#Arete67: Arete Unites Behind Community Heroes for Nelson Mandela Day
“It is easy to break down and destroy. The heroes are those who make peace and build.”
– Nelson Mandela
In 1990 his story inspired communities around the world to rally for his release from prison. In 1994 people once again united around him to force an end to the brutal system of apartheid. Nearly three decades later the legacy of South Africa’s great anti-apartheid leader, and first black President, remains as inspiring as ever
Having suffered unspeakable brutality during his 27 years spent behind bars, with 18 years spent on the notorious Robben Island, Mandela’s desire to find peaceful solutions, his relentless perseverance, determination, and benevolent & understanding approach to change, all remain powerful symbols of human capacity for good.
His legacy lives on in many forms; the United Nations has designated Nelson Mandela Day, which falls every year on Nelson Mandela’s birthday — July 18th.
The day was first designated in 2009 and Mandela used the opportunity to reiterate his cause.
“It is in your hands to make of the world a better place. And so, every year on Mandela Day, we ask people around the world to take action and inspire change by making a difference in their communities”
– Nelson Mandela July 18th 2009.
My 67 Minutes
More recently, the ‘My 67 Minutes’ campaign has encouraged people to spend 67 minutes of their time — one for every year Mandela fought for social justice — to do something for someone else or their community.
#Arete67
As the experts in telling stories that make a difference, this year Arete decided to show its support for Nelson Mandela Day by sharing stories of inspirational community leaders from around the world, individuals that treat every day as if it is Nelson Mandela Day. Through this initiative we aimed both to celebrate the dedication of these, often unsung, heroes, and to inspire others to follow their example.
We asked our network of brilliant photographers to submit images of people, along with a few words, that exemplify the selflessness, sacrifice, and community spirit of Nelson Mandela Day.
Emmanuel Tombe: Bishop Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala
Emmanuel is an Arete photographer based in South Sudan. He chose to share an image of Bishop Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala, the Catholic bishop of Tombura-Yambio diocese in South Sudan. When he was nine months old, The Bishop’s mother was killed when his village was attacked and destroyed. He lived with his grandmother in a refugee camp for 5 years and his early experiences helped form his dedication to peace and education. He was also involved in providing pastoral services on a huge scale during the Sudanese Civil War.
Mussa Uwitonze: Boniface Mudenge
Based in Kigali, Rwandan photojournalist Mussa Uwintonze was orphaned by the genocide of 1994. His submission, Boniface Mudenge, personifies forgiveness and reconciliation in the face of extreme collective trauma.
Vijay Pandey: Medha Patkar
Based in New Delhi, India, Vijay submitted a picture of Indian activist and former politician Madha Patkar.
Brian Ongoro
Based in Kisumu, Kenya, Brian submitted the mental health advocacy of BBC Africa Digital Video Journalist Gloria Achieng.
Kevin Gitonga: Esther
Kevin shared a picture of unsung community hero Esther, who was trained as a local health worker by Amref Health Africa — an African-led, African-staffed non-profit that reaches millions of people per year across the continent.
Kate Holt: Sister Monique Bonogo
Arete founder and director Kate Holt shared a picture of Burkinabe midwife Sister Monique Bonogo.
Mamadou Diop: Koffi Aya Christine
Living in Dakar, Senegal, Mamadou has worked in many places across the continent. He shared two photos of CGAP (Consultant Group to Assist the Poor) agent Koffi Aya Christine in Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire. The CGAP works to advance the lives of poor people, especially women, through financial inclusion. Local agents like Koffi play an important role in facilitating relationships between customers and financial service providers by sharing knowledge with customers.
A massive thank you to all the photographers who took part in #Arete67. The example of Nelson Mandela proves that the virtues of one can inspire millions to action, and this small sample of incredible individuals just goes to show that the world is rich with such examples. If we celebrate them and tell their stories in a way that does them justice, their dedication to others can spread.
In this world of limitless, instantaneous information, the stories that we give precedence to have a major influence on our values & where we place importance — with selflessness, or with greed, with love or hate etc.
If each single inspirational example can inspire a few others to action, then the effects can spread across the world — so that every day, instead of asking ourselves what we have gained for ourselves, more of us ask: “what have I done to improve the surroundings in which I live?” — Nelson Mandela.
