The Hunger Project

{{as of|2024}}, The Hunger Project is active in Africa (in Benin, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Mozambique, Senegal, Uganda, and Zambia); South Asia (Bangladesh and India), and Latin America (Mexico and Peru, where THP partners with the Center for Indigenous Peoples' Cultures of Peru or Chirapaq). It also had offices in Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, in addition to its global headquarters in the United States.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thp.org/our-work/where-we-work/|title=Where We Work |website=The Hunger Project|language=en-US|access-date= 9 April 2024}}

In Africa, THP implements what it calls "the Epicenter Strategy", organizing clusters of 10 to 15 villages to construct community centers, partner with local government agencies and community-based organizations, and establish and manage their own programs for microfinance, improved agriculture, food-processing, income-generation, adult literacy, food security, and primary health-care (including the prevention of HIV/AIDS).{{Cite news|url=http://www.thp.org/our-work/our-approach/|title=Our Approach - The Hunger Project|work=The Hunger Project|access-date=2018-08-13|language=en-US}}

In India, THP facilitates the mobilization and training of elected women panchayat leaders. In Bangladesh, THP conducts trainings focused on gender issues and leadership for local leaders who then organize local meetings, lead workshops, and initiate campaigns against early marriage and dowry, malnutrition, maternal and child mortality, gender discrimination and inequality, illiteracy, and corruption. In Latin America, THP works with communities to overcome economic marginalization, particularly that of the indigenous women.

Dionne Warwick represented the charity on the US TV series The Celebrity Apprentice in Season 11 (which was aired in early 2011) and was fired before any money was made for donation. She left the show abruptly.

In Uganda, The Hunger Project (THP) employs measures to facilitate the mobilization and growth of capital, as well as creating partnerships to alleviate food and health issues.

In 2009, THP-Uganda implemented the Microfinance program to improve food security and reduce poverty.{{cite web|title=Microfinance in Uganda|url=http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/20/21/35481055.pdf|publisher=L&R Social Research|access-date=24 February 2012|author=Andy Carlton|author2=Hannes Manndorff |author3=Andrew Obara |author4=Walter Reiter |author5=Elisabeth Rhyne |page=9}} The Microfinance program is a training, savings, and credit program; enabling the targeted poor who traditionally lack access to banking and related services to get small loans with the purpose of engaging in income-generating activities.{{cite web|title=The Role of Finance in the Socio-Economic Development of WOmen in a Community: A Case Study of Mpigi Town Council in Uganda|url=http://uir.unisa.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10500/4879/dissertation_luyirika_mn.pdf?sequence=1|work=Development Studies|access-date=24 February 2012|author=Martha Nakakuta Luyirika|page=10}}

The program consists of two phases: Direct Credit and Rural Bank.{{cite web|title=Microfinance Program: How It Works|url=http://www.thp.org/what_we_do/key_initiatives/microfinance/how_it_works|access-date=24 February 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111213065659/http://www.thp.org/what_we_do/key_initiatives/microfinance/how_it_works|archive-date=13 December 2011}}

A Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) of about US$20,000 is allocated to a center, with the center's community electing its own people into the loan committee to manage the RLF. The funds go through a cycle of disbursement to the community, repayment of the loans from community members, and disbursement again. Through this process, the funds grow via accumulated interest.

After 4 to 5 years into the Direct Credit phase, if the microfinance operation in the community meets the level of criteria set by the government, the operation can apply to evolve into a savings and credit cooperative (Rural bank). All members of the community may deposit savings and access credit from the Rural Bank. The THP stops giving assistance to the Rural Bank when it becomes operationally self-sufficient in the next 2 years.

The Rural Bank is able to mobilise the community's wealth to create more wealth, as well as meeting its aim of providing the community with sustainable access to savings and credit facilities . In practice, the program saw success as THP's Iganga Epicenter Rural Bank in Uganda was named the "Best SACCO (Savings and Credit Cooperative) of 2009" by the District Commercial Office of the Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Industry.{{cite web|title=Microfinance Program in Africa|url=http://www.thp.org/what_we_do/key_initiatives/microfinance/overview|access-date=24 February 2012}}

