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The singer and his band, The Orchestre Daande Lenol ("voice of the people" in the Fulani language), held an all-night concert in Wodobere village to raise funds for affected communities.
Maal paused during the concert attended by 1,000 people in the remote village to speak about the food crisis in Senegal and other parts of West Africa. "There is a need to act fast to avoid the situation getting worse. We saw children who don't even have water to drink. Everywhere it is dry, wells have dried up, and dead animals are littered everywhere."
The morning after the concert, Maal visited the village of Mbelone located two and a half miles from Wodobere. "We face serious problems here. Our livestock are dying before our eyes," said Ely Hamady Diallo, the chief of Mbelone, to Maal and a group of journalists. "If we humans do not have food to eat how can we feed our animals? Every other day we lose an animal -- the livestock are our livelihood."
"I am here with Oxfam to call on governments and the international community to come and help," Baaba Maal said to journalists after listening to the villagers. "We are demonstrating that artists are not just there to perform and make money. We can be agents of development."
More than 18 million people are affected by the food crisis in the Sahel region of West Africa owing to irregular rainfall last year, a lack of animal fodder, poor harvests, and lingering vulnerability from the 2010 food crisis. Rising food prices across the region and political conflict in Mali compound the situation. In Senegal, 850,000 people are affected. Oxfam's response to the crisis will include: cash transfers so families can purchase food and agricultural inputs like seeds, as well as assistance to ensure people have clean water, sanitation, and hygiene assistance. With sufficient food and seeds, families stand a much better chance of a successful harvest this year.
Oxfam is aiming to help 1.2 million people across seven countries with programs that include cash transfers and cash-for-work initiatives, veterinary care for the livestock on which many families depend, and access to clean water and sanitation. We are also campaigning to change the root causes of this crisis. Find out how you can support our efforts.
]]>"I harvested practically nothing," Founé Danfakha says of her 2011 yield. She grows groundnuts, maize, and rice in Bembou, a small village about 50 kilometers east of Kedougou, near the border with Mali. The 60-year-old mother of five children and grandmother of four says, "If the rain comes normally, I can get 20 sacks of groundnuts. Last year I got only five."
Danfakha has about five acres of land. She says her last harvest was dismal: She got three bags of rice, which is about 30 percent of the normal harvest. She planted about an acre of maize, but harvested none at all.
No seed, no harvest
Danfakha is sitting in front of her home, with her four-year-old grandson on her lap. The boy is quiet, and seems to have little energy. Danfakha says she is feeding everyone in the household regularly, despite the fact that the food she grew last year lasted only two months after the harvest in November. Usually she grows enough to last four months. She says she is meeting her family needs with money sent from her daughter, who is digging for gold in a nearby mining area.
When the rains start, Danfakha's daughter will come back to help her prepare her fields and plant. "I think we will have to cover our needs growing groundnuts," she says. "I don't have enough rice seed, but I think I have enough groundnut seed." When her daughter comes back they will have no income from mining while she works in the fields, so it is a calculated risk.
"The situation is difficult here. There's a problem of rain," Danfakha says. "It's been irregular. If there's not enough rain, there won't be a harvest. And if there is no seed, there'll be no harvest."
Oxfam is collaborating with local organizations in Kedougou to help farmers there and in other areas of West Africa with crucial agricultural support, so they can plant this spring. Oxfam is also planning work that will help keep drinking water clean and safe, and provide food or short-term employment for cash wages, so farmers can meet their food needs over the summer while they work their fields.
Oxfam is aiming to help 1.2 million people across seven countries with programs that include cash transfers and cash-for-work initiatives, veterinary care for the livestock on which many families depend, and access to clean water and sanitation. We are also campaigning to change the root causes of this crisis. Find out how you can support our efforts.
]]>She planted a maize field and hoped to grow a ton, but only got one 50-kg bag. She says the poor result was due to "lack of rain, lack of good equipment for cultivation, and lack of money to pay for labor."
Her situation is rather typical in the small village of Bandafassy, about 15 kilometers from the town of Kedougou in eastern Senegal, where erratic rain last year hit farmers hard. The resulting high demand for food grown in other parts of the country is pushing up prices, and forcing farmers who were already struggling to feed their families to find creative ways of coping.
Camara is the one in the family responsible for agriculture, but her husband Nicolas Keita helps prepare fields for planting and the harvest – when he is not away mining for gold to earn cash.
Keita says they planted in early June, but by the end of the month it had stopped raining, and what they were growing dried out in July. They replanted in August, and invested in some fertilizer. The rains were intermittent in September and stopped altogether in the beginning of October. "The rain gap in June and July prevented any decent harvest," he says.
"Things are going to go badly," Camara says she realized after the harvest. "But we will make every effort." She turned to gathering wild fruits in the forest, such as the seed pods of the baobab tree and jujube berries to feed her family.
To earn money, her mother-in-law began making clay pots for storing water; Camara walks 15 kilometers to Kedougou (carrying a 10-pound pot on her head) where she sells the pots for about $5 each. If she can make a sale, she buys food and returns. In a good week, she can sell two or three pots.
Camara reports that after a good harvest she can feed her family for about six months, but this past year the food only lasted about four. She says she is down to her last two bags of rice, one of which she wants to save for seed. "We will always find a way to get by," she says with a certain resignation. The threat to farmers like Camara is that of another year of diminished harvests: Successive bad years can lead to a downward spiral that even the most resourceful farmer can't avoid.
Oxfam is designing programs to help farmers like Camara get the resources they need to plant crops this year, so that when the rains come people will have an opportunity to grow what they need for food. Cherif Sow, who works for the Kedougou Association for Action and Development, an Oxfam partner, says the need for support in the area is crucial. "We have to help the communities as quickly as possible to help them survive the lean time, otherwise it will have an impact on their agricultural production."
Oxfam is aiming to help 1.2 million people across seven countries with programs that include cash transfers and cash-for-work initiatives, veterinary care for the livestock on which many families depend, and access to clean water and sanitation. We are also campaigning to change the root causes of this crisis. Find out how you can support our efforts.
]]>Sofia Vergara, community organizer for Oxfam's Right to Know, Right to Decide campaign, has worked with the people of La Oroya since 2005. Below, Vergara explains the new developments and what lies ahead.
What happened last week, and why is it important?
The Doe Run Peru smelter in La Oroya has not operated since 2009, when the company began a bankruptcy process, saying that it lacked the funds to run the smelter. Doe Run Peru recently proposed a restructuring plan that would allow it to begin operations again, but without first taking the steps to clean up the environment that are required by law in Peru.
Last week, Doe Run Peru's creditors, including the Peruvian government, voted to reject the company's plan. By doing so, the government showed that it is willing to stand up to the company in defense of the people of La Oroya. This is a very positive step.
How will this affect families in La Oroya?
Without emissions from the smelter, people are breathing cleaner air. You can tell just by looking at pictures: there are blue skies now, and plants growing that weren't there before. The children are not facing day-to-day exposure to contamination. A recent government study found that children's blood lead levels have decreased compared to 2005 [when a study found that 97 percent of the children in the town under age 6 had elevated blood lead levels]. Most people in La Oroya want the smelter to reopen, but with adequate environmental controls installed first.
What happens next?
There are a lot of unanswered questions. The company has entered into what's called "liquidation in progress," which means that the smelter will not operate, but 3,500 workers can keep their jobs. Another entity will manage the liquidation for the next six months, but we don't know who. The government and the creditors' board have until May 25 to decide. That decision will play a big part in determining La Oroya's future.
For now, we need to make sure of two things. First, that the government's process is clear and transparent. For example, Doe Run has a plan to build a sulfuric acid plant in La Oroya—a critical step for reducing toxic emissions. Residents want to know if that will still happen, and if Doe Run Peru will meet environmental requirements before reopening. Second, the government's decision will have to take the environmental and health issues, as well as the workers' rights, into account.
What about this ongoing conflict between workers and activists in La Oroya? With violent protests around mining now making news in other parts of Peru, how can we prevent violence from happening there?
In a recent statement issued by a coalition of Oxfam's partners in La Oroya, they "call for all actors to prioritize dialogue and avoid any kind of confrontation, or acts of violence." The government plays a key role in communicating with the population, making sure people know what will happen and how they will be protected. The company also has a responsibility to negotiate with the government in good faith, and to not put pressure on workers to create violence in the city.
In general, I think people in La Oroya have access to more information than they did in the past, which will help them understand this complex situation. Many have been put in a difficult position because they have to defend the source of their livelihood, and on the other hand they face the issue of contamination of themselves and their families.
What are Oxfam and its partners doing to support citizens' efforts?
Local grassroots leaders like Rosa Amaro and Esther Hinostrosa have played a key role in defending the environment and human rights in La Oroya, as have representatives of the church. All of these groups have kept up their courage even in the face of pressure, violence, and threats.
Through its partners and allies in the area, Oxfam helps strengthen these local groups and makes sure they have access to information they need. We've also supported them as they raise awareness about the case in the US and Peru. That's something Amaro told me herself: even though her life has been threatened, it's important to communicate about this case as much as we can. That's how we will bring about real change.
