Page 7a: Stories You May Have Missed

Tropical Storm Isaac, which could soon be reclassified as hurricane-strength, has been making news for threatening the GOP Convention in Tampa this weekend. Whether or not Isaac disrupts the events in Tampa, it could be an even bigger threat to Haiti. Haitians are still rebuilding and recovering from the major earthquake that struck in 2010. Lutheran World Relief is prepared to respond to an emergency and is praying for the safety of all people.

What else is happening around the world? Here are this week’s stories, excavated from Page 7a:

• Rain is coming: But a shortage of seeds, aggravated by drought and political instability, has had a devastating effect on Mali’s food production
• The Need for toilets: West African countries like Sierra Leone, Niger, Ghana and Guinea are facing major cholera epidemics due to the lack of access to sanitation
• Reinventing the toilet: The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation recently held a “Reinvent the Toilet Fair” in Seattle to show off new and innovative toilet designs that could provide needed sanitation in developing countries. View a video:

• The link between water & hunger: a new report from the Stockholm International Water Institute highlights the importance of water in agriculture and the need to think holistically about these issues, something LWR has long strived to do.
• Reducing the Risk from Disasters: the U.N. Development Program reaffirms the importance of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) programs by planning to double funding over the next five years.

What else is happening around the world? Leave your comments below:

Dan Ruth is Lutheran World Relief’s Interactive Marketing Manager and an ordained pastor in the ELCA.

Categories: Africa, Agriculture, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Water, West Africa
Tags: international development, Page 7A

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