My essential question is, how does a non-profit organization develop and implement a sustainable solution to global hunger and poverty? Coming into my internship, I was already familiar with how The Hunger Project (THP) empowers women and mobilizes communities across the world to end their own hunger through self-reliant action. The idea of ending hunger through women’s empowerment and community-led development rather than through food pantries and handouts is important to me because I have always wanted to learn more about the most effective ways in which we can eliminate hunger and extreme poverty. I am especially motivated to study this topic because of my experience viewing the work of THP firsthand. In 2014, I traveled with my mother on a Hunger Project investor engagement trip to visit rural communities in India and Bangladesh where THP runs several programs. During this trip, I listened to locally elected female leaders talk about the progress and work that their communities had made in reducing hunger and poverty, and in improving and increasing education, sanitation, health, and gender equality. Even as a seventh-grader, this trip was an immensely eye-opening and inspiring experience and I have strived to contribute to this movement ever since. 

This past week I have mostly been observing and participating in webinars and online meetings with staff and other members of THP community. The central topic under discussion is how THP and its numerous programs in Africa, Asia, and Latin America have responded to the COVID-19 crisis. Listening to these meetings has been an informative experience and has exposed me to a lot of the work that various departments are doing in the face of the virus. One thing I learned this week is that THP established a global task force as the virus spread across Europe and the United States. Early on in March, the organization conducted a two-day global remote work drill and rapidly transitioned to remote communication weeks before the government enforced social distancing in the U.S.. In addition, I learned about how THP has been mobilizing local leaders in Africa, India, and Mexico to spread accurate information on the coronavirus and to stop the spread of misinformation within their rural communities. Although the majority of the meetings I have observed have not been directly related to my essential question, my main takeaway is that THP works to solve hunger and poverty through a holistic approach. The Hunger Project’s response to COVID-19 reflects the same community-led and self-reliant approaches that the organization uses to reduce chronic hunger and poverty worldwide. 

In the coming weeks, I want to further examine THP’s specific programs and how they differ from location to location. I also want to gain a deeper understanding of the process that THP uses to empower women in rural villages to become leaders and to end their own hunger. Furthermore, I want to learn more about THP’s “epicenter strategy” in Africa. How do these epicenters function? How do they differ from community to community? Why are these epicenters only created in Africa and not in other program countries? Finally, I want to learn more about how The Hunger Project fundraises effectively to work towards its mission. I plan on doing outside research on fundraising methods as well as interviewing several THP fundraisers and staff to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the organization and its unique, yet widely effective approach.