How have people in the US contributed?
A lot of people are taking action—people of faith, students, others. They feel a strong sense of solidarity with the families of La Oroya, and they are also concerned because Doe Run Peru is a US-owned company. Peruvian and Latin American communities in the US have also been very active on this case.
So far, more than 35,000 supporters have signed an online petition asking US Congress to support the people of Peru in the trade lawsuit [Doe Run Peru is suing the Peruvian government for allegedly violating the terms of the US-Peru Free Trade Agreement]. Thanks to efforts like this, 18 members of US Congress recently sent a letter asking the US Treasury and State Departments not to support the company.
What can people do to help now?
Follow our partners' coalition, La Oroya por un Cambio, on Twitter and like La Oroya por un Cambio on Facebook to get updates. Share the information with others. And tell Congress to stand with the people of Peru on the trade case, which is still going on.
What has the erratic weather—drought, flooding—meant for the people of Kolda in southern Senegal? It's made them among the most food-insecure in the entire country, said Greg Matthews, a humanitarian livelihoods officer with Oxfam America, who recently returned from a field visit.
"In the village of Karcia bordering the region of Sedhiou, the overall production has dropped by 80 percent compared to last year," added Isaac Massaga, an Oxfam America humanitarian program officer in Senegal. "A woman we talked to said she harvested 400 kilograms of rice last year and only 80 this year—on the same size of land."
Massaga said lack of rain has also hurt the production of vegetables, an activity that usually provides a substantial source of income for women and their households.
Peanuts, the cash crop that many farmers in the Kolda area depend on to support their families, have taken a severe hit as well. During the last harvest in October, production plummeted by 60 percent, said Matthews, leaving families with less money to buy food. And at a time when they need to purchase even more of it to make up for what their fields couldn't produce, the shortages are beginning to take a toll.
When there is a lack of food—or money to buy it—families resort to other ways of coping. They may borrow food or cut down on the number of meals they eat each day. Often, they turn to searching for wild foods, such as roots, fruits, or grasses
"In the south, families showed us the clover-type grasses they were collecting for their households," said Matthews. "People told us how they had borrowed rice from family or friends, or money so they could buy a kilo to feed their children."
Normally January and February are times of plenty around Kolda. Farmers have cash from their harvests. They have stocks of food. Their families can eat three times a day, every day. But not this year.
"Now, they're saying they'll eat, definitely once, usually twice, and maybe three times—if they have enough money, or if they happen to sell a goat," Matthews said.
To get cash, more people are resorting to a hard—and environmentally destructive—solution: They are fanning out into protected forests and cutting trees, which they then turn into charcoal. Senegal's capital, Dakar, has an enormous appetite for charcoal, said Matthews, as it is the main cooking fuel used there. Neighboring Gambia is also a big market.
"You see huge trucks filled way higher than they should be—filled with thousands of sacks of charcoal—going into Gambia," Matthews said.
"In our conversations with Abdou Seydi, the regional director of rural development for Kolda, he expressed deep concern about this phenomenon," said Massaga. "It's not only accelerating deforestation in an already fragile ecosystem, but it also heavily affects the soil fertility, and thus impacts the medium-to-long-term agricultural productivity in Kolda."
But without alternatives for feeding their families, people are not likely to stop cutting trees added Seydou Wane, the executive secretary of FODDE, a local organization Oxfam works with.
What complicates the food situation in Senegal is that while one community may be struggling to ensure there is enough to eat, just a few short miles away another community may be faring fine—a disparity that makes generalizations impossible. Poor rainfall was not universal.
"We went into one village, Balkamissa, and the first thing I saw were these stacks—chest high—of millet that had been harvested, dried, and stored under a tent," said Matthews.
As bountiful as the harvest may have been in Balkamissa, it's clear from the assessment missions Oxfam has undertaken that many families are struggling and need help to make it through to the next harvest. In a three-phased response, Oxfam plans to help tens of thousands of Senegalese meet their immediate needs, recover some of their losses, and better prepare for the next time trouble strikes. And among the initiatives around Kolda will be income=generating activities so families won't have to rely on dwindling forests for their survival.
Chhoun says he is now using the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) since he learned about it two years ago during training sessions with Oxfam's partner, a local organization called Srer Khmer. SRI techniques involve cost-saving ways of planting rice: farmers use less seed, water, fertilizer, and grow more rice. Farmers can follow as many as nine steps, ranging from seed selection to the way they transplant seedlings individually (instead of in clumps of five or more plants together). SRI techniques promote the growth of stronger roots, so each plant produces more grains of rice.
Since following SRI practices allows him to plant fewer seeds and use less water, Chhoun says it is helping him save money, grow more rice in the same area, and even increase the number of harvests per year. "The techniques we've learned have helped us feed the family better," he says. "I plant three rice crops a year now. Here I've just harvested my rice, and then I transplanted again right away."
Year-round cultivation
On a cool winter afternoon, Dieb and Chhoun and three of their children are across the narrow dirt road from their house, transplanting rice onto a rented field. Dieb is in the nursery, pulling the seedlings up by their roots. She carries them a short distance to where Chhoun is planting them in a small area flooded with about six inches of water. He wades down a straight row, inserting each individual seedling about one inch deep and 18 inches from the next.
Chhoun and Dieb were the first family in their village, Anlong Hab, to grow three crops a year. That was three years ago. Last year there were three families doing it, now there are 10. "In the wet season everyone grows rice so it's hard to find land to rent," Chhoun says. "Usually people don't grow rice in the dry season, so it's an opportunity for me to go rent their land."
Chhoun says the added production is helping his family of nine eat better, but they still need to grow more. So finding land he can plant is a priority. "I want others to grow three crops a year also because we're all poor," he says, wondering aloud if he will find enough land to rent if more farmers expand their growing season.
Nevertheless, Chhoun and Dieb feel they are making progress, and their status in the community is changing as others have learned from their experience. Chhoun's rice cultivation skills have established him as one of the most innovative farmers in the village. "I'm quite proud," he says. "We're poor, but people look at me and follow what I did. That's what motivates me to do this work."
]]>"When my kids are having fun, when they're not hungry, when they jump left, right, and center, that's the most pleasure I get," she said.
But with rain in short supply, Senussi is worried about what the future will hold. Across the Sahel region of West Africa, a number of conditions are converging that could trigger a new food crisis. Low rainfall and water levels, poor harvests, lack of pasture, and high food prices are all causing serious problems, even as people are still trying to recover from the last food crisis in 2010 which affected 10 million of them.
"If the rain does not fall, it will be a disaster for us," said Senussi. "The animals and the people need the rainy season. Pastures grow during the rainy season. Without rain there is no life. We'll have to migrate but now we don't know what will become of us."
For many families, hunger is a hardship they have long endured.
"Usually, a family should eat three times a day, but now that is not the case," said Koubra Hamid, a 40-year-old mother of eight children who lives in Sallal, Chad. She has only enough food to prepare one meal a day for her family—a ball made of rice or flour and served with a sauce.
That single meal a day is all Hamid's family has had for several years. They don't have the resources for more. To buy grain in the market, families may first have to sell one of their animals to get cash.
"If we had animals, we could feed our children more often," she said, but as the pastureland has shrunk, so has the size of their herd. And in the harsh calculus herders know well, the 13 camels Hamid's family has held onto don't add up to full stomachs for her children.
"To prepare two meals a day in one household like ours, the head of the family should own at least 30 animals," said Hamid. "Our only source of income comes from the rain. Rain falls, grass grows, animals graze this grass, then we sell the animals to provide for us. If the rain doesn't fall, we cannot talk of life here."
Nor is it easy to speak of hunger and its devastating consequences.
"The truth is, we don't have the right to say that someone has died because of hunger," said Ashta Hamid, Senussi's older sister. "We cover this and say they died because they were sick, but really, lack of food kills."
In Chad, where crop production from a recent harvest was down 50 percent, reports have indicated that 13 out of 22 regions could be affected by food insecurity.
Oxfam is gearing up to address the needs of the most vulnerable people in the region and in some places across the Sahel the organization has already been working with communities to increase their resilience.
In the village of Kouzi Wahid in northern Chad, Fatna Bakhit is growing tomatoes, watermelons, turnips, and onions with seeds and gardening tools she received from Oxfam. She's counting on the produce to help tide her family over: The last harvest was poor and they lost most of their crops. And her husband has now gone off to look for work.
"When this effort bears fruit, I will be able to take care of my small family whilst awaiting support from my husband," said Bakhit.
Across West Africa a new food crisis is looming over a population that has already endured three of them since 2005. The last—in 2010—affected 10 million people.
But with early action, the hardship and loss so many have suffered through in the past seven years could be softened and that's what Oxfam America's humanitarian workers Isaac Massaga, Julie Savane, and Greg Matthews are taking the first steps to put in place. They are just back from Boulal, a collection of villages in the north, where they were working to identify the greatest needs and the responses that would best fill them—now, and longer-term.
"We're in a good position now to mitigate the serious consequences of an acute food crisis and to help people not resort to selling assets and cattle to meet their basic needs," said Matthews, speaking from the Oxfam office in Dakar, Senegal's capital.
