VOA慢速英语2011--International Aid for the Horn of Africa

EXPLORATIONS - International Aid for the Horn of Africa

 

JUNE SIMMS: I’m June Simms.

BARBARA KLEIN: And I’m Barbara Klein with EXPLORATIONS in VOA Special English. Today, we tell about international humanitarian¹ aid. And, we talk to people involved in efforts to help victims of the extremely dry weather and famine in East Africa.

(MUSIC)

JUNE SIMMS: The United Nations says about seven hundred fifty thousand people could die from starvation in the Horn of Africa. Earlier this year, the UN declared a famine in parts of Somalia. Years of armed conflict have limited the country’s supply of food.

Recently, UN officials have said that three million seven hundred thousand Somalis are in need of emergency food aid. The UN appealed for over two billion dollars in humanitarian assistance for the Horn of Africa. Over one billion five hundred million dollars has been promised.

Last month, the United States said it would provide an additional twenty-three million dollars to countries in the Horn of Africa. It said ten million of the twenty-three million dollars would go directly to Somalia. In all, the United States has promised more than six hundred million dollars because of the famine and drought conditions.

UN High Commissioner2 for Refugees Antonio Guterres, center right, in white shirt, walks with UNHCR staff and Somali refugees during a visit to Dagahaley Camp, near Dadaab, Kenya.

BARBARA KLEIN: Other countries are also helping³ the Horn of Africa. The African Union has promised three hundred fifty million dollars in aid to Somalia. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation has made a similar offer. Germany plans to donate one hundred seventy million dollars to the area. Britain has promised one hundred fifteen million dollars in aid, with the European Union offering another three hundred million dollars.

Because of conditions in Somalia, many nations and organizations have promised humanitarian and economic assistance. But what does this mean?

International aid is often described as the act of one nation providing resources to another. The aid can be given through goods, such as food, medicines and other supplies. It also could be payments to victims or groups working in the area.

(MUSIC)

JUNE SIMMS: The United States provides economic and humanitarian assistance through the United States Agency for International Development, or USAID. President John F. Kennedy made an order to create the agency in nineteen sixty-one as part of the Foreign Assistance Act.

Nancy Lindborg is USAID’s Assistant Administrator⁴ for the Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance. She says her agency provides financial support to Non Governmental Organizations, also known as NGOs.

NANCY LINDBORG: “USAID operates by providing funds to organizations, both NGOs, local NGOs, international NGOs, UN agencies, and we partner with local and regional governments to provide assistance.”

USAID has established a three-part program in Somalia. Ms. Lindborg describes how the program works.

NANCY LINDBORG: “We’re working on a three part approach to meeting the needs of those in the famine areas. The first is getting in food wherever we can. In particular, those therapeutic⁵ foods that are easily digestible by young children who are suffering from malnutrition⁶.”

BARBARA KLEIN: The foods are two powdered milk products, called F-75 and F-100, and a peanut-based food called Plumpy'nut. They are given to starving children because they provide more nutrients⁷ and are easy for the body to process.

Nancy Lindborg describes the second part of the program.

NANCY LINDBORG: “We are working very hard on supporting health programs, public health programs. We are very concerned with the coming rains, that there will be additional diseases that are a result of these wetter conditions. And so supporting vaccination⁸ programs, especially for measles⁹; we are concerned that cholera¹⁰ and malaria¹¹ will be on the rise. And this is so urgent for children under five who are already weakened by malnutrition to have access to these health programs as well as to clean water.”

Ms. Lindborg adds that diseases carried by water can cause serious problems during droughts, famines or natural disasters.

NANCY LINDBORG: “Finally, we are working on programs that increase access to markets. Where there is food available in the markets but it’s simply too expensive for families to afford without some assistance programs.”

(MUSIC)

JUNE SIMMS: As Nancy Lindborg noted¹³, USAID provides financial support to many NGOs. One such group is the International Rescue Committee. The IRC has been working in the Horn of Africa for many years. It provides economic aid, health care and support for victims of violence based on gender¹⁴ or sex. It also provides assistance to agricultural programs.

Kurt Tjossem is the IRC’s Regional Director for the Horn of Africa and East Africa. He says the group has expanded its programs because of the famine conditions.

