Bettina Iseli: “The fact that hunger is increasing is a scandal”

Bettina Iseli fought against hunger in countries such as Kenya, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Today, she is a programme director on the board and is responsible for all Welthungerhilfe projects. Here she explains why there is often well-intentioned but poorly implemented aid – and how serious support really works.

Two out of three German companies are now socially committed. They plant trees, donate money or support local initiatives. That should make you happy, right?

Of course, we are very happy about this, especially when it comes to the issue of hunger. What is new in this context is that employees and consumers are actually demanding social and societal commitment from companies. But of course not all commitment is equally good.

What goes wrong with some engagements?

Some companies get involved primarily because they think about their external impact. Other companies really want to make a difference and deal intensively with the respective topic - as is the case with share, Coffee Circle or Atlas Copco. The motivation of the company is ultimately reflected in how meaningful and well thought out the commitment is.

How can I, as a layperson, distinguish between “good” and “bad” engagement?

As a consumer, you can check how transparently the company communicates its commitment and its impact, for example, simply on the website. You should also pay attention to how trustworthy the partner organizations are that the company works with, for example whether the partner organization has the DZI seal - this seal proves that an organization handles the funds entrusted to it carefully and responsibly.

You have worked in countries like Pakistan and Kenya yourself. How does aid really make a difference?

It is important, above all, to involve the local population and to seek dialogue on an equal footing. This means listening carefully to what people need, what they have to say - but also recognizing what resources are already available to improve the situation.

Involving the population always sounds good – but what does that actually look like?

By involving the population in the early planning of the project. Here we first ask about the needs: What do the communities need? But also: Which solutions have already been tried: What worked and what didn't? All of this is discussed in so-called focus group discussions and agreed with the population. Of course, we also talk to representatives of public authorities, and we also take their views into account when designing the projects. The population is also involved in the implementation.

In agricultural projects, farmers try out new approaches and share their experiences with the population - so that people can see for themselves what was good and what could be improved. Each project also has a complaints procedure where complaints, but also suggestions or ideas can be submitted in writing or often via hotlines. In short: involving the local population - but also politicians and local authorities - is extremely important. We know that if the interaction between the various local actors works, then we will be most successful together in the long term.

What role does emergency aid play in extreme situations, such as extreme drought or war?

It is extremely important. I was in Sudan myself last week, and the first priority is to ensure people's survival, to provide them with food, toilets, and basic supplies. If no one does that, things will be very bleak.

For example, share supports educational projects in Uganda and Malawi, and the distribution of hygiene products or the implementation of hygiene training in Bangladesh. To what extent are such training and educational projects important in order to minimize hunger in the respective countries?

Education is one of the most important ways to break the negative cycle: children who go to school are more likely to find a better job and, in the best case, earn more. More income means less hunger. Clean water is important to prevent disease - but the best food is useless if the nutrients are not retained in the body because people are sick too often.

Welthungerhilfe works with various companies: How do you select your cooperation partners?

We look very closely at the companies we work with. What social and environmental standards they adhere to. It is important to us that they have similar values ​​and goals to Welthungerhilfe. Our organization, with over 3,000 employees in 35 countries, is characterized by: respect, courage, transparency, responsibility for one's own actions, curiosity and passionate commitment. Our goal is to find reliable partners who are willing to break new ground with us in this way.

Donations against hunger

As a donor, I want my help to reach where it is needed. How can I be sure of this?

By ensuring transparency. We at Welthungerhilfe are on site and ensure where the money goes - and where it is actually needed. We publish in our annual reports exactly where the donations go. In addition, the content of our projects and our accounting are regularly audited externally and internally. So we have a whole range of control mechanisms.

The global hunger crisis has worsened massively this year, partly due to the war in Ukraine. How difficult is it for you to look optimistically into the future at the moment?

The fact that we have increasing hunger figures in 2022 is a scandal for me. But I am fundamentally an optimistic person and am convinced that we can make a difference with our work. Many examples around the world show that a world without hunger is possible if it is prioritized accordingly. We do not yet have annual financial statements for 2022, but we can see that the willingness to donate has not diminished. This is a particularly encouraging sign that our donors do not forget the suffering of people in the global south, despite worries and fears here in the country. And that is extremely motivating.

Do you still have moments at work where you think: It's worth it!

Oh, there are a lot of them. Especially when I see on the ground in the respective countries what the work of Welthungerhilfe achieves. Recently I met a group of women in Sudan who saved together and got a loan. One of the women started to produce and sell soap, others opened kiosks or planted a vegetable garden, that was very nice to see. But feeling the solidarity of people from Germany who support our work with donations also motivates me immensely.

Do you sometimes miss being on site for long periods of time and helping?

Of course, I don't travel as much as I used to, but as program director you see the overarching movements. That's great too.

Portrait: Christoph Papsch / Welthungerhilfe