Selling valuables—livestock, farm tools—is one of the strategies poor families without cash employ as a last resort when faced with no other way to get food: They'll use the money to buy it in the market. But in selling these important assets, they are also limiting their ability to make a living, and that drags them deeper into poverty. Halting that cycle is key to averting a crisis.
During the last growing season, rainfall in Louga was erratic, said Matthews, sometimes coming in great gushes and sometimes not at all. For the crops—millet, cowpeas, and peanuts—the result was dismal. The yields are off dramatically.
One farmer Matthews spoke with said he and his family had just consumed the last of the millet they had harvested in the end of October—300 kilograms worth. That was five times less than he would get in a good year. And the next planting season is still four months away.
How will people manage? Some, like the millet-grower, will pursue petty commerce, such as hunting for wood that they can sell as fuel in the market. But for many herders facing lean times, their strategy is to migrate with their livestock in the hope of finding pasture elsewhere.
In Boulal this year, that migration has started much earlier than usual, said Matthews.
"The hardest months for pastoralists are April, May, and June—right before the rains begin," he said. "But they're starting to experience that now, in the beginning of February, so most of their productive animals have already started to migrate." That means families must take their kids out of school prematurely and abandon other livelihood efforts, like gardens and small shops, that could help support them.
Poor harvests are also adding to the stress herders are feeling. With fewer crops pulled in from the fields that means fewer leftovers of leaves and stalks to feed to the livestock. And as the health of their animals declines, so does the value of sheep, goats and cattle.
Coupled with all of this, said Matthews, are climbing prices in the markets. A 50-kilogram sack of rice that once could be had in a trade of one sheep now costs a herder two or three.
"Because of all this, people are starting to employ early coping strategies," Mathews said. "They are starting to change the way they eat and manage their finances to prepare for a long, hungry season."
But even as they take these steps, the future hangs heavily.
"People are really worried about what will happen a month from now," Mathews said. "Most of the food reserves are already exhausted."
Among the responses Oxfam is weighing are cash transfers—a tool that would allow hard-hit families to carry on as they would normally. With cash, they could buy the essentials they need during this critical period but not have to sell vital assets to do it, said Matthews. A second approach might be to help herders get access to fodder for their livestock, which provides both food and income for families.
But longer-term, the goal is to help communities become more resilient.
"The bottom line is working with communities to take charge of the issues and find solutions themselves," said Matthews, pointing to a milking cooperative that had worked successfully in the area for a while. "It's not about money. It's about having, at the base community level, the desire to work together and the capacity to manage working collectively."
If the rain continued at least there would be pasture for his two cows, guaranteeing their health and ensuring his family would have milk to drink. But the shorter rains, which should have fallen earlier in the season, had failed to come to Keih Tekli. And without them, Mehari was unable to sow his sorghum, one of two main crops he depends on. Instead, he would rely on teff, a tiny grain planted later in the year that is a staple of the Ethiopian diet.
For small-scale producers like Mehari, drought is the enemy—unpredictable and deadly. It's the hardest part about farming, he says. And it's one of the reasons that Mehari has joined more than 13,000 others in the Tigray region to buy weather insurance for their crops.
The insurance is part of a rapidly expanding program designed to help some of Ethiopia's poorest farmers reduce the risk they face from disaster. When rainfall drops below a predetermined threshold, farmers who have bought the insurance receive a payout. Those too poor to pay with cash can trade their labor on community projects in exchange for the insurance. Launched by Oxfam in 2008 with the help of a host of partners including the Relief Society of Tigray, the program, now called the Rural Resilience Initiative, or R4, is set to expand into Senegal and two other countries in partnership with the World Food Programme.
Mehari has participated in the initiative for two years, swapping work—he has been planting tree seedlings in his community—for insurance. The first year he traded 16 days of labor for a premium worth 192 birr, or just over $11. That would have provided him with a payout of 600 birr, or nearly $35. Last year, Mehari invested 25 days of labor for coverage that would have given him a payout worth 800 birr, or more than $46.
That's not enough to cover all his costs if he loses a harvest, but it's enough of a buffer, perhaps, to prevent him from sinking deeper into poverty.
"It helps," he says, noting that if drought wiped out his harvest, the insurance would allow him to recover two-thirds of the 1,200 birr he invested in planting.
Divorced and the father of one daughter, Mehari says he had a basic understanding of how insurance works so when the opportunity arose to purchase some, he jumped at it. In his 38 years, he and his family had already experienced far more than their fair share of loss: Of the eight children to whom Mehari's mother gave birth, only two were still alive.
"I knew what insurance was. But the community members were confused and skeptical. How can it work?" he recalls them asking. "I accepted it (the insurance) without hesitation because if the crop fails, for me--it's like a parent's support in a bad situation."
As rain from the roof pooled into fat drops over the door, Mehari contemplated what the future would bring. He had already sowed more than an acre of land with teff seed and planned to plant the rest very soon.
"If the rain continues--like now--it won't be serious," he says of the hardship farmers face because of the lost sorghum season. "But if there is an early exit (of the rain), that will be disastrous."
For Mehari, insurance would soften the blow. But for countless other farmers tilling the rocky soil of Tigray, uncertainty sits heavily on their minds, its weight growing as increasingly erratic weather changes the age-old rules of agriculture.
]]>The pair of oxen alone puts him ahead of many poor farmers in this northern part of the country. Harnessed as a team, the animals give Tadesse the power he needs to plow his fields in a timely manner and to be ready for the rains when they fall. But if they don't come, he's now experimenting with a tool that will soften the blow: weather insurance.
Tadesse, who lives in the village of Hade Alga, is one of the more than 13,000 small farmers who are participating in a new insurance initiative launched by Oxfam and a host of partners, including the Relief Society of Tigray, or REST. The program allows those too poor to have cash on hand to pay for the insurance by working on environmental improvement projects that benefit the whole community—like planting trees. Tadesse is among the small percent of farmers able to pay with money.
When rainfall drops below a predetermined threshold, insured farmers receive a payout helping them to recover some of their losses from a failed or severely curtailed harvest.
"Everyone in this community is starting to understand the rationale of the insurance, so we want to continue this practice," said Tadesse, sitting with his wife and two young children in their one-room home on a rainy morning in August. But he admitted that the idea took a little getting used to. "We were skeptical when we heard (about )it. We were even confused. How can you cover the loss of crops? It's god's work."
After a great deal of discussion among community members, and many questions for REST, the idea began to click with people, Tadesse said. The local belief system holds that if you expect good things to happen, they will, and farmers are beginning to embrace insurance as part of that thinking, he added.
In 2010, Tadesse spent 60 birr—or about $3.50—on insurance for his teff, a staple grain in Ethiopia. As it turned out, the rains were plentiful that year and his harvest was very good, negating the need for a payout. But that didn't stop him from doubling his investment in insurance the next year, paying 120 birr for a premium that would provide him with 400 birr—or $23,17—to cover his potential losses. The expense felt like a smart move.
"Anything can happen," said Tadesse. "As security for me, I decided to double it. Even in the future I may double it again. You wish for better (rain), but you also have to accommodate the worst. In the future I don't know what will happen, so that's why I'm paying. But if the rain is good, I don't regret paying that amount of money."
The insurance has given him a sense of greater security, too, Tadesse said, so much so that he now has the confidence to take out a loan for livestock production. Once the rainy season ended, he planned to borrow money to buy a small herd of sheep and goats.
"If you buy four or eight sheep, they'll reproduce in a short period of time," said Tadesse. "It's a good source of income for my family. It makes our life comfortable."
With the stability he is striving to create for his family—in an environment made increasingly uncertain by changing weather patterns—Tadesse said he hopes his children will go far in school, an opportunity that stopped for him after fifth grade when he had to quit to work on his family's farm and help care for his aging parents.
"I'm very confident my children will go further—up to where they can reach," Tadesse said. "Education helps you use your capacity, not only in farming but in trading—in every part of life. If you're educated you introduce new ideas into your agricultural practices. You analyze the future. It all needs education."
And with the bit of security insurance is now providing, the dreams Tadesse has for his family have moved a little closer. Soon, other small farmers in Africa will have a chance at greater security, too: The weather insurance program, now called the Rural Resilience Initiative, or R4, is set to expand into Senegal and two other countries in partnership with the World Food Programme.
]]>Thomazeau—home to about 52,000 inhabitants—is a rural community in western Haiti, surrounded by mountains and little-touched by the earthquake two years ago. In fact, it was an area that saw a large influx of arrivals from the capital immediately after the quake. But it is also economically deprived.
Most people here are "planteurs"—small-scale farmers living off their land and selling what crops they can. But poor roads are a major problem in getting goods to markets. And, as Dumel pointed out, there are few economic opportunities available in the community.
That's also true across Haiti, where an estimated 75 percent of the population is not in salaried employment, and jobs are scarce.
Finding work is especially challenging in rural areas, where even the most casual of jobs are hard to come by. This was a major issue in Haiti, as much before the earthquake as now, and it is hampering people's ability to rebuild their lives.
According to an Oxfam survey last year, finding work is the top priority for most Haitians. And that's why a project which Oxfam supports in Thomazeau is raising the hopes of many women.
