Humanitarian Aid Work Hurt by Coronavirus
2020-09-05
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1Humanitarian aid work is difficult.
2Workers helping people without food, water, shelter, or healthcare must often face natural disasters, slow governments, and even war.
3Now they have another enemy to consider -- COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.
4Here we will talk about three stories of humanitarian workers in hotspot areas.
5Earlier this year, Somalia faced its worst invasion of desert locusts in 25 years.
6In February, the country declared a state of emergency over swarms of the crop-destroying insects.
7The swarms can grow to several hundred square kilometers.
8Each square kilometer can contain 40 to 80 million locusts.
9The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization says the huge swarms can eat the same amount of food in one day as about 35,000 people.
10As a child in Somalia, Mohamed Mohamud remembers the locusts.
11The swarms darkened the skies.
12The insects ate his small tomato plants - the ones he carefully grew for his family.
13Today, Mohamud is an insect expert with the International Center of Insect Physiology and Ecology in Nairobi.
14The center fights poverty and food insecurity by developing ways to control crop-destroying insects.
15To do that, it depends on equipment and people from other countries.
16However, now borders are closed to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
17So, the center can do little to help.
18Mohamud told VOA that in the past when swarms became too big, helicopters would drop insect-killing chemicals.
19Other vehicles would also come to help.
20He said with COVID-19 and blockades everywhere, the situation has worsened.
21Movement across borders is now impossible.
22Border closures between countries is one problem.
23There are also blocks within governmental agencies that have created other problems.
24Neera Sharma manages the World Food Program's school meal program in Nepal.
25She said that the early days of the coronavirus crisis were difficult.
26During that four-month period, the food program changed from an in-school format to a take-home format.
27The new format is based on guidelines from the World Health Organization (WHO) and instructions from the Nepalese government.
28But the program also needed approval from the Nepalese government and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which helps pay for the program.
29Sharma explained that in "May, June, July - three months - there was nothing."
30Then, schools were closed during Nepal's national lockdown.
31They were temporarily made into quarantine centers.
32This made giving out food even more difficult.
33Sharma said that "there were countless children in Nepal" who went to school on an empty stomach.
34The coronavirus has made hunger worse.
35The World Food Program estimates that 2.4 million children did not get necessary food when schools closed.
36Yemen is currently experiencing what many observers say is the worst humanitarian crisis in the world.
37The rainy season there is now taking place.
38Some people have lost their homes to flooding.
39These flood waters have also caused an increase in diseases, such as cholera and dengue fever.
40Yemen's civil war has continued since 2015 and it has worsened poverty.
41"People in Yemen are still in need for very basic things," said Sonia Almassad.
42She manages two offices in the U.N.'s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, or OCHA.
43These basic things, she said, are water, food, shelter, blankets, and health services.
44Now, Yemini people must also face COVID-19.
45Humanitarian efforts in Yemen have been delayed because operations take longer now and cost more.
46Giving out supplies takes place over longer periods of time to permit physical distancing.
47People also need personal protective equipment, which raises costs.
48OCHA and other U.N. agencies are struggling to find the money to continue operating in Yemen.
49Since July, Almassad has been organizing all her work from her home in Syria.
50She did spend four months working in Yemen but was only able to move from room to room.
51She said that during the disease outbreak, she has spent more time working but not getting the same results.
52In Somalia, Mohamud fears that heavy rains will cause another wave of locusts.
53His organization expects that one in every four Somalis -- 3.5 million people -- will face severe food insecurity by September.
54In Yemen, three of Almassad's U.N. colleagues recently died.
55The U.N. would not say if COVID-19 was the cause.
56Still, she expects to return to the country in the next month.
57In Nepal, Sharma appeared hopeful.
58The school meal gave out the first round of take-home food in July.
59It will continue giving the 1,500 metric tons of food donated by the U.S. in a second round in late September.
60The food program has done very well.
61So, in this year's national budget, the Nepalese government agreed to expand coverage of the program from 60 percent of the country to 100 percent.
62Sharma said "knowing that a child won't go to bed tonight with an empty stomach because of [this] program -- that's extremely rewarding."
63I'm Anna Matteo.
64And I'm Caty Weaver.
