Mr. President of the General Assembly, Excellencies,  I am here to sound the alarm:  The world must wake up.  We are on the edge of an abyss — and moving in the wrong direction.   Our world has never been more threatened.   Or more divided.   We face the greatest cascade of crises in our lifetimes.    The COVID-19 pandemic has supersized glaring inequalities.    The climate crisis is pummeling the planet.  Upheaval from Afghanistan to Ethiopia to Yemen and beyond has thwarted peace.   A surge of mistrust and misinformation is polarizing people and paralyzing societies.   Human rights are under fire.    Science is under assault.    And economic lifelines for the most vulnerable are coming too little and too late — if they come at all.   Solidarity is missing in action — just when we need it most.    Perhaps one image tells the tale of our times.    The picture we have seen from some parts of the world of COVID-19 vaccines … in the garbage.    Expired and unused.     On the one hand, we see the vaccines developed in record time — a victory of science and human ingenuity.   On the other hand, we see that triumph undone by the tragedy of a lack of political will, selfishness and mistrust.    A surplus in some countries.  Empty shelves in others.   A majority of the wealthier world vaccinated.  Over 90 percent of Africans still waiting for their first dose.  This is a moral indictment of the state of our world.  It is an obscenity.    We passed the science test.    But we are getting an F in Ethics.   Excellencies,   The climate alarm bells are also ringing at fever pitch.   The recent report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change was a code red for humanity.   We see the warning signs in every continent and region.  Scorching temperatures.  Shocking biodiversity loss.  Polluted air, water and natural spaces.    And climate-related disasters at every turn.  As we saw recently, not even this city — the financial capital of the world — is immune.    Climate scientists tell us it’s not too late to keep alive the 1.5 degree goal of the Paris Climate Agreement.    But the window is rapidly closing.  We need a 45 per cent cut in emissions by 2030.  Yet a recent UN report made clear that with present national climate commitments, emissions will go up by 16% by 2030.    That would condemn us to a hellscape of temperature rises of at least 2.7 degrees above pre-industrial levels.  A catastrophe.  Meanwhile, the OECD just reported a gap of at least $20 billion in essential and promised climate finance to developing countries.
We are weeks away from the UN Climate Conference in Glasgow, but seemingly light years away from reaching our targets.   We must get serious.  And we must act fast.    Excellencies,   COVID and the climate crisis have exposed profound fragilities as societies and as a planet.    Yet instead of humility in the face of these epic challenges, we see hubris.    Instead of the path of solidarity, we are on a dead end to destruction.  At the same time, another disease is spreading in our world today:  a malady of mistrust.  When people see promises of progress denied by the realities of their harsh daily lives…  When they see their fundamental rights and freedoms curtailed…  When they see petty — as well as grand — corruption around them…  When they see billionaires joyriding to space while millions go hungry on earth…   When parents see a future for their children that looks even bleaker than the struggles of today...  And when young people see no future at all…  The people we serve and represent may lose faith not only in their governments and institutions — but in the values that have animated the work of the United Nations for over 75 years.  Peace.  Human rights.  Dignity for all.  Equality.  Justice.  Solidarity.   Like never before, core values are in the crosshairs.    A breakdown in trust is leading to a breakdown in values.    Promises, after all, are worthless if people do not see results in their daily lives.    Failure to deliver creates space for some of the darkest impulses of humanity.  It provides oxygen for easy fixes, pseudo-solutions and conspiracy theories.    It is kindling to stoke ancient grievances.  Cultural supremacy.  Ideological dominance.  Violent misogyny.  The targeting of the most vulnerable including refugees and migrants.      Excellencies,   We face a moment of truth.   Now is the time to deliver.    Now is the time to restore trust.    Now is the time to inspire hope.    And I do have hope.    The problems we have created are problems we can solve.   Humanity has shown that we are capable of great things when we work together.  That is the raison d’être of our United Nations.    But let’s be frank.  Today’s multilateral system is too limited in its instruments and capacities, in relation to what is needed for effective governance of managing global public goods.   It is too fixed on the short-term.    We need to strengthen global governance.  We need to focus on the future.  We need to renew the social contract.  We need to ensure a United Nations fit for a new era.    That is why I presented my report on Our Common Agenda in the way I did.   It provides a 360 degree analysis of the state of our world, with 90 specific recommendations that take on the challenges of today and strengthen multilateralism for tomorrow.    Our Common Agenda builds on the UN Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the Paris Climate Agreement.   It is in line with the mandate I was given by the UN75 Declaration to seek a pathway to a better world.    But to reach that land of our promises, we must bridge Great Divides.    Excellencies,   I see 6 Great Divides — 6 Grand Canyons — that we must bridge now.     First, we must bridge the peace divide.    For far too many around the world, peace and stability remain a distant dream.    In Afghanistan, where we must boost humanitarian assistance and defend human rights, especially of women and girls.   In Ethiopia, where we call on parties to immediately cease hostilities, ensure humanitarian access and create the conditions for the start of an Ethiopian-led political dialogue.  In Myanmar, where we reaffirm unwavering support to the people in their pursuit of democracy, peace, human rights and the rule of law.  In the Sahel, where we are committed to mobilizing international assistance for regional security, development and governance.  