The women have their own section within ODECT known as RAFARE. That stands for Rassemblement des Femmes pour l'Accès aux Ressources Économiques, or Rallying Women to Access Economic Resources. Its goal is to try to improve the economic status of women. The group owned one milling machine and earned money processing grain brought to the center by farmers and merchants. Oxfam hired RAFARE after the earthquake to help provide milled cereals which formed part of food kits that were distributed in the outdoor camps where people had sought shelter.
Oxfam is now helping the women again—with funds and training, including enlisting the help of expatriate Haitian experts with specific skills. The group is modernizing its service center and expanding its operation.
The small building where they're currently located will double in size, allowing the women to have storage facilities where they can stock processed and unprocessed grains and market milled cereals. Oxfam has helped them to purchase two new grinding machines and is providing training and other equipment. The goal is to enable the women to run their operation as a full-fledged business. They will buy and sell locally produced grain throughout the year, rather than just seasonally; and during lean times, in between the harvests, they can sell surplus stocks in the local market.
"It will bring more economic opportunities here. There will be more jobs and more money coming in," said Marie-Claude Estenfile, general secretary of RAFARE. "There was always a shortage of grains being sold in the local markets from April to June, but we will be able to provide processed grains during that period.
It means people won't have to travel an hour or more to some of the markets, like in Croix des Bouquets, 24 kilometers away, to buy what they need. It will be easier to purchase food locally and we will help to strengthen the supply chain. The markets will be busier; the money will benefit the local economy."
Having proper storage facilities and being able market their own cereals will enable the women to work all year round, and not just stay open for business during the busy harvest period.
"It will guarantee people's food security here," said Dumel, adding that it will also create new jobs. "During the lean periods, people would have to buy imported rice and grain from other places. But we will have stocks to sell and supply to the local markets."
RAFARE's members are excited about the project.
"It gives me hope for the future," said Hermircie Alfred, 40. "I hope we can buy and sell the grains locally all year round; and we can make more profits."
"There are very few job opportunities here," Alexina Augustin, 45, a mother of eight. "The only jobs we can really find are selling cereals and this project will help us. I lost my home and land a few months ago during flooding and now I can't send my children to school. This will be a lifeline for me," she said.
]]>After the Peruvian government cited Doe Run Peru for environmental violations, the company closed the smelter in 2009, citing the high cost of complying with the government's requirements for cleanup. In April 2011, Doe Run Peru's parent company Renco Group filed a lawsuit against Peru, claiming its actions violated the US-Peru Free Trade Agreement.
With the case now due to go to international arbitration, the multi-billion-dollar Renco Group is lobbying the US government for support. At the same time, Oxfam and partners are calling on Congress to make sure that Doe Run doesn't abandon its commitments to the community where it did business for more than a decade.
"Renco Group has money, power, and influence on Capitol Hill," said Keith Slack, manager of Oxfam America's Right to Know, Right to Decide campaign. "The people of La Oroya don't. But they have an equal right to make their voices heard."
Oxfam America's oil, gas, and mining program has been working with partner organizations in La Oroya since 2000. Their efforts around the current case are twofold:
Slack compared La Oroya to Herculaneum, Missouri, where the US-based branch of Doe Run operates a lead smelter. After millions of dollars in environmental fines and multiple lawsuits that helped set stricter US standards for lead pollution, Doe Run has said it will close the Herculaneum smelter in 2013 and explore opening a new earth-friendly facility.
"This is a company with a clear double standard, since the health situation in Peru is even worse than it was Missouri," said Slack. "If [La Oroya] was in our own backyard, we wouldn't allow this to happen."
Rosa Amaro's family has lived in for generations in La Oroya Antigua—the neighborhood directly across the river from the smelter and one of the worst affected by pollution. In 2002, Amaro and her children participated in a study conducted by Peru's Ministry of Health. The tests showed that her older son, then age 8, had 58 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood. (The US Center for Disease Control recommends medical action at anything above 10 micrograms per deciliter.) Now 17, he suffers from gastritis and severe pain requiring repeated trips to the hospital.
Amaro's family also participated in a 2005 St. Louis University study, which not only detected elevated lead levels in children, but also found that residents had above-normal levels of cadmium, arsenic, and antimony. These toxic elements are associated with cancer, kidney failure, and other medical problems.
After their children tested positive for lead in 2002, Amaro and other concerned parents formed a grassroots group called the Movement for the Health of La Oroya (MOSAO). "[We want] to spread information about what's going on," said Amaro. "Children in Peru and in the US have the same right to live in a healthy environment, and their parents have a right to dignified work."
The issue of work has divided La Oroya, where some say closing the smelter permanently would take away most of the town's jobs. For participating in the health studies and publicly speaking out against the company, Amaro has faced harassment and repeated threats of violence. Even so, she recently visited the US for an Oxfam speaking tour with other women from mining-affected areas.
Whether or not the smelter reopens, said Amaro, Doe Run Peru must still meet its environmental and social obligations to the community. "The ground is totally polluted by heavy metals," she said. "It's not only the government's responsibility to clean up the mess, but also that of the company, which has been operating here for so many years."
Meanwhile, in a neighborhood where residents once had trouble breathing outdoors, the last two years have brought a measure of relief.
"You don't feel the chemical fumes in the air, and you can even see some green coming out of the ground," said Amaro. "We would love it if it would remain the way it is right now."
Take action: Tell Congress to stand with the people of La Oroya and hold the company accountable.
]]>Estimable lives in a very small earth-walled home near a drainage channel running along a dirt road. The land around her is almost all mud and the road is under a foot of water in places. Floods plague her village, called Lameau, in the community of Grande-Saline in Haiti's Artibonite River valley.
This is one of Haiti's most productive agricultural areas, and over the years, the government and international donors have built a network of canals and channels, to divert water to dry areas, and drain out the wet ones. Small villages line these channels. Just after the harvest, many are drying their rice crop on tarps on the side of the road, near their small homes, some of which are quaint wooden houses that resemble gingerbread cottages. Others are more modest earth-walled dwellings. Children play and swim in the channels, laughing and splashing in the sun.
It looks idyllic but the Artibonite River valley can be a tough place to live, Estimable says. "When there's too much water in our houses, in our fields, we get upset stomachs. It's very hard to live here with so much water." The lack of clean water in 2010 after one particularly rainy period coincided with a cholera outbreak which killed 300 people in this area, according to local officials.
Grande-Saline's mayor, Erole Romeus, drew up a plan to clear out the mud and vegetation choking six kilometers (3.75 miles) of the secondary channels like the one near Estimable's house. He's also hired heavy equipment to widen them to handle more water flow. The project is employing two 132-member work teams in a cash-for-work program that provides much needed wages of about five dollars a day for 12 days. The project prioritizes hiring people living near the channels. About 2,000 people in 400 households live in this area and will benefit from better flood control.
Sansion Morisette is one of the workers; she has just spent the morning raking weeds out of the narrow channel running along the road next to Estimable's house. "It's about time we started this work," she says. "I'm out on the street now because water destroyed my house in Rossignol. Take a look around you, we're lucky if we can get two bags of rice out of our harvest sometimes, the water just eats everything we grow."
Mayor Romeus says the project in Grande-Saline should take the community a long way towards reducing flooding, especially during the annual hurricane season. "Every time it rains, we can have 200 to 300 small houses destroyed," he says standing on a flooded road next to the drainage channel, where scores of workers in white t-shirts are clearing away plants and other debris.
"We started talking about rehabilitating these channels as a means to deliver a durable solution to the people here," Romeus says. "We came to Oxfam America because it is an organization that is interested in helping vulnerable people reduce the risks of disasters.
"Since we cleared all this out, people will probably have an opportunity to harvest. But if we did not, in another week we would have been in danger: the people, crops, and animals."
Oxfam is devoting $20,000 for this project, which is covering about half the costs and supports the cash-for-work component, wages for heavy equipment operators, and fuel. It's part of a larger program to reduce vulnerability to disasters in the countryside, and make it easier for people to make a living in farming, an alternative to the overcrowded conditions in Port-au-Prince.
Sancion Morisette is optimistic that the newly rehabilitated channels will help them. "Now I know that when it rains, the water will flow in the channel and go directly to the sea."
]]>Teklehaimanot is part of an Oxfam America program called HARITA, or Horn of Africa Risk Transfer for Adaptation, that has designed a way for the country's poorest farmers to get weather insurance for their crops, allowing more than 13,000 this year to buy themselves and their families a rare bit of security. For 1,810 farmers in seven villages hit hardest by the drought, each will now get a share of the total $17,392 in payouts.
"Last season the rain was bad and we didn't produce what we had hoped for," said Teklehaimanot. "So the payment is good for us. We know it won't cover all our losses, but for me, at least, I can cover the loan I took to buy fertilizers."
Launched in 2008 with a host of partners including the Relief Society of Tigray, the program aims to build the resilience of farmers by offering not only insurance, but increasing access to credit, encouraging savings, and reducing the risk of climate change through improved land-management practices.