1Humanitarian aid work is difficult. Workers helping people without food, water, shelter, or healthcare must often face natural disasters, slow governments, and even war. 2Now they have another enemy to consider -- COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. Here we will talk about three stories of humanitarian workers in hotspot areas. 3Fighting locusts in Somalia 4Earlier this year, Somalia faced its worst invasion of desert locusts in 25 years. In February, the country declared a state of emergency over swarms of the crop-destroying insects. 5The swarms can grow to several hundred square kilometers. Each square kilometer can contain 40 to 80 million locusts. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization says the huge swarms can eat the same amount of food in one day as about 35,000 people. 6As a child in Somalia, Mohamed Mohamud remembers the locusts. The swarms darkened the skies. The insects ate his small tomato plants - the ones he carefully grew for his family. 7Today, Mohamud is an insect expert with the International Center of Insect Physiology and Ecology in Nairobi. 8The center fights poverty and food insecurity by developing ways to control crop-destroying insects. To do that, it depends on equipment and people from other countries. However, now borders are closed to slow the spread of the coronavirus. So, the center can do little to help. 9Mohamud told VOA that in the past when swarms became too big, helicopters would drop insect-killing chemicals. Other vehicles would also come to help. He said with COVID-19 and blockades everywhere, the situation has worsened. Movement across borders is now impossible. 10Border closures between countries is one problem. There are also blocks within governmental agencies that have created other problems. 11Feeding the poor in Nepal 12Neera Sharma manages the World Food Program's school meal program in Nepal. 13She said that the early days of the coronavirus crisis were difficult. During that four-month period, the food program changed from an in-school format to a take-home format. 14The new format is based on guidelines from the World Health Organization (WHO) and instructions from the Nepalese government. But the program also needed approval from the Nepalese government and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which helps pay for the program. 15Sharma explained that in "May, June, July - three months - there was nothing." Then, schools were closed during Nepal's national lockdown. They were temporarily made into quarantine centers. This made giving out food even more difficult. 16Sharma said that "there were countless children in Nepal" who went to school on an empty stomach. 17The coronavirus has made hunger worse. The World Food Program estimates that 2.4 million children did not get necessary food when schools closed. 18Civil war in Yemen 19Yemen is currently experiencing what many observers say is the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. 20The rainy season there is now taking place. Some people have lost their homes to flooding. These flood waters have also caused an increase in diseases, such as cholera and dengue fever. 21Yemen's civil war has continued since 2015 and it has worsened poverty. 22"People in Yemen are still in need for very basic things," said Sonia Almassad. 23She manages two offices in the U.N.'s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, or OCHA. These basic things, she said, are water, food, shelter, blankets, and health services. 24Now, Yemini people must also face COVID-19. 25Humanitarian efforts in Yemen have been delayed because operations take longer now and cost more. Giving out supplies takes place over longer periods of time to permit physical distancing. People also need personal protective equipment, which raises costs. 26OCHA and other U.N. agencies are struggling to find the money to continue operating in Yemen. 27Since July, Almassad has been organizing all her work from her home in Syria. She did spend four months working in Yemen but was only able to move from room to room. 28She said that during the disease outbreak, she has spent more time working but not getting the same results. 29When will things get better? 30In Somalia, Mohamud fears that heavy rains will cause another wave of locusts. His organization expects that one in every four Somalis -- 3.5 million people -- will face severe food insecurity by September. 31In Yemen, three of Almassad's U.N. colleagues recently died. The U.N. would not say if COVID-19 was the cause. Still, she expects to return to the country in the next month. 32In Nepal, Sharma appeared hopeful. The school meal gave out the first round of take-home food in July. It will continue giving the 1,500 metric tons of food donated by the U.S. in a second round in late September. 33The food program has done very well. So, in this year's national budget, the Nepalese government agreed to expand coverage of the program from 60 percent of the country to 100 percent. 34Sharma said "knowing that a child won't go to bed tonight with an empty stomach because of [this] program -- that's extremely rewarding." 35I'm Anna Matteo. 36And I'm Caty Weaver. 37Leslie Bonilla wrote this story for Voice of America. Anna Matteo adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. 38_________________________________________________________ 39Words in This Story 40locust -n. an insect similar to a grasshopper that gathers in huge numbers and eats crops 41swarm -n. a large number of insects moving together 42food insecurity -n. a household-level economic and social condition of limited or uncertain access to enough food 43format -n. the way in which something is designed 44lockdown -n. a situation in which people must stay in their houses or prisoners in their cells for security reasons 45quarantine -n. being kept away from other people in an effort to stop the spread of a disease 46round -n. one of a series of similar events or actions 47rewarding -adj. giving a good feeling that you have done something valuable or important