KAMPALA – The Hunger Project Uganda (THP-U) has launched a new mission and vision to aid and streamline their operations of achieving zero hunger across the country.
Speaking at the launch at their offices in Bukoto, Ms Irene Naikaali Ssentongo, the Country Director THP-U explained that the launch of this new Mission and Vision repositions them to address hunger given the current trends within the current space of the hunger question.
She shared that the vision and mission change was to refocus their work.
“We have come to recognize that ending hunger after it has been created is no longer sufficient. We have created a system that is allowing hunger to persist, day in and day out, which accepts it as part of the world order. This is why we have shifted our language to “a world without hunger” from “ending hunger,” she said.
According to Ms Naikaali, the new mission and vision addresses the fact that they must stop hunger from being created in the first place and this calls for an inclusive strategy. A strategy that is cognizant of the interconnected world, environmental issues, climate change, post Covid realities etc. All these realities are challenging The Hunger Project to broaden the discussion and approach in the ongoing efforts to end hunger.
“It is important to realise that we are not moving away from the Epicenter Model, we shall continue to support Epicenters but through collaborations. Instead of rushing into building new structures, we shall utilize existing opportunities with local governments and partners to build communities where everyone is a player”.
For example, instead of building new community halls and health centers, utilizing existing ones by the government is now going to be the first option Irene adds.
Over the last two years, The Hunger Project (THP) has engaged in assessing the state of world hunger and identifying the missing gaps to create a world without hunger once and for all.
When The Hunger Project was launched in 1977, one of the things they did was to identify the distinction between famine and starvation. Although this may seem simple now, then it was news.
THP brought to light the issue of hidden chronic hunger which affected more people especially women and children than what was being reported in the news. So with its founding, THP challenged the belief that hunger was inevitable and that people living in conditions of hunger were helpless and victims. The Hunger Project was the first to declare that hunger could end.
“The new vision, “A world without Hunger” and mission “To facilitate individual and collective action to transform the systems of inequity that create hunger and cause it to persist” launches a new era when we create a world without hunger that is new, exciting and doable. It changes the entire landscape,” Ms Naikaali shared.
Dr. Mwalimu Musheshe, the Council Chairperson THP-U National Advisory explained that they are optimistic in the Hunger Project because they (THP-U) are not relief agents nor charity staff that they are going to feed people.
He shared that when people are taught and equipped with the necessary tools and not just fed, the issue of hunger, food sufficiency, health and wealth will be created.
“Education is a game changer. The Hunger Project is putting emphasis on the child, especially the girl child and women. Once they are economically empowered and educated, the men will also get equally empowered. I am sure this trend of women’s economic empowerment and mind-set change is a shift in paradigm.”
According to Zakaria Fusheni, the head of nutrition at UNICEF Uganda, if you look at the nutrition and hunger profile in Uganda, the gap is huge and a lot of resources are needed to bridge it.
He explained that the growing context of hunger in Karamoja, refugee settlements and other places especially in Northern Uganda area, has led to an increase in stunting rates due to malnutrition and hunger.
“One organisation cannot do it alone, we need to partner under the limited resources to harness each other’s strength to be able to achieve good results. If you look at this context, looking at the expertise of the hunger project where they have come from, the value addition in partnering with them to be able to achieve this rules out very evidence-based programmes that can achieve much more results especially on the ground,” he said.
Mr Fusheni added that the Hunger Project has much more expertise and strengths working with governments and local communities so, harnessing their expertise in partnerships with UNICEF, will help in achieving much more results in reducing hunger for Uganda and also globally.
Ms Victoria Sekitoleko, the former Agriculture Minister and founding members of the National Advisory Council under THP- Uganda shared that she is sure Uganda can be free of hunger because it has enough resources.
She explained that the reason why some people are not having enough food is because some are so greedy and have amassed a lot.
“The few are owning everything, the many are owning very little and sharing it. I love the new vision and mission because they are looking at a world without hunger, all of us believe it can happen,” she said.
She added: “For Uganda, I am absolutely happy with what is happening now. Hunger goes beyond just putting food in the mouth, I am talking about nutrition which The Hunger Project is also looking at. I am really happy that the world is waking up and realising that it is not a matter of putting food in the mouth but what you are eating also matters. Different households are waking up to eat nutritious diets, which is a good step.”