"The project is beyond giving emergency aid. It increases the confidence of farmers and encourages them to take risk to improve their productivity," said Gezachew Gebru, a representative from Ethiopia's Ministry of Agriculture. "We need to do more to encourage others to join this effort and make insurance available to all farmers."
The payout announced on Saturday, Nov. 12, represents an important milestone for the initiative which, in partnership with the World Food Programme, is set to expand into Senegal and two other countries. Triggered when rainfall dropped below a pre-determined threshold, the payout is the first participating farmers have received since the program began, proving the value of investing in the future.
For Haile Selasse Negash, a 48-year-old farmer from the village of Getskymilesily, the payout has meant he can look ahead and plan—something that might not have been possible had he lost all his assets to drought, as so many have in recent months. Across East Africa, more than 13 million people are ensnared by the drought and food crisis.
"Last season it started raining and it stopped all of a sudden. We didn't get rain for a full month and that damaged our crops," said Negash. "With the money I get I am planning to buy seed for the next season."
And it's not just the payout Negash is happy about; it's what the program is doing for his community.
"For me, the major benefit is not the money we receive but the work we are doing to recover and protect our environment through those paying for the insurance with labor," he said.
A key innovation of the initiative is making it possible for the poorest farmers—those without cash—to trade their labor for their premiums. Of the 13,195 farmers now insured, 91 percent of them, or 12,064, are working on projects that can strengthen their communities in the face of climate change, such as planting trees and improving irrigation.
"What we really like to see is farmers increase productivity through climate adaption and improved production technologies," said Mandefro Nigussie, deputy regional director of Oxfam America's Horn of Africa office. "The biggest actors in this are the farmers and the insurance companies. The two have to work together to determine the best working conditions that will benefit both. We all know that insurance by itself is not the answer, but it plays a big role on contributing towards the growth of the country's economy."
This story was reported by Selome Kebede.
]]>The forecast predicts this short wet season will bring an average amount of rainfall to Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia. Coupled with humanitarian assistance and anticipated decreases in locally produced cereal prices, the rain means that the food security situation in Kenya and Ethiopia is likely to improve over the next few months. But in southern Somalia, the situation remains dire, with an estimated four million people in crisis and 750,000 men and women experiencing famine.
In many areas of the region emergency conditions are expected to persist well into 2012. Households remain extremely vulnerable to additional shocks as the severe drought has depleted herders' assets and reduced crop production. Several good seasons are required to rebuild herd sizes, improve harvests, and reduce debt levels.
In some areas flooding and mudslides are common during the rainy season. For example, in Ethiopia's Somalia region localized flash floods have already been reported in areas along the Wabishabelle river, affecting an estimated 18,000 people with damage to crops and livestock.
The rain and a drop in temperature are also likely to kill cattle that have already been weakened by a lack of food and water—further undermining the ability of herding families to earn a living and recover from the drought.
In addition, the rains and the risk of contamination of water sources can lead to an increase in water-borne diseases such as typhoid fever, acute watery diarrhoea (AWD), cholera, and hepatitis A. Outbreaks of vector-borne diseases, particularly those spread by mosquitos, such as malaria, dengue and Rift Valley Fever are likely during the rainy season, and increases in cases of pneumonia and respiratory tract infections are common. More than 1,200 cases of dengue have been confirmed in Kenya's Mandera District since Sept. 23. Flooding in Turkana and Pokot, areas in northwest Kenya, has caused a spread of malaria in the Upper Rift Valley, with outbreaks in Turkana, Kakuma, and surrounding districts.
Displaced people within Somalia and those who have crossed into Kenya and Ethiopia are particularly vulnerable as many of them are living in overcrowded conditions, with limited access to water and sanitation facilities and inadequate shelter. Outbreaks of measles, acute watery diarrhoea (AWD), cholera, malaria, and pneumonia have already been reported in camps in Mogadishu. In Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya five measles-related deaths and 113 cases were reported during the last week of September.
But as people's needs increase, the rain makes it harder to reach them: Rivers flood their banks, bridges break or get washed away, and roads become impassable. In Ethiopia, access to refugee camps in Dollo Ado is already challenging as the rains make airstrips and roads impassable.
In Kenya, Oxfam is mapping the accessibility of certain areas and working with partners to devise contingency plans to meet the needs of people there. Public health promotion teams are doing environmental clean-up and awareness-raising campaigns. Boreholes are being rehabilitated and chlorine kits and water purification tabs have been distributed. In the areas where Oxfam has been distributing cash to vulnerable households which will be cut off during the rains, a double payment was made to cover the period between October and November so people do not go without.
In Ethiopia Oxfam has expanded its public health promotion and acute watery diarrhea preparedness activities, with a particular focus on women who manage water and sanitation at the household level. Oxfam teams are working with aid groups and other local partners to ensure a strong response to any outbreaks of acute watery diarrhea. As the rains commence, water trucking is being reduced and teams are supporting regional and zonal authorities to ensure emergency stocks and water treatment kits can be mobilized. Cash for work activities and market-support activities are ongoing and animal health interventions, such as vouchers for veterinary visits and vaccinations, have started up.
In Somalia Oxfam partners have been preparing for outbreaks of acute watery diarrhea by setting up distribution posts in camps for displaced people. The posts contain oral rehydration sachets, sugar, salt, soap for washing hands, and chlorine bleach. Partners have also increased the frequency and methods for public health messaging and are working with committees to oversee the water and sanitation services.
In Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia, the UN, government, and non-governmental groups have prepared contingency plans to respond to any increase in needs: Strong coordination and monitoring is essential.
The delivery of food aid remains a key concern. In Kenya the World Food Programme (WFP) has reported delays in food aid distribution in Wajir, Garissa and Mandera as roads are impassable. Roads in Garissa and Hola, key entry points into the Dadaab refugee camps, are completely cut off.
Ongoing conflict, insecurity, and restrictions on the delivery of humanitarian assistance in Somalia are the key factors which will hinder a more effective response to the increased needs caused by the rains. For example, armed groups in many parts of South Central Somalia are not allowing mass public immunization campaigns despite outbreaks of deadly diseases like measles.
The recent military incursion by Kenyan forces into Somalia, as well as insecurity in refugee camps on the Kenyan side of the border, is also impacting on the humanitarian situation in certain areas of Kenya and Somalia. Fighting in Somalia is likely to cause further civilian displacement and casualties at a time when thousands of people risk imminent death due to famine.


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text: It is a common practice among most Nepali families to ill-treat their domestic helps, who are not allowed a weekly day off nor attend family events. They forced to work beyond their capacity any time of the day or night. Despite being educated and well aware of labour and human rights, the 'masters' do not hesitate to mistreat their helps. Many even treat their pet dogs better. How can we as neighbours, tenants, landlords or friends and families help such people see the cruelty of their deeds and help them treat their helps better? Do you think it is possible to change such people?


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Shannon Simpson, of Susanville, celebrates her birthday by landing this beautiful brown trout while fishing Lake Almanor with Bryan Roccucci of Big Daddy's Guide Service.Photo submitted |
"Down at the core of every fisherman's heart is the belief that on any day something wonderful and unlikely could be made to happen, and that if you're careful and patient enough it could happen to you."
—John Gierach, "Standing in a River Waving a Stick"
The fishing is good right now. Does that mean that you will catch a fish on every cast or even every other cast? No.
When I say the fishing is "good," I mean an average angler has a good chance of catching something. And we are all average anglers, especially in the opinion of the fish. That might not fit a mathematician's definition of "average" but fishing has its very own math. Measurements in particular, being more fluid and subjective when applied to angling, are subject to an entirely different set of rules. But let's save that discussion for another day.
Having a good chance of catching a fish beats having a good chance of getting skunked. Having a good chance of getting skunked beats not going fishing at all. So in the general scheme of things, good fishing is way better than some of the alternatives. It's even better still when you have a good chance of catching a pretty large fish. And some pretty large fish are being caught right now. So this must be a good time to go fishing.
Lake Almanor
Lake Almanor is fishing better than normal for April thanks to the relatively warm and dry weather. The warmer water (high 40 to mid 50 degree range) has the insect activity on the increase and fish are feeding actively all over the lake. All species are in play. Almanor's big browns are the primary attraction right now. But the salmon and rainbows are also feeding actively and the smallmouth bass are being caught off of the rocky points as they prepare to spawn.
Doug Neal, of Almanor Fishing Adventures, has been targeting king salmon along the east shore. Doug says the kings are very active from first light until about 11 a.m. He suggests fishing threaded and scented half nightcrawlers 14 inches behind a Sep's Strike Master dodger. Fish slowly with downriggers set to between 20 and 40 feet deep. The king salmon are running between 18 and 20 inches. Hang on to your hat when these fish snap your downrigger release. These are some strong and hard fighting fish.
The salmon aren't the only game in town. Bryan Roccucci, of Big Daddy's Guide Service, is getting into some excellent brown trout action. Bryan has been hooking some beautiful browns trolling black and silver Rapalas. He has been working both the east and west shores with success. He is also picking up some rainbows and even smallmouth bass while trolling for the big browns.
