Amway Responds to Food Crisis in the Horn of Africa

ADA, Michigan and CAPE TOWN, South Africa, September 7, 2011 -

- The company will provide assistance through CARE, a leading humanitarian organization with a strong record of humanitarian relief in the region

Today, Amway announced that it will provide $100,000 toward relief efforts for the food and water crisis in Eastern Africa. Amway will be working through CARE, an organization with extensive crisis relief experience in Africa.

(Logo: photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110314/DE64745LOGO-b )

(Logo:  photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110314/DE64745LOGO-a )

More than 12 million people in Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya and Djibouti need emergency relief as the region continues to suffer the worst drought in more than 60 years, with no recovery expected for the reminder of 2011.

“The sheer number of children being affected by the lack of food and water is hard to comprehend. We want to make sure that Amway through its One by One™ Campaign for Children is there to help. We hope to raise the visibility of the situation and inspire others to help,” said Amway Southern Africa President Gwen Anders. “Amway is committed making a positive difference in the life of children, especially those in dire need of proper nutrition.”

Anders said it’s important for the rest of the world to respond to the worsening humanitarian crisis that has already claimed the lives of tens of thousands of children.

Dana Boals, vice president of Global Amway Brand agreed.  ”When you have even more children at risk of starvation, everyone has to help,” Boals said. “The Amway One by One Campaign focuses on helping children live, learn, achieve and play. In this case, we are partnering with an organization with a history of effective and strategic intervention in the region, to help address this humanitarian crisis.”

CARE has special expertise in emergency response and long-term development, with deep roots in the Horn of Africa. CARE has been a leading aid provider in Dadaab, the world’s largest and most complex refugee camp with more than 400,000 people, including more than 106,000 new arrivals since the beginning of the year. Immediate efforts from CARE include safe water, sanitation, and emergency aid to newly arrived refugees in Dadaab. Individuals, especially children, who are suffering from malnutrition and medical problems are referred to supplementary and therapeutic feeding programs and stabilization units.

“I’ve been an aid worker for 25 years and I’m shocked by what I’ve seen - this is an urgent food crisis on an enormous scale,” said Bob Laprade, director of CARE’s emergency programs. “Thousands of children will die unless we have the resources to bring them assistance.”

The United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimates $2.4 billion is needed to alleviate the crisis, but only $1.3 billion has been raised to date.

To donate directly to CARE, visit www.care.org.

About CARE

Founded in 1945, CARE is a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty. CARE has more than six decades of experience delivering emergency aid during times of crisis. Our emergency responses focus on the needs of the most vulnerable populations, particularly girls and women. Last year, CARE worked in 87 countries and reached 82 million people around the world. To learn more, visit www.care.org.

Amway One by One Campaign for Children

The Amway One by One Campaign for Children rallies the resources of Amway distributors and employees around the world to make a difference in the lives of children in every market where the company conducts business. Since the Amway One by One program launched in 2003, it has provided hope and opportunity to 8 million children and donated more than $141 million to children’s causes worldwide. The number of employee and distributor volunteer hours logged since 2003 now totals 2.3 million. www.amway.com/amwayonebyone.  

About Amway South Africa

Launched in 1997, Amway South Africa LLC and its more than 60,000 distributors provide high-quality consumer products throughout the southern African region, including South Africa, Namibia and Botswana. The company has regional offices in Cape Town and Johannesburg, with a warehouse and distribution centre located in Gauteng.

About Amway

Amway (amway.com) is one of the world’s largest direct selling businesses. Amway’s parent company, Alticor Inc., reported global sales of $9.2 billion in 2010. Founded in 1959 and based in Ada, Michigan, USA, Amway offers consumer products and business opportunities in more than 80 countries and territories worldwide. The top-selling brands for Amway are NUTRILITE™ vitamin, mineral and dietary supplements, ARTISTRY™ skincare and colour cosmetics, and eSpring™ water treatment systems. For media questions: contact Corporate Communications at 616-787-7565 (Michigan, United States) or mediainfo@amway.com.

(South Africa) — Makhaya Manie, External Affairs Manager, Amway Southern Africa, makhaya.manie at amway.com; (USA) — Nardy Baeza Bickel, Specialist, Amway Public Relations, +1-616-787-7565