The right story, told the right way, really can change the world.
Our award-winning journalists, photographers and content providers are eager to help you make a difference.
Contact us to find out how we can tailor our expertise to meet your needs.
UKRAINE WAR EXPLODES GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS: Millions at risk of starvation by Russian Blockade of…
UKRAINE WAR EXPLODES GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS: Millions at risk of starvation by Russian Blockade of Ukraine
“We’re running out of time and the impact of inaction will be felt around the world for years to come”
David Beasley, Executive Director, WFP
Arete is the expert storytelling agency for NGOs, UN bodies and foundations. We specialise in directing attention to the world’s crises where millions of people are put at risk.
This month, Arete is focussing on the millions suffering from global food shortages caused by the war in Ukraine, struggling to feed themselves and their families.
Russia invaded Ukraine four months ago, plunging Europe into its worst war since 1945. As well as the suffering of millions of Ukrainians, the dead, the wounded, the divided families, the refugees, shattered lives, the ramifications are spreading far wider. According to the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP), millions of people all over the world are now at risk of starvation as a result of Russia’s blockade of Ukrainian grain exports.
Before the war, 11% of the world’s grain was provided by Ukraine, according to WFP — the world’s largest humanitarian agency focused on hunger and food security — with 400 million people a year fed by staples like wheat shipped from Ukraine’s Black Sea ports. Crucially, according to the WFP, 40% of the wheat that provided staples for its emergency food relief programmes came from Ukraine. As a result, as a knock-on effect of Putin’s invasion and blockade, the WFP says that 44 million people globally are at risk of starvation, in countries such as Mali, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Somalia, Syria and Yemen. These are fragile countries, riven by complicated political, social and environmental forces — and of course still recovering from the economic devastation of the covid 19 pandemic. Many of them are also facing severe drought.
These food shortages are on top of the suffering caused by the global rise in fuel prices, created by the war in Ukraine.
Russia has so far ignored the WFP’s calls for the blockade to be lifted and the situation, says the WFP, is urgent.
Photo: Sadeq Naseri / WFP / Arete
Arete is working closely with WFP, Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), World Health Organisation (WHO) and other NGOs, providing both first person testimonials and powerful images to shed light on the suffering of individuals suffering food insecurity — and the risk of starvation — compounded by the war in Ukraine:
Afghanistan
In March, the UN reported that “A staggering 95 per cent of Afghans are not getting enough to eat, with that number rising to almost 100 per cent in female-headed households”. According to the WFP, the war in Ukraine, on top of Covid-19 and drought, has left 23 million with food insecurity in Afghanistan.
“It is a figure so high that it is almost inconceivable. Yet, devastatingly, it is the harsh reality,” said the deputy head of the UN assistance mission, UNAMA.
In March, at an emergency pledging conference, the UN only raised half of the $4.4bn it had asked from world leaders to help alleviate the crisis: the war in Ukraine was diverting vital aid and attention away from the situation in Afghanistan, a country which only weeks before the Russian invasion had being heavily covered by the media.
Photo: Muhammad Muhsen Rasekh / DEC / Arete
Darya and her family are just a few of the millions at risk of starvation if the blockade on Ukraine’s grain exports is not lifted. Darya is 43 years old. She lives with her husband, five of her ten children and mother-in-law in a rented house in Mazar-e-Sharif. Although Afghanistan does grow wheat, a combination of drought and conflict have severely impacted grain production. Darya moved there from Dawlat Abad district two years ago to escape drought and poverty, where her husband, who is now in his sixties, was becoming too frail to work as a casual agricultural labourer. Her five daughters are now married with their own husbands and families.
Darya and her family are beneficiaries of Islamic Relief’s DEC funded humanitarian aid project. Darya was earning $1–2 a day, doing laundry and baking for families in their neighbourhood. They depend on the food they receive from Islamic Relief: 100kg flour, 6kg oil, 7kg peas:
“Before we received this, our life was extremely hard and I strugged to feed my children,” said Darya. “Now they have access to nutritious food.”
Photo: Andrew Quilty / WFP / Arete
Photo: Andrew Quilty / WFP / Arete
WFP has worked in Afghanistan since 1963. Their work helps to ensure that aid reaches the people most affected by conflict and disastery. They support projects that help transform the lives and livelihoods of individuals and communities, with a special focus on women.