Fly-fishing can also be good this time of year. In summer the fish move to deeper and cooler water. But in spring the shallow water along the shore is still nice and cool. Insect activity picks up as the temperatures push into the 50 degree range. Fishing midges can be very productive this time of year. The west shore should be good right now as that water warms a bit faster than the rest of the lake.
Even when the trout are feeding on midges, I like to throw something big and bushy like a woolly bugger their way. A size 8 bugger stands out nicely in crowd of size 18 midges. A big opportunistic trout might like that.
Shore-bound anglers are also getting in on the action. Try Hamilton Branch and Geritol Cove (if you don't mind lots of company) and also along the causeway and at Bailey Springs.
Bucks Lake
The road is plowed to the dam. I have not heard any reports this week but I suspect those few anglers who are braving the mud and snow to launch their boats are finding some good action.
The big mackinaws will be cruising the shoreline looking for baitfish. This is a great time to try for some hefty mackinaw on light gear. There should also be some very healthy rainbows and browns working the shallow water.
Lake Davis
The snow is gone from Lake Davis, but some of the access roads remain muddy. Jon Baiocchi of Baiocchi's Troutfitters fished Davis recently. Jon said the water temperature is about 48 degrees and the lake is about three weeks ahead of normal. The rainbows are schooling in front of the stream mouths preparing to spawn and feeding on small black midges. Once the water warms a few more degrees the insect hatches will increase and the fishing will improve.
Frenchman Lake
There have been some good reports coming from Frenchman Lake this past week.
Robert Spiva, of Reno, caught his limit at Snallygaster using nightcrawlers. One of the fish was about 12 inches and the other four fish were between 17 and 18 inches.
Preston and Vera Huff, of Reno, were fishing the west side of Turkey Point and caught three nice-sized rainbows in about three hours using nightcrawlers and PowerBait. The fish measured between 16 and 22 inches in length. Rudy, Sean and Travis were fishing Turkey Point on Saturday. They caught 15 rainbows between 12 and 14 inches each using worms.
The campgrounds at Frenchman are tentatively set to open April 19.
Call Wiggin's Trading Post at 993-4683 for the most current information.
Stream fishing
The streams are still closed. Most will open April 27. Those streams that flow into Lake Almanor and Butt Lake will remain closed until May 25.
- Maidu will once again be the stewards of their ancestral land, Humbug Valley
- Off the road
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- Plumas County Fire Safe Council meets, solicits for new coordinator
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In the heart of Zurich, historic elegance meets modern style and comfortSince 1883, the majestic Central Plaza Hotel has carried on the tradition of grand 19th-century European hospitality while keeping up with the style and amenities that modern travelers expect. The... More
Hotel Continental Zurich - MGallery Collection
Stampfenbachstrasse 60 Map
Rate includes Breakfast
Cosmopolitan Zurich retreat blends elegance with Swiss chalet charm Whether in Zurich on business or pleasure, Hotel Continental Zurich (formerly Sofitel Zurich) guests find upscale dining and cozy comforts. The hotel flaunts a stylish blend of rustic and modern design,... More
Boutique Zurich charmer boasts vibrant locale, cozy comfortsJust minutes from the central train station, Bahnhofstrasse and Zurich's premier sights, the Hotel Bristol offers guests a vibrant location combined with neo-classical elegance and modern amenities. The friendly... More
Enjoy gorgeous Lake Zurich views and trendy boutique elegance On the shores of Lake Zurich, the boutique Steigenberger Bellerive au Lac Hotel boasts a location of unmatched beauty as well as exceptional style and service. The hotel houses the Spa World Comfort fitness... More
Historic boutique charmer in central Zurich offers style, convenience Designed in the celebrated Bauhaus style, the Leonardo Boutique Hotel Rigihof Zurich has been an oasis of elegance since 1931. Proximity to high-end Bahnhofstrasse shopping, major art and cultural... More
The 3*** Superior Sorell Hotel Seidenhof is a popular business and leisure hotel in a top location in Zurich. You will soon feel at home here thanks to the hotel's practical and comfortably furnished rooms combined with friendly and uncomplicated service that always... More
The Sorell Hotel Rutli, which underwent a complete renovation in 2010, is a popular business and leisure hotel in the center of Zurich. The hotel is passionate hosts and aim to pamper and surprise the guests. Take the City Rooms, for example. These 12 rooms have been... More
The Hotel Adler is a charming three-star hotel situated in the Niederdorf area of Zurich. The Niederdorf in Zurich's lively Old Town is the ideal base for a pleasurable city holiday or a business trip. Each of the Hotel Adler's 52 rooms has a wall painting by the artist... More
Offering unique hospitality in the trendy and modern district of Zurich West, the Hotel Senator has a very personal character that will make you feel at home right away. Hotel Senator is a modern business hotel with 122 recently renovated and tastefully decorated rooms.... More
The Sorell Hotel Zurichberg is a unique design hotel high above the city of Zurich. Enjoy the calm and relaxing atmosphere of the hotel, with its natural environment far away from the hustle and bustle of the city. You will be inspired by the fantastic views of Zurich,... More
Flights to Zurich
Departure | Arrival | Travel dates | Round-trip |
San Francisco | Zurich | Thu, Feb 6 - Thu, Mar 6 | $998 |
New York | Zurich | Sat, Jan 18 - Wed, Jan 29 | $781 |
Boston | Zurich | Mon, Feb 10 - Mon, Mar 10 | $877 |
Los Angeles | Zurich | Thu, Feb 13 - Tue, Mar 4 | $829 |
Chicago | Zurich | Mon, Jan 13 - Sun, Jan 26 | $905 |
Washington DC | Zurich | Fri, Jan 24 - Thu, Jan 30 | $781 |
London | Zurich | Wed, Jan 15 - Thu, Jan 16 | $234 |
Newark | Zurich | Sun, Feb 9 - Wed, Feb 19 | $789 |
Denver | Zurich | Mon, Jan 27 - Mon, Feb 10 | $1,009 |
Seattle | Zurich | Tue, Feb 4 - Thu, Feb 20 | $1,012 |
Miami | Zurich | Mon, Feb 10 - Tue, Feb 18 | $861 |
Copenhagen | Zurich | Tue, Dec 31 - Fri, Jan 3 | $388 |


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Executive Room, 1 King Bed, Non Smoking
- One King Bed
Room, 2 Queen Beds, Non Smoking
- Two Queen Beds
Suite, 2 Queen Beds, Non Smoking
- Two Queen Beds
Executive Suite, 1 King Bed, Non Smoking
- One King Bed
Hotel with an indoor pool, in Novi (Novi - Livonia)
This hotel is located in Novi (Novi - Livonia), close to Laurel Park Place. Area attractions also include Oasis Golf Center and Paradise Park.
Hotel Features
Recreational amenities at Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Detroit-Farmington Hills include an indoor pool and a fitness facility. Other amenities include complimentary wireless Internet access and a 24-hour business center.
Room Amenities
Televisions come with cable channels. Guestrooms also feature complimentary wireless Internet access, refrigerators, and microwaves.
Hotel Amenities
- General
Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Detroit-Farmington Hills features an indoor pool and a fitness facility. A computer station is located on site and high-speed wired and wireless Internet access is complimentary. This hotel offers access to a 24-hour business center and a meeting/conference room. Guests can enjoy a complimentary breakfast. Event facilities measure 990 square feet (89 square meters). This Novi hotel also offers multilingual staff, a fireplace in the lobby, and dry cleaning/laundry services. Complimentary self parking is available on site.
Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Detroit-Farmington Hills has designated areas for smoking.
- Number of buildings/towers - 1
- Free Wi-Fi
- Free wired high-speed Internet
- Meeting facilities size (feet) - 990
- One meeting/conference room
- Free self parking
- Free RV, bus, truck parking
- Meeting facilities size (meters) - 89
- Free breakfast
- Fitness facilities
- Total number of rooms - 125
- 24-hour front desk
- Express check-out
- ATM/banking
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Number of floors - 3
- Air-conditioned public areas
- Fireplace in lobby
- Designated smoking areas (fines apply)
- Computer station
- Designated smoking areas
- Multilingual staff
- Free parking
- Free guest parking during stay
- 24-hour business center
- Free outdoor parking
- Swimming pool - indoor
- Television in lobby
- Internet
Available in all rooms: Free Wi-Fi
Available in some public areas: Free Wi-Fi, Free wired high-speed Internet
- Parking
Free parking, Free guest parking during stay, Free outdoor parking, Free self parking, Free RV, bus, truck parking
- Room Amenities
- Cribs/infant beds (complimentary)
- Connecting / adjoining rooms available
- Rollaway/extra beds available
- Free Wi-Fi
- Refrigerator
- Coffee/tea maker
- Hair dryer
- Air conditioning
- Climate control
- Complimentary weekday newspaper
- Free local calls
- Microwave
- Daily housekeeping
- Cable TV service
- Electronic/magnetic keys
- Clock radio
- Dining
Guests are offered complimentary buffet and hot/cold buffet breakfasts.
- Recreation
Recreational amenities at the hotel include an indoor pool and a fitness facility.
- Accessibility
To make requests for specific accessibility needs, complete the "Special or Accessibility Requests" section of "Trip Preferences" when you book your hotel.
