GCVC MEMBERS RESPOND TO HORN OF AFRICA CRISIS

As everyone is no doubt aware, the countries of the Horn of Africa – Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya and particularly Somalia – are experiencing one of the gravest draught and food crises the world has seen. The U.N. has declared a state of famine in five regions of Somalia, and many others are on the brink. More than 12 million people are affected across the region, many driven from their homes because of the draught, their situation made worse by callous political officials without concern for their own people.

The U.N. and its partners, as well as many humanitarian aid organizations are stepping in to help with food and nutritional assistance, shelter, health and sanitation services, but the need continues to be bigger than what is able to be done, and this tragedy grows worse day by day.

Many of the companies of IAVE’s Global Corporate Volunteer Council, dismayed by this worsening situation, have acted quickly to try to offer some help. Understanding that while employees often want to do something “hands on,” it is often difficult in these types of situations where untrained volunteers can be more of a hindrance than a help. So many companies will set up ways for employees to donate to a special cause, such as the situation in the Horn of Africa – and then match the donation.

For example, several GCVC companies such as BD, Disney and Salesforce.com are setting up “micro-sites” specifically geared towards this particular humanitarian crisis, working with organizations such as UNICEF, Save the Children, Oxfam and World Vision. Employees can access these micro-sites and donate what they wish, and the companies will match up to certain levels.

Although by no means the only GCVC companies that are involved in helping out during this crisis, the following are a few examples we can share:

• American Airlines, which has no direct service to Africa at all, has listened to the voice of their employees and are dedicating the month of August to help with the Horn of Africa crisis through their “Change for Good” program in partnership with UNICEF. This program engages the airline’s customers in donating change in all types of currencies on a variety of American Airlines and American Eagle flights around the world.
• Recently Eli Lilly & Company launched a program in partnership with Global Giving where all 36,000 employees worldwide are given a $50 credit to allocate to any area of interest in programs addressing health, education, the environment, or hunger. Through the choices provided by Global Giving, employees can select a program supporting the initiatives in the Horn of Africa if that is where there passion is. In addition, if anyone donates additional money of their own to a program through Global Giving, it will be matched by the Lilly Foundation.
• Western Union is working with their major mobile agent partner Safari.com in Kenya to do a matching grant with them, and will likely work with their business partner in Africa and the Middle East for an additional grant to be given to the Red Cross working in the region.
• HP’s foundation is giving two grants – one to Save the Children and one to Doctors without Borders, focusing on the Horn of Africa. They will also be matching employee donations up to $75,000.

Spotlight on UPS: Due to the nature of the UPS business, the company is in a unique position to help in ways that go beyond monetary donation. As it does in so many catastrophic situations around the world, UPS committed to leverage its global logistics network to help speed emergency supplies to the Horn of Africa. Working with UNICEF and the World Food Programme, UPS has shipped 110 metric tons of food supplies (including “Plumpy Sup,” an edible paste made of peanuts which is packed with calories and vitamins, specially formulated to re-nourish starving children) to the region, and following up with special charter flights from Germany and the Netherlands into Nairobi with 50 and 60 metric tons of food respectively. The UPS Foundation also made a substantial donation to UNICEF from its Emergency Response Fund.

[Thanks to Sarah Hayes, Consulting Director of IAVE’s Global Corporate Volunteer Council for pulling this article together.]

Photo: Oxfam International