Photo: Andrew Quilty / WFP / Arete
Photo: Andrew Quilty / WFP / Arete
Photo: Andrew Quilty / WFP / Arete
Here is how you can support the WFP in Afghanistan: https://www.wfp.org/emergencies/afghanistan-emergency
Somalia
Photo: Ismail Taxta /WHO /Arete
Salado Ibrahim Maney is just one of the hundreds of thousands in Somalia whose families depend on international aid because of the uncertainty caused by both years of conflict and drought. The 40 year old mother of seven fled her home, in Dinsoor, and walked to Baidoa with her children, because of the drought.
“This drought is much worse than the previous ones,” said Salado. “It’s the worst I’ve experienced in my life. There’s much less food and water. We are in desperate need. We have no shelter and we had to leave most of our belongings behind when we left. I fled carrying my stuff on my back and my children round my neck. I’ve nothing left.”
Salado lost her livestock and couldn’t farm her land because of lack of rain. “There is no life without food and water,” she said. Her children have been vaccinated and given medical help by the WHO, but they still have no shelter and have to sleep outside. “We are also still desperately in need of food. We need aid agencies to support us during this drought, and to help us rebuild our livestock herds too.”
Nigeria
Photo: Damilola Onafuwa / WFP Nigeria / Arete
Conflict in Nigeria’s North-East region has displaced more than 3 million people (UNHCR) and left another 14.4 million without food security (FAO). This has been made worse by Covid-19 and drought. On top of this, the food shortages and resulting price rises caused by the Ukraine war have all had a devastating impact on people’s lives. The FAO predicts that 19.4 million Nigerians could face food insecurity by August 2022.
Photo: Siegfried Modola / WFP / Arete
Photo: Bernard Kalu / WFP / Arete
WFP combines food support with cash transfers to support displaced and vulnerable people in Nigeria. To the most vulnerable and remote groups, especially young children, WFP distributes Specialized Nutritious Food — which has been proven to significantly reduce malnutrition. Specialized Nutritious Food is highly dependent on grains such as wheat, now currently globally in short supply because of the blockade in Ukraine. WFP also works with the Nigerian Government and partner organisations to prepare longer-term interventions and build resilience.
Photo: Emmanuella Boamah / WFP / Arete
Photo: Siegfried Modola / WFP / Arete
Photo: Emmanuella Boamah / WFP / Arete
Here is how you can support the WFP in Nigeria: https://www.wfp.org/emergencies/nigeria-emergency
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis since it gained independence in 1948. Covid 19 has severely impacted the country’s economic outlook, and reduced agricultural production. In addition, scarcity of foreign exchange reserves and depreciation of the local currency have caused food shortages and a spike in the cost of living (WFP). The monthly cost of a nutritious diet has increased by 156%, while income has fallen in at least 62% of households (UNICEF). A sharp rise in oil and gas prices, also connected to the conflict in Ukraine, has contributed to the crisis.
Photo: Tashiya de Mel / WFP / Arete
Malnutrition rates in Sri Lanka were already high before the economic crisis, the pandemic, and the invasion of Ukraine. Sri Lankan women and children suffered from far higher rates of malnutrition than most other middle-income countries, with 17 per cent of children under five too short because of stunting (WFP).
Photo: Tashiya de Mel / WFP / Arete
Photo: Tashiya de Mel / WFP / Arete
Photo: Tashiya de Mel / WFP / Arete
WFP supports Sri Lanka’s national health system in preventing and managing malnutrition, including improving access for families to fortified foods; many of these foods are highly dependent on WFP grain imported from Ukraine. WFP also works with the Sri Lankan Government on safety net programmes to protect families in emergencies, but the current crisis rapidly getting worse by the day.
Photo: Tashiya de Mel / WFP / Arete
Here is how you can support the WFP in Sri Lanka: https://www.wfp.org/countries/sri-lanka
UKRAINE WAR — THE FALL OUT IS HURTING PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD
The war in Ukraine is not only causing grief and destruction to millions of Ukrainians. Its knock on effects — grain shortages and fuel inflation — are putting millions globally at risk from hunger and poverty. It is vitally important that those people’s stories are told in a way that can grab the world’s attention.