KURT TJOSSEM: “We have worked in health, providing primary health care and nutrition services. And what we've done in northern Kenya, say for example, is we've ramped¹⁵ up to support the refugees that have crossed in from Somalia to Kenya in the Dadaab area. And we've also provided the Turkana population in northwest with supplementary¹⁶ feeding. In Somalia itself, we've just opened up operations in Mogadishu and are supporting internally displaced populations with primary health care.”

Kurt Tjossem says the International Rescue Committee has opened health care centers in Mogadishu. These centers operate in cooperation with Somalia’s Health Ministry¹⁷ to provide medicines and medical treatment. The group provides doctors and workers for the health care points.

The IRC also is active in Dadaab at the largest refugee camp in the world.

KURT TJOSSEM: “When we talk about nutrition, what we've done is we have, we run one of the hospitals in the Daadab refugee camp. As part of that there is a stabilization¹⁸ center. And so when malnourished children are identified they are referred to the stabilization center. And we’re able through our doctors and nurses to attend to these patients.”

The IRC also operates several programs for farmers. In Somalia, about seventy percent of the population is active in farming. During droughts, many farm animals get sick or die. This increases the risks of economic crises during famines.

(MUSIC)

BARBARA KLEIN: One NGO working with farmers in the Horn of Africa is Oxfam America. Oxfam America is part of an alliance of fifteen Oxfam groups. The alliance is based in Britain.

Oxfam America does not receive money from USAID or any government. It depends on donations from people in the United States or other countries. The group has also received money from not-for-profit organizations, including the Ford¹² Foundation and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Shannon Scribner is Oxfam America's humanitarian policy manager.

SHANNON SCRIBNER: “Before the drought Oxfam was working in Ethiopia and Kenya and working through partners in Somalia. Today we are reaching about one million people affected¹⁹ by the drought and we hope to reach three million with life saving relief. And this relief includes drilling boreholes, building latrines, providing cash to buy food; but also cleaning and rehabilitating²⁰ existing water sources.

"We're also working with livestock²¹ because a great number of people affected have been pastoralists. This means vaccinating²² livestock and actually providing new livestock to people who have been affected.”

When asked if Oxfam America provides money directly to farmers or buys animals for them, Ms. Scribner says they do both.

SHANNON SCRIBER: “We do both. We actually hand out cash for food and sometimes its direct cash if the populations affected are just too weak and too vulnerable. But we also do cash for work, where we’ll have a community project such as digging a well and then we’ll give cash for food.”

Food from aid organizations can be misused23. Here food market by USAID and other aid groups is being sold in a market in Mogadishu.

JUNE SIMMS: Sometimes international aid fails to reach the target population. The United Nations has been investigating reports that food aid was stolen in Mogadishu. Some reports said businessmen were even selling the aid in markets.

Two months ago, witnesses in Mogadishu said seven people were killed when people began stealing food that was sent to famine and drought victims. They said the violence began when men who looked like government soldiers began stealing the food. Reports said pro-government forces guarding the food shot at the men.

BARBARA KLEIN: The movement of foreign aid has historically been difficult to follow. It is not always clear how the money is spent and if the aid is reaching the target communities.

In an effort to solve this problem, two American universities and Development Gateway²⁴ created a registration²⁵ system called AidDATA. It was established ten years ago as a way to register aid activities and improve the public’s knowledge of international aid finances.

(MUSIC)

JUNE SIMMS: This program was written by Kim Varzi. Our producer was Mario Ritter. I’m June Simms.

BARBARA KLEIN: And I’m Barbara Klein. Has your nation received aid? Do you know what the aid was used for? If so, we would like to hear from you. Please share your comments on our website, voanews.cn. Join us again next week for more EXPLORATIONS in VOA Special English.