THP's contributions to the whole operation include the gifting of RLF to start the whole process, payment of the Rural bank manager's salary for the first 2 years to secure full compliance, and assistance in the preparation of reports for the appropriate government office. The organization hopes to again achieve an end of world hunger by 2030. production is greatly constrained by pests and diseases, especially the African cassava mosaic virus. The partnership enabled the education of Ugandan farmers through grants of laptops with inbuilt training courses on group management, cassava multiplication, pests and diseases. Farmers were also taught on and given access to disease-free high-yielding cassava variety MH97/2961. This arrangement has improved household incomes and food security for a total of 1,455 partners in the last three years.{{cite web |url=http://www.thp.org/learn_more/news/latest_news/achieving_more_through_strategic_partnerships_in_uganda |title=Achieving More through Strategic Partnerships in Uganda | The Hunger Project |publisher=Thp.org |date=2011-03-30 |access-date=2012-12-21 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130405164709/http://www.thp.org/learn_more/news/latest_news/achieving_more_through_strategic_partnerships_in_uganda |archive-date=2013-04-05 }}

Innovations for Poverty Action, a nonprofit evaluation organization,{{cite web|url=http://poverty-action.org/ |title=Innovations for Poverty Action |publisher=Poverty-action.org |access-date=2012-12-21}} partnered with THP to conduct a randomized controlled trial that evaluated the long-term impact of this strategy on health, nutrition, income, the role of women, social cohesion and education in Ghana in 2012.{{cite web|url=http://poverty-action.org/research/projects/0063|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100901182522/http://poverty-action.org/research/projects/0063|archive-date=1 September 2010|title=Evaluating an Epicenter Scale-Up Strategy in Ghana|publisher=Innovations for Poverty Action}} They found that, in the villages studied, THP's programs did not lead to any measurable improvement in socioeconomic indicators.{{Cite web|url=https://www.poverty-action.org/study/does-community-based-development-empower-citizens-evidence-randomized-evaluation-ghana|title=Does Community-Based Development Empower Citizens? Evidence from a Randomized Evaluation in Ghana|date=2015-04-22|website=Innovations for Poverty Action|language=en|access-date=2019-12-18}}

The Hunger Project raises funds, via contributions, in Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

According to its online report, retrieved February 2007, Charity Navigator reports that The Hunger Project's program costs in FY2005 were 80.2% of expenses, and administrative and fundraising costs were 19.8%."[http://charitynavigator.org/index.cfm/bay/search.summary/orgid/6427.htm The Hunger Project]". Charity Navigator. Give.org/Better Business Bureau reports that as of December 2006, the Project's program expenses were 77% of total, and administrative and fundraising costs 23% and meets all of its standards. Charity Navigator gives The Hunger Project four out of four stars, and the American Institute of Philanthropy gives it an A− rating."[http://www.charitywatch.org/toprated.html Top Rated Charities]". American Institute of Philanthropy. Retrieved September 17, 2006.

The Hunger Project met the standards to be listed on the 2004 Combined Federal Campaign National List"[http://www.opm.gov/cfc/04lists/2004NationalListwithout25WordStatements.doc 2004 Combined Federal Campaign National List]" (Word document, see "Global Hunger Project", item #1436). U. S. Office of Personnel Management. Retrieved September 16, 2006. and the Commonwealth of Virginia 2005 Charity Application."[https://web.archive.org/web/20070927072611/http://www.cvc.vipnet.org/cgi-bin/cvc-view.cgi?org_id=1a0511818351002d300 CVC 2005 Charity Application Global Hunger Project]". Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign. Retrieved September 17, 2006

Kevin Salwen and his then 14-year-old daughter Hannah, authors of The Power of Half, describe in their 2010 book how their family sold their home and donated half the proceeds (about $800,000) to The Hunger Project.{{cite news|last=Taylor|first=Ihsan|title=Paperback Row|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/16/books/review/PaperRow-t.html|access-date=March 9, 2011|newspaper=The New York Times|date=January 14, 2011}}{{cite news|last=Rosboch |first=Lili |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-06-21/family-sells-2-million-mansion-gives-half-to-charity-review.html |title=Family Sells $2M Mansion, Gives Half to Charity: Review |newspaper=Bloomberg.com |publisher=Bloomberg |date=June 21, 2010 |access-date=March 9, 2011}}{{cite news|last=Kristof|first=Nicholas D.|title=What Could You Live Without?|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/24/opinion/24kristof.html|access-date=March 9, 2011|newspaper=The New York Times|date=January 23, 2010}} The family used the other half of the proceeds to buy a smaller, less expensive home. Their donation was earmarked to help 30,000 rural villagers in over 30 villages in Ghana.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5MWl6acQ4TQC&q=%22power+of+half%22+&pg=PA87 |title=The Power of a Whisper: Hearing God, Having the Guts to Respond: Participant's Guide |isbn=978-0-310-32948-0|publisher=Zondervan |year=2010 |author=Bill Hybels, Ashley Wiersma |access-date=March 9, 2011}}

