “I love working with people...I’m the one who can talk to them. I am their voice.” She provides critical translation services and helps newcomers integrate into American life, and she also is a student at a local community college. Regarding her own acclimation to American life, Pree says “You have to have hope. And be willing to work hard.” * Thailand and Rwanda: 16 Days of Activism Events* We recently conducted 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence campaigns in five refugee camps on the Thai-Burma border and in two refugee camps in Rwanda. The Thailand team hosted events and educational campaigns about topics including domestic violence, rape treatment, reproductive health and other important topics. Thousands of camp residents participated in the activities. Thailand Country Director Gary Dahl reports that “camp residents produced and filmed their own video in Nu Po camp addressing gender-based violence in the family. I attended one of these sessions at a school in the remote Mae Ra Ma Luang camp. Children, teachers and parents were glued to the screen from start to finish. There is no electricity in these camps, and the session demonstrated the power of interesting, informative and entertaining educational video filmed in the camp communities – created by camp residents themselves.” In Rwanda, dozens of fun-filled activities were carried out over the course of the 16 days, including music, dance and drama festivals and a drawing competition for children. The festivities culminated in a highly anticipated and well attended Miss Gihembe contest, which assessed advocates on their overall confidence, ability to address the public and commitment to reach out to young girls and other people in the camp concerning violence. *Training for Journalists in Uganda* The American Refugee Committee and Northern Uganda Media Club have continued to build the capacity of journalists as a way of developing media to promote strong coverage of gender-based violence. Together, we organized the second training for media practitioners from radio, TV and newpaper media houses on “building gender and media campaigns, advocacy strategies and tools.” The mission of the training was to shift the media coverage of gender violence/HIV from that of a sensational news event to an issue of human rights and justice through improved quality and quantity of coverage of gender violence in the media. *Cash-For-Work Program Begins in Somalia* The cash-for-work program in Somalia was officially launched on Jan. 10. The program was recently expanded to cover three more districts, increasing the number of program participants from 320 to 1,280! Our team in Somalia also reports the following updates: Three mobile health clinic teams made scheduled visits to six districts. Each team has an ambulance that is used to ferry serious cases to Banadir Hospital for special health care. Last week, the teams saw a total of 558 patients. The distribution of non-food items (NFIs) continues. Last week, 160 sets were distributed in Badbaado camp to support beneficiaries of the community kitchens program. A set of NFIs for a family includes kitchen items, a sleeping mat, two clean water containers, a tarp and laundry and bath soap. We continue to operate a child-friendly facility at Banadir Hospital, and an average of 45 children are there daily. The facility offers the siblings of critically sick children a safe place to play and learn. The rehabilitation of wells is ongoing in five locations, and four additional wells have been identified for work.   *To Donate*    If you'd like to support the projects mentioned above and the rest of the work of the American Refugee Committee, visit www.ARCrelief.org/donate or call us at (800) 875-7060.

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Inside ARC - 1.12.12

Hi jay, Happy New Year! I hope you had a relaxing holiday season. Our staff around the world is still hard at work helping people access what they need to survive. I hope you enjoy this inside look at what’s been happening at the American Refugee Committee. -Daniel Daniel Wordsworth, President ***********************************************   *New Conflict-Resolution Program in Darfur*    The Darfur team recently received funding from the United Nations Development Programme to implement a unique project to reduce conflict. The focus of the project is farming families who have recently returned home after being displaced and pastoralist tribes who temporarily settle in the same areas during dry and wet season migrations. We will work to stem livelihood and resource-based conflicts between them. The team will help rehabilitate water points in areas where returning farming households may strain current water sources. We will also construct water troughs for animals around each rehabilitated water source and support local efforts to demarcate livestock routes. In addition, we will help educate community members on observing migration routes, restore markets and support local conflict-prevention and resolution methods. This project will directly benefit 33,250 people.  *Advocating on Remittance Issue*    Members of the Somali diaspora in the U.S. send tens of millions of dollars in remittances to family members living in Somalia each year. For many people living in famine-affected Somalia, these remittances can mean the difference between life and death. Money from family and friends in the diaspora is a critical lifeline – it pays for the food they eat, the homes where they live and the essentials they need to survive.  In December, the largest U.S. bank that sends such remittances back to Somalia announced it would discontinue wiring money to Somalia. Uncertainty now weighs heavily on the hearts and minds of the Somali community. The famine hit areas of southern Somalia hardest – areas that are hard to access. These remittances are the only way to reach people in these locations…the only lifeline keeping people alive. ARC has been helping advocate on this issue in Minnesota and in Washington, D.C.  Due to the possible dire humanitarian implications of this, we have been in constant communication with the bank, money-wiring businesses and U.S. government contacts to help find a possible remedy.  * Haiti Two-Year Anniversary* Today marks the two-year anniversary of the devastating earthquake in Haiti. Since the disaster, we’ve had teams on the ground providing lifesaving aid. From setting up and running a health clinic to offering safe spaces for women and children, we’ve given people what they need to survive. When cholera broke out, we helped open a cholera treatment center where people could go to receive treatment. And we helped prevent the spread of the disease through a series of hygiene and sanitation efforts. Thirty-five hygiene workers and 25 community health workers went door-to-door educating families. They also distributed hygiene kits, soap, water purification tablets and chlorine solutions. Recent efforts include completing 2,000 family shelters – designed to get people out of tents and into safer and more secure homes. About 500 Haitian workers were employed under the program, which provided them wages while allowing them to contribute to the relief efforts. *Combating Anemia in Rwanda* Our Rwanda team reports that the anemia project in Nyabiheke Camp is now in full swing with the arrival of all the testing equipment and supplies to boost nutritional options for anemic refugees. Nearly 300 hens have laid more than 4,103 eggs, 911 of which were used to feed people with anemia. And more than 30 kg of mushrooms were harvested to provide much-needed vitamins, such as iron and folic acid to pregnant women and others vulnerable to anemia.  *To Donate*    If you'd like to support the projects mentioned above and the rest of the work of the American Refugee Committee, visit www.ARCrelief.org/donate or call us at (800) 875-7060.

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Thanks!

Hi jay, Thank you. Thank you for letting the American Refugee Committee be a part of your life.  We can only be as good as the people who support us. Lucky for us, ARC donors, volunteers and advocates are incredible people! Last year, you helped us get nearly 2.5 million people the basics they needed to survive and rebuild their lives. And in December, you and thousands of other generous donors helped us reach our matching gift goal. With your support, we’ll be able to help millions more people around the world take back control of their lives in 2012.    Thank you. And, Happy New Year! Sincerely, -Daniel Daniel Wordsworth President, American Refugee Committee

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Excuse Me

Hi jay, Please forgive me for so many emails in the last few days. We're very close to fulfilling this $27,000 matching challenge. I just don't want to miss out on even a single dollar that could help a refugee recover and rebuild their life. You can double the impact of your gift if you make a donation in the next 7 hours! Your donation will be matched 100%. We have $7,480 dollars left to go - that's about $1,000 to raise each hour between now and 2012. Will you join us and make a special year-end gift? You can donate at: http://www.arcrelief.org/december11match   The goal is within our reach. Any amount would help so much. If you can't manage a contribution right now, please send this challenge on to your friends.  Thank you for your support. Happy New Year! Best, -Daniel Daniel Wordsworth President, American Refugee Committee P.S. If you think of a friend who'd be interested, please forward the challenge on: www.ARCrelief.org/december11match

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