- Accessible path of travel
- Accessible bathroom
- Roll-in shower
- Accessible parking
- In-room accessibility
- Accessibility equipment for the deaf
- Braille or raised signage
Policies & Fees
- Check-in
Check-in time starts at 3 PM
- Check-out
Check-out time is noon
- Payment types
Accepted at this hotel: American Express, Carte Blanche, Diners Club, Discover, JCB International, MasterCard, Visa
- Pets
Pets not allowed
- General
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on hotel policy.
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card or cash deposit are required at check-in for incidental charges.
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed.
- Fees
- The following fees and deposits are charged by the property at time of service, check-in, or check-out.
- Rollaway bed fee: USD 10 per night
The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.
- Additional Details
The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation.


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What is this discussion about? Engine, Exhaust, Diesel, Hatchback, Truck, Sedan, Wagon
This topic is for diesel car and truck owners who have not been able to find satisfactory information in the forums dealing with their particular vehicles (please use SEARCH on left of page before you post here).
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You're watching...
Should Taxes Be Raised Even Higher?
Former Reagan Budget Director David Stockman on why higher taxes are needed.
Jan 17, 2013
You're watching...
Former Reagan Budget Director David Stockman on why higher taxes are needed.
Jan 17, 2013
Also in this playlist...
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-- isn't a problem.
To David Stockman -- is not quite convinced Ronald Reagan's former budget director and the man who has written both parties for not facing up to the seriousness of this debt.
Joining me now we -- spend extra time with David because that.
-- despondent and started in good soaking generalists markets what do you make of Whitney was.
He's not he's got a lot of good statistics it's a nice history it's a good profile but it doesn't capture.
All of the problem by any means will sort of be clear he's saying.
You get health care spending on it could throw.
You solve the problems they now.
I don't I say no because I -- reference back to what Ronald Reagan faced in 1981 when he came into office and where we've drifted for thirty years since.
And I think it's a better picture than what he -- this morning.
There was 21 point 2% of GDP on the spending side left by Carter.
What the Republicans can't understand is that Reagan didn't reduce that.
When he left office as a percentage as a percentage of GDP when he left office it was nearly 22% of GDP.
Big government was bigger and since then.
It is drifted even much higher to 2425%.
Of GDP.
And the problem is defense the problem is medical programs the problem the problem is really social insurance -- means it means tested.
Social Security Medicare one point five trillion going to millions of people who were affluent.
Don't need it should be cut back or cut off he didn't talk about any of that secondly.
When Ronald Reagan came in revenues were at nineteen point 5% of GDP.
That was Jimmy Carter's cent tax level.
He cut taxes a little bit but by the time we got to 212 they were down to 16%.
Both parties have been cutting taxes while they let spending.
Go up.
So now we have the lowest tax burden even after the compromise so called.
New Year's Day in the last fifty years and we have the highest level of spending we've ever seen.
Since World War II right and raise revenues then what McCain you've got to do -- what I'm saying is you have to raise taxes you -- man.
I don't know I don't I don't wanna get into taxes but yes you have to raise them and we -- -- new -- she can't get -- out of the income taxes pretty clear.
The we've already -- that out that we're gonna need a consumption tax this country over -- under saves under invest.
We're living beyond our means we're living in a fairy tale and we have to start paying -- -- -- -- -- value added tax most of that is -- on top of a variety of credits and exactly final funnels well.
You know everybody has their problem I'm saying if we're going to fund even 20% of GDP which I think we get spending down to.
But I'll tell you what we'll take in a moment you know horrified everybody on Capitol Hill.
But to get it to 20% of GDP.
We are going to have to have a consumption tax of large magnitude we need to stop taxing payrolls that is the payroll tax.
Because we have the highest labor costs in the world that we add 15% on top.
My answer is to reduce or eliminate the payroll tax tax consumption not work.
The spending cited the economy not the production.
So what Bobby Jindal is doing -- proposing to do in Louisiana.
Get rid of the income tax corporate taxes replace without this letter sales tax he hasn't.
Kind of the numbers the right it's the right that's correct that's -- would answer yes yes that wouldn't that be.
Regressive is in the argued that it hurts middle to lower income people more.
Well but there's that argument -- that the problem is you can effectively collect an income tax in the global economy that we're in today.
These big corporations simply hire lobbyists and lawyers and -- -- -- tax paying out of the woodwork yeah Italy -- the only thing we can tax in this world today is sales earth.
Sales at the retail at deployment of sales.
And that would end sells.
Sure -- -- sales but the problem is we can't spend our way to prosperity we can't consumer way to -- They're not saying you either or.
That's the one -- EIR that is about being you you would not be as some of educated.
-- replace the federally cut tax.
With the consumption -- I would like to need both I would like to replace the payroll tax rhetoric consumption tax.
Because the payroll tax is what's killing job as a you know.
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Printed Flexible Solar Cells Provide Embedded Renewable Power
May 12, 2008 6:43 am | CommentsWith the cost of energy approaching the insane, new and improved methods of creating better and more easily deployable solar power cells are very welcome. This advance in manufacture by Konarka Technologies promises to deliver cheaper power cells in large quantities. I hope they can commercialize the technology to the point we can use solar as a tricke-charge backup in every powered application exposed to the sun.
Green is also the Color of Money
April 9, 2008 10:08 am | CommentsImproving the environment is always a good idea, but wireless companies are finding ways to go green while bringing more "green" to their bottom lines.
New Record: Wind Powers 40% Of Spain
April 4, 2008 11:50 am | CommentsWind power is breaking new records in Spain, accounting for just over 40 percent of all electricity consumed during a brief period last weekend. As heavy winds lashed Spain on Saturday evening wind parks generated 9,862 megawatts of power which translated to 40.8 percent of total consumption.
X PRIZE Group Offers $10 Million Challenge to Auto Industry for 100-MPG Car
March 21, 2008 10:54 am | CommentsThe goal is to inspire a new generation of viable, super fuel-efficient vehicles that offer more consumer choices.
One Step Closer to Making OLEDs a Viable Option
March 12, 2008 7:46 am | CommentsGE Global Research announced the successful demonstration of "roll-to-roll" manufactured OLEDs. The company claims that this process is a key step toward lower costs of the technology.
On the Spot: Digital Power Management Drives Energy Efficiency
February 27, 2008 11:27 am | by Jim MacDonald, Zilker Labs, Inc. www.zilkerlabs.com | CommentsJim MacDonald, Zilker Labs, Inc. comments "The need for higher energy efficiency in embedded systems continues to rise on the priority list of systems developers and end users alike"
Trend Report: Energy Conservation and Sustainable Design
February 27, 2008 11:23 am | by by Jeff Uden, Newark, www.newark.com | CommentsThe concept of sustainable design started, not as a way of conserving the environment, but to prolong battery life in portable consumer goods such as cell phones, laptops and PDAs.
MIT and Texas Instruments Develop Energy-Efficient Microchip
February 4, 2008 9:45 am | CommentsResearchers at MIT and Texas Instruments (TI) unveiled a new chip design for portable electronics that can be up to ten times more energy-efficient than present technology.
Free Patents, Pending Members and Fees
January 14, 2008 10:54 am | CommentsEnergy News: IBM is leading a charge of freely available energy efficiency patents, as part of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development's new Eco-Patent Commons, officials said today. So far the commons has 31 patents, 27 being from Big Blue (not the football team). Nokia, Pitney-Bowes, and Sony also joined.
Daydream or Wild Fantasy, But Still a Good Idea
January 7, 2008 5:14 am | CommentsProductive Product: Sometimes technology ideas are so good and so obvious that we don't even dare to suggest them, for fear of being rebuffed with a sarcastic, "Yeah, right!" An example is the idea that all of life's gadgets could connect to a single universal power supply -- no more jumble
Global CFL Maker Ready to Shine
December 27, 2007 10:46 am | CommentsProductive Product: The Wall Street Journal (may require site registration) has a story about Aurora, Ohio's TCP Inc., the world's largest manufacturer of spiral compact-fluorescent light bulbs. TCP was the idea of a Chinese immigrant who is now benefitting from the Western energy-efficiency push -- they had sales of $300 million this year
It's Good to Drop the Ball!
December 27, 2007 5:10 am | CommentsEnergy News: What's worth $1 million, shines with 9,576 Philips Luxeon LEDs, and is built from 672 Waterford crystals? It's the 2008 New Years Eve ball to be dropped in New York's Times Square next week. This year is the 100th anniversary of the famed ball, now controlled by computers
Last-Minute Green Holiday Gifts
December 21, 2007 5:48 am | CommentsOp-Ed: We searched and searched, and came up with perfect holiday gifts for environmentally conscious technophiles. Here are 10 in no particular order. It doesn't matter if you celebrate a belated Bodhi, Chanukah, Christmas, Diwali, Eid-Ul Adha, Festivus, HumanLight, Kwanzaa, or anything else -- every earthy engineer loves a present. Try LED holiday lights, solar chargers, practical books, recycled wrapping, a high-tech energy meter, low-power PC, or digital ornaments.