In places such as Yemen, Libya and Syria, where we must overcome stalemates and push for peace.  In Israel and Palestine, where we urge leaders to resume a meaningful dialogue,  recognizing the two-State solution as the only pathway to a just and comprehensive peace.  In Haiti and so many other places left behind, where we stand in solidarity through every step out of crisis.    Excellencies,   We are seeing an explosion in seizures of power by force.    Military coups are back.    The lack of unity among the international community does not help.  Geopolitical divisions are undermining international cooperation and limiting the capacity of the Security Council to take the necessary decisions.  A sense of impunity is taking hold.    At the same time, it will be impossible to address dramatic economic and development challenges while the world’s two largest economies are at odds with each other.    Yet I fear our world is creeping towards two different sets of economic, trade, financial, and technology rules, two divergent approaches in the development of artificial intelligence — and ultimately the risk of two different military and geo-political strategies.  This is a recipe for trouble.  It would be far less predictable than the Cold War.    To restore trust and inspire hope, we need cooperation.  We need dialogue.  We need understanding.    We need to invest in prevention, peacekeeping and peacebuilding.  We need progress on nuclear disarmament and in our shared efforts to counter terrorism.  We need actions anchored in respect for human rights.  And we need a new comprehensive Agenda for Peace.  Excellencies,   Second, we must bridge the climate divide.  This requires bridging trust between North and South.  It starts by doing all we can now to create the conditions for success in Glasgow.    We need more ambition from all countries in three key areas — mitigation, finance and adaptation.  More ambition on mitigation — means countries committing to carbon neutrality by mid-century —  and to concrete 2030 emissions reductions targets that will get us there, backed up with credible actions now.  More ambition on finance — means developing nations finally seeing the promised $100 billion dollars a year for climate action, fully mobilizing the resources of both international financial institutions and the private sector, too.  More ambition on adaptation — means developed countries living up to their promise of credible support to developing countries to build resilience to save lives and livelihoods.   This means 50 per cent of all climate finance provided by developed countries and multilateral development banks should be dedicated to adaptation.   The African Development Bank set the bar in 2019 by allocating half of its climate finance to adaptation.   Some donor countries have followed their lead.  All must do so.   My message to every Member State is this:  Don’t wait for others to make the first move.  Do your part.   Around the world, we see civil society — led by young people — fully mobilized to tackle the climate crisis.  The private sector is increasingly stepping up.    Governments must also summon the full force of their fiscal policymaking powers to make the shift to green economies.    By taxing carbon and pollution instead of people’s income to more easily make the switch to sustainable green jobs.   By ending subsidies to fossil fuels and freeing up resources to invest back into health care, education, renewable energy, sustainable food systems, and social protections for their people.   By committing to no new coal plants.  If all planned coal power plants become operational, we will not only be clearly above 1.5 degrees — we will be well above 2 degrees.  The Paris targets will go up in smoke.  This is a planetary emergency.    We need coalitions of solidarity -- between countries that still depend heavily on coal, and countries that have the financial and technical resources to support their transition.  We have the opportunity and the obligation to act.   Excellencies,   Third, we must bridge the gap between rich and poor, within and among countries.   That starts by ending the pandemic for everyone, everywhere.    We urgently need a global vaccination plan to at least double vaccine production and ensure that vaccines reach seventy percent of the world’s population in the first half of 2022.  This plan could be implemented by an emergency Task Force made up of present and potential vaccine producers, the World Health Organization, ACT-Accelerator partners, and international financial institutions, working with pharmaceutical companies.   We have no time to lose.   A lopsided recovery is deepening inequalities.    Richer countries could reach pre-pandemic growth rates by the end of this year while the impacts may last for years in low-income countries.   Is it any wonder?  Advanced economies are investing nearly 28 per cent of their Gross Domestic Product into economic recovery.   For middle-income countries, that number falls to 6.5 per cent.   And it plummets to 1.8 per cent for the least developed countries — a tiny percentage of a much smaller amount.   In Sub-Saharan Africa, the International Monetary Fund projects that cumulative economic growth per capita over the next five years will be 75 percent less than the rest of the world.   Many countries need an urgent injection of liquidity.    I welcome the issuance of $650 billion in Special Drawing Rights by the International Monetary Fund.   But these SDRs are largely going to the countries that need them least.    Advanced economies should reallocate their surplus SDRs to countries in need.    SDRs are not a silver bullet.    But they provide space for sustainable recovery and growth.  I renew also my call for a reformed and more equitable international debt architecture.    The Debt Service Suspension Initiative must be extended to 2022 and should be available to all highly indebted vulnerable and middle-income countries that request it.    This would be solidarity in action.   Countries shouldn’t have to choose between servicing debt and serving people.   With effective international solidarity, it would be possible at the national level to forge a new social contract that includes universal health coverage and income protection, housing and decent work, quality education for all, and an end to discrimination and violence against women and girls.    