The Hunger Project has been the object of criticism, focused on:

• the organization's original ties (severed in 1991) to Werner Erhard, Erhard Seminars Training, and their philosophies.{{cite web|url=http://www.cultnews.com/archives/000748.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040507234919/http://www.cultnews.com/archives/000748.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=7 May 2004|title=The Hunger Project attempts to purge criticism and history from the Internet|publisher=Cult News|author=Rick Ross|author-link=Rick Ross (consultant)|date=10 April 2004|access-date=5 November 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://www.cultnews.com/archives/000754.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040503210745/http://www.cultnews.com/archives/000754.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 May 2004|title=Leader of controversial organization with ties to "cult-like" group tapped by UN Task Force to help cure world hunger|publisher=Cult News|author=Rick Ross|date=26 April 2004|access-date=5 November 2014}} The origin of the Hunger Project can be seen in the source document "The End of Starvation: Creating an Idea Whose Time Has Come", from 1977, written by Werner Erhard.[http://www.wernererhard.net/thpsource.html The End of Starvation: Creating an Idea Whose Time Has Come], The Hunger Project
• the failure of the Hunger Project to reach its goal of "ending world hunger by 1997...";Gordon, Suzanne (December 1978). "Let them eat est". Mother Jones. Vol. 3, No. 10, pp. 40–44, 49–50, 52–54
• the focus of the Project (1977–1990) on public education and advocacy, rather than providing food and other direct action.{{Cite news |last=Rapoport |first=Roger |date=25 June 1985 |title=How est Hunger Project Influenced the Millards |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-tribune/170402298/ |access-date=15 April 2025 |work=Oakland Tribune |pages=B1}} and {{Cite news |title=Hunger |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-tribune/170402514/ |via=Newspapers.com}} On May 30, 1981, the board of directors of Oxfam Canada passed a resolution which stated they would not endorse any activities or programs sponsored by The Hunger Project, nor would they accept funds from the project.Bell, Daniel and Weston, Brendan, February 13, 1985. "Hunger Project feeds itself". McGill Daily

===Executive staff===

• Rowlands Kaotcha, President and chief executive officer
• Jenna Recuber, Deputy CEO
• John Coonrod, Executive Vice President
• Kosha Shiswawala, CFO
• Rowlands Kaotcha, Global Vice President
• Badiul Alum Majumdar, Global Vice President
• Tim Prewitt, Senior Advisor{{cite web |url=https://thp.org/news/leadership_update/ |title=Our New Era of Leadership }}

As of 2023, the board membership was as follows:{{cite web

|url = http://www.thp.org/who_we_are/board_of_directors

|title = Global Board of Directors and Officers – The Hunger Project

|work = thp.org

|access-date = April 29, 2023

|url-status = dead

|archive-url = http://www.thp.org/board

|archive-date = April 29, 2023

}}

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• Sheree S. Stomberg, Chair
• Steven J. Sherwood, Chair, CWS Capital Partners, LLC{{Cite web|url=http://www.cwscapital.com/who_we_are/sherwood.aspx|title = About CWS Capital - A Real Estate-Focused Alternative Investment Fund}}
• Joan Holmes, Founding president, The Hunger Project Joan Holmes

Founding President, The Hunger Project [http://www.thp.org/who_we_are/board_of_directors/joan_holmes The Hunger Project Website] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120417171337/http://www.thp.org/who_we_are/board_of_directors/joan_holmes |date=2012-04-17 }}

• Mirna Kay Cunningham Kain, Former Chair of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
• Bineta Diop, Special Envoy of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission on Women, Peace and Security
• Syeda Saiyidain Hameed, former member of Planning Commission for the Government of India
• Koosum Kalyan, Director, Aker Solutions
• Roger Massy-Greene, Chair of Eureka Capital Partners
• Queen Noor of Jordan (honorary)
• Neera Nundy, Managing Partner and Co-founder of Dasra
• Amartya Sen, economist, Harvard University. winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics (honorary)
• Tim Prewitt, (Ex Officio)
• M. S. Swaminathan, chair emeritus (heads the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation)
• Charles Deull, Executive Vice President, Clark Transfer, Inc.

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Category:Development charities based in the United States

Category:Human Potential Movement

Category:International charities

Category:Organizations established in 1977

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Category:Werner Erhard