1 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

2 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

3 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

4 administrator   

n.经营管理者，行政官员

参考例句：

• The role of administrator absorbed much of Ben's energy.行政职务耗掉本很多精力。
• He has proved himself capable as administrator.他表现出管理才能。

5 therapeutic   

adj.治疗的，起治疗作用的；对身心健康有益的

参考例句：

• Therapeutic measures were selected to fit the patient.选择治疗措施以适应病人的需要。
• When I was sad,music had a therapeutic effect.我悲伤的时候，音乐有治疗效力。

6 malnutrition   

n.营养不良

参考例句：

• In Africa, there are a lot of children suffering from severe malnutrition.在非洲有大批严重营养不良的孩子。
• It is a classic case of malnutrition. 这是营养不良的典型病例。

7 nutrients   

n.（食品或化学品）营养物，营养品( nutrient的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a lack of essential nutrients 基本营养的缺乏
• Nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream. 营养素被吸收进血液。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 vaccination   

n.接种疫苗，种痘

参考例句：

• Vaccination is a preventive against smallpox.种痘是预防天花的方法。
• Doctors suggest getting a tetanus vaccination every ten years.医生建议每十年注射一次破伤风疫苗。

9 measles   

n.麻疹，风疹，包虫病，痧子

参考例句：

• The doctor is quite definite about Tom having measles.医生十分肯定汤姆得了麻疹。
• The doctor told her to watch out for symptoms of measles.医生叫她注意麻疹出现的症状。

10 cholera   

n.霍乱

参考例句：

• The cholera outbreak has been contained.霍乱的发生已被控制住了。
• Cholera spread like wildfire through the camps.霍乱在营地里迅速传播。

11 malaria   

n.疟疾

参考例句：

• He had frequent attacks of malaria.他常患疟疾。
• Malaria is a kind of serious malady.疟疾是一种严重的疾病。

12 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

13 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

14 gender   

n.（生理上的）性，（名词、代词等的）性

参考例句：

• French differs from English in having gender for all nouns.法语不同于英语，所有的名词都有性。
• Women are sometimes denied opportunities solely because of their gender.妇女有时仅仅因为性别而无法获得种种机会。

15 ramped   

土堤斜坡( ramp的过去式和过去分词 )； 斜道； 斜路； （装车或上下飞机的）活动梯

参考例句：

• With the arrival of George Lucas, the pace has ramped up. 随着乔治·卢卡斯的到来，速度大大加快。
• They also sold corporate bonds as the global financial crisis ramped up. 在全球金融危机加剧之际，他们还抛售了公司债券。

16 supplementary   

adj.补充的，附加的

参考例句：

• There is a supplementary water supply in case the rain supply fails.万一主水源断了，我们另外有供水的地方。
• A supplementary volume has been published containing the index.附有索引的增补卷已经出版。

17 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

18 Stabilization   

稳定化

参考例句：

• The position of barycentre on plane directly impacts the stabilization and manipulation of plane. 飞机重心位置直接影响飞机的稳定和操纵特性。
• With the higher olefins, stabilization of the energetic intermediates occurs more easily. 在较高的烯烃情况下，高能的中间物稳定作用更易出现。

19 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

20 rehabilitating   

改造（罪犯等）( rehabilitate的现在分词 )； 使恢复正常生活； 使恢复原状； 修复

参考例句：

• a unit for rehabilitating drug addicts 帮助吸毒者恢复正常生活的机构
• She was more concerned about protecting the public than rehabilitating the criminal. 她比较关心保护百姓，而不大关心改造罪犯。

21 livestock   

n.家畜，牲畜

参考例句：

• Both men and livestock are flourishing.人畜两旺。
• The heavy rains and flooding killed scores of livestock.暴雨和大水淹死了许多牲口。

22 vaccinating   

给…接种疫苗( vaccinate的现在分词 )； 注射疫苗，接种疫苗

参考例句：

• At first blush, vaccinating the wolves against rabies seems a simple solution. 乍一看来，为狼群注射防狂犬病疫苗是一种简单的办法。
• Also vaccinating children against misers (measles) has saved many lives. 还有，给儿童进行疫苗接种防止麻疹也挽救了许多生命。

23 misused   

v.使用…不当( misuse的过去式和过去分词 )；把…派作不正当的用途；虐待；滥用

参考例句：

• He misused his dog shamefully. 他可耻地虐待自己的狗。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He had grossly misused his power. 他严重滥用职权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

24 gateway   

n.大门口，出入口，途径，方法

参考例句：

• Hard work is the gateway to success.努力工作是通往成功之路。
• A man collected tolls at the gateway.一个人在大门口收通行费。

25 registration   

n.登记，注册，挂号

参考例句：

• Marriage without registration is not recognized by law.法律不承认未登记的婚姻。
• What's your registration number?你挂的是几号？