Bobbing for Energy in the Pacific Northwest
December 17, 2007 4:50 am | CommentsEnergy News: Most of Earth's surface is covered with free, green, non-depleting energy -- the movement of ocean waves -- and scientists say that power could be a major contributor to electric grids if only it were easily captured. So, researchers at universities such as Oregon State, and at start-ups such as Finavera Renewables and Ocean Power Technologies, are experimenting with special buoys that transfer movement into energy.
Smithsonian Plans LED-Spangled Banner
December 5, 2007 6:36 am | CommentsEnergy News: The 40-ft. x 32-ft. American flag defended at Fort McHenry in 1814 was made just a few years after the dawn of the incandescent lamp, and now Smithsonian preservationists will protect it further with modern LED technology.


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Men and Women
Price: | $12.99 |
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This book's premise is that men and women struggle to relate to one another because they are self-centered and do not recognize and honor the God-created differences between men and women.
What does it take to get along for a lifetime? Men and women share a deadly problem that kills good relating. The problem is this: we are committed, first of all, to ourselves. Each of us, without blushing, holds fast to an overriding concern for our own well-being. Giving numerous examples from his counseling and speaking ministry, Crabb explores how we can turn away from ourselves and toward each other, how we can become what he calls 'other-centered.' Dr. Crabb maintains that men and women are different in important ways that, if understood and honored, can lead to a deep enjoyment of one another, an enjoyment that can last forever.


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Hayley Harrell could be a lifesaver. Literally. And for someone she might never meet.
The College of Charleston volleyball student-athlete will undergo outpatient surgery on Dec. 10 to donate marrow. Harrell was a match to a 6-year-old girl with a rare genetic disorder that leads to bone marrow failure called Fancomi anemia.
"I get kind of emotional if I think about it too much," said Harrell, a junior defensive specialist. "She would die if I didn't match up with her. It's an amazing opportunity to be able to help someone else."
Harrell described the procedure as "making three or four incisions and drilling into my bone and sucking the bone marrow out of my hip."
She became involved in this life-saving process almost by happenstance. As a freshman, Harrell was walking by a bone marrow drive on her way to a biology lab on campus when her roommate urged her to stop and sign up for the bone marrow registry. The registry is part of the National Marrow Donor Program.
"I was talking to the person there giving me information about it and she was like, 'Yeah, there's a 1-in-150,000 chance that you'll ever be a match for someone, but the odds are you'll never be called,'" Harrell said.
The recipient is anonymous. She lives outside the United States, but that's all Harrell knows. Allowed to send a letter to the recipient, Harrell isn't sure what to say in this situation.
Outreach has helped shape Harrell's academic experience. Inspired by the efforts of a South Carolina missionary who heads up the LAMB Institute in Honduras, the biology and psychology major is a part of regular medical mission trips to the Central American country.
"It gives me exposure to the type of thing I want to do, I want to be able to help people," said Harrell, who hopes to attend medical school as her mother and grandfather did. "I love medicine and I love science. Just being around that is really helpful."
Heavily invested in the cause is her mother Laurie Harrell, a radiation oncologist. Harrell's sister Jamie, a freshman and tennis student-athlete at College of Charleston, is involved. They created a Service4Honduras Facebook page about their group, which also supports LAMB.
The group asks for donations from doctors and dentists and takes trunks of supplies with them to Honduras. (Harrell's fundraising efforts helped raise $20,000.)
In Feb. 2011, Harrell will make her sixth trip to Honduras. She said the medical mission team usually stops at LAMB's elementary school and residential children's home before heading to rural villages.
"At first, they're kind of stunned that a bunch of American doctors are just walking around in scrubs in their little villages," she said. "But they're so nice and friendly after you just smile at them and say hi…They're just really happy to have any help they can get."
Learn more about Harrell's philanthropic side from this video posted by the Southern Conference.


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Talk to customers
TargetProcess lets you read and answer customer Requests in real time.
Add, remove, prioritize, change User Stories and Bugs. Batch updates, powerful filters, context information - all there.
Lean backlog is a good thing. Maintain original ideas and convert them to User Stories or Features.
Visually plan releases for several projects on a single screen. Set milestones and create roadmaps.
Track progress on various levels with smart Burn Down charts and summary reports.
TargetProcess lets you read and answer customer Requests in real time.
You can quickly and easily evaluate customer Requests. You assign valid Requests, merge duplicates and close invalid Requests.
With TargetProcess tracking, you always know where an idea came from and what you decided to do with it.
View videoWhen you're ready to turn an idea into a User Story – all you do is click "Create User Story". If it's urgent, you can even add the idea to your current Sprint on the fly.
TargetProcess gives you full control of your backlog. You can drag important stories to the top of the list, sort the stories, shuffle them and filter them.
Burn Down charts in TargetProcess are smart. Some people say they've been designed by aliens from Andromeda Galaxy. Whether it's true or not, they know when new work is added to Release and show that clearly, so it is harder to push more work to the team. They know when work is removed from Release. They even forecast Release end dates based on history data.
If your backlog is in order, planning releases will only take a few minutes. Drag and drop Stories and Bugs from the backlog to your next Release. You can add another Release, select a different project, or add a Milestone, whatever you need, all from the same screen. That's all there is to it!
View videoYou track important events and due dates, like "Prototype demo" or "Client meeting", right on the Release road map. Give the event a name, choose a due date and an identifying color, and then forget about it. Except now you won't. The milestones will keep you on track.


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Puligny possesses distinguished and distinctive aromas of fern, honeysuckle and toasted bread. Although the wines are very pleasant when young, they can be kept for a long time, 6 to 8 years in a normal vintage. Like all great white wines, Puligny-Montrachet Folatieres deserves to accompany the best fish and shell fish dishes, such as lobster or crabmeat in a light wine sauce, salmon, trout or Dover Sole simply grilled or poached.
Since 1880, Maison Joseph Drouhin has built a reputation for wines that primarily reflect their individual terroir and vintage. Faithfully preserving the individuality of each appellation, the Drouhin firm constantly strives for wines of breed, finesse and elegance. A balance of tradition and modern techniques characterizes Joseph Drouhin winemaking and vineyard management: on...Read More About Joseph Drouhin
The region of Burgundy is the fairytale land of vines. There are stories of kings, conquerors and commoners recounting the seductive effects of a Burgundian wine. Even now, many wine aficionados and lovers will pinpoint their most memorable wine moment at that first taste of an aged Burgundy. Much of this can be related to the terroir of Burgundy. Centuries of winemaking have...Read More About Burgundy
Chardonnay (shar-dawn-AY) White Wine's Queen Bee Like Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay can grow just about anywhere. It adapts well to different soils and different climates. While frequently paired with California, its native home lies in the vineyards of Burgundy, France. The only major white grape of the region, Chardonnay is at its best on the rolling...Read More About Chardonnay
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The SSP Fellowship provides teachers financial and training resources to support and inspire the success of their most enthusiastic science students. Fellows are competitively selected from across the U.S. and may serve for up to four years. SSP Fellows guide students to produce project-based research of the highest quality. The SSP Fellowship Program will not accept new applications for 2013, but will continue to fund all existing Fellows through the expiration of the grant.
Competitively selected from a national entrant pool of high school science and math teachers from26 states and Puerto Rico,each Fellow will receive: (1) $8,500 in 2012 directly for their classroom and community; (2) full support to attend the Fellows Institute to be held July 30-August 4, 2012 in Washington, DC; and (3) ongoing training and resources from SSP.
The 2012 class of Fellows includes teachers selected from rural and urban areas, large and small communities, and schools that serve under-resourced communities. They are:
Contact us for more information about the SSP Fellows Program.
Read about our 2009, 2010, and 2011 SSP Fellows


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Fitness DVDs | Extreme Calorie Burn
Time Out Chicago checks out Extreme Calorie Burn with Patrick Goudeau
This is the first fitness DVD I've encountered where the warm-up actually left me breathless—it uses dumbbells! It's a signal of things to come. Extreme Calorie Burn with Patrick Goudeau ($15 at collagevideo.com) features a warm-up, seven circuits, an abs session and cooldown. The circuits take viewers through myriad variations on squats, lunges with dumbbells-required upper-body moves and plyometric-based cardio sequences. Doing the video from start to finish takes a whopping hour and 15 minutes, but the individual circuits are so intense that you could easily mix and match three of them to bank a solid 30-minute workout. There is zero cheese factor in Goudeau's demeanor—he's upbeat but no-nonsense as he leads you through aggressively intense exercises that will leave you zonkered-out from head to toe.


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Class weblog
Room for Debate: Can Yahoo be Rescued
I recently participated in New York Times' "Room for Debate" series. The debate revolved around prospects for Yahoo's recovery and was motivated by a recent article in which an analyst stated "We've never seen a turnaround of a fallen angel in the Internet space." While some analysts were pessimistic, I was not willing to completely rule out the possibility of a Yahoo recovery. Specifically, I don't see any reason why an Internet company is at a disadvantage in staging a recovery. A recovery should be just as possible in this sector as others. The bad news for Yahoo is that recoveries in general are rare so the odds apply for Yahoo as well.
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