I call on countries to reform their tax systems and finally end tax evasion, money laundering and illicit financial flows.   And as we look ahead, we need a better system of prevention and preparedness for all major global risks.  We must support the recommendations of the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response.    I have put forward a number of other proposals in Our Common Agenda — including an emergency platform and a Futures Lab.  Excellencies,   Fourth, we must bridge the gender divide.    COVID-19 exposed and amplified the world’s most enduring injustice: the power imbalance between men and women.   When the pandemic hit, women were the majority of frontline workers, first to lose their jobs, and first to put their careers on hold to care for those close to them.  Girls were disproportionately hit by school closures that limit their development and increase the risk of abuse, violence and child marriage.    Bridging the gender divide is not only a matter of justice for women and girls.  It’s a game-changer for humanity.  Societies with more equal representation are more stable and peaceful. They have better health systems and more vibrant economies.  Women’s equality is essentially a question of power. We must urgently transform our male-dominated world and shift the balance of power, to solve the most challenging problems of our age.   That means more women leaders in parliaments, cabinets and board rooms. It means women fully represented and making their full contribution, everywhere.    I urge governments, corporations and other institutions to take bold steps, including benchmarks and quotas, to create gender parity from the leadership down.  At the United Nations, we have achieved this among the Senior Management and our country team leaders. We will keep going until we have parity at every level.  At the same time, we need to push back against regressive laws that institutionalize gender discrimination. Women’s rights are human rights.      Economic recovery plans should focus on women, including through large-scale investments in the care economy.  And we need an emergency plan to fight gender-based violence in every country.   To achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and build a better world, we can and we must bridge the gender divide.    Excellencies,  Fifth, restoring trust and inspiring hope means bridging the digital divide.  Half of humanity has no access to the internet.  We must connect everyone by 2030.   This is the vision of my Roadmap for Digital Co-operation — to embrace the promise of digital technology while protecting people from its perils.   One of the greatest perils we face is the growing reach of digital platforms and the use and abuse of data.  A vast library of information is being assembled about each of us. Yet we don’t even have the keys to that library.  We don’t know how this information has been collected, by whom or for what purposes.  But we do know our data is being used commercially — to boost corporate profits.  Our behaviour patterns are being commodified and sold like futures contracts.  Our data is also being used to influence our perceptions and opinions.  Governments and others can exploit it to control or manipulate people’s behaviour, violating human rights of individuals or groups, and undermining democracy.  This is not science fiction.  This is today’s reality.  And it requires a serious discussion.  So, too, do other dangers in the digital frontier.    I am certain, for example, that any future major confrontation — and heaven forbid it should ever happen — will start with a massive cyberattack.  Where are the legal frameworks to address this? Autonomous weapons can today choose targets and kill people without human interference.  They should be banned.    But there is no consensus on how to regulate those technologies.   To restore trust and inspire hope, we need to place human rights at the centre of our efforts to ensure a safe, equitable and open digital future for all.  Excellencies,   Sixth, and finally, we need to bridge the divide among generations.    Young people will inherit the consequences of our decisions — good and bad.   At the same time, we expect 10.9 billion people to be born by century’s end.   We need their talents, ideas and energies.   Our Common Agenda proposes a Transforming Education Summit next year to address the learning crisis and expand opportunities for today’s 1.8 billion young people.  But young people need more than support.   They need a seat at the table.   For this, I will appoint a Special Envoy for Future Generations and create the United Nations Youth Office.   And the contributions of young people will be central to the Summit of the Future, as set out in Our Common Agenda.   Young people need a vision of hope for the future.    Recent research showed the majority of young people across ten countries are suffering from high levels of anxiety and distress over the state of our planet.  Some 60 percent of your future voters feel betrayed by their governments.  We must prove to children and young people that despite the seriousness of the situation, the world has a plan — and governments are committed to implementing it.   We need to act now to bridge the Great Divides and save humanity and the planet.  Excellencies,   With real engagement, we can live up to the promise of a better, more peaceful world.  That is the driving force of our Common Agenda.    The best way to advance the interests of one’s own citizens is by advancing the interests of our common future.    Interdependence is the logic of the 21st century.   And it is the lodestar of the United Nations.    This is our time.    A moment for transformation.    An era to re-ignite multilateralism.   An age of possibilities.    Let us restore trust.  Let us inspire hope.    And let us start right now.    Thank you.    Bookmark the Spokesperson’s website: http://www.un.org/sg/en/spokesperson      

The United Nations in Zambia partnered with the Embassy of Sweden in Lusaka to organise commemorative events to mark 60 years since the death of Dag Hammarskjöld who at the time was serving as the Second Secretary-General of the United Nations. Hammarskjöld was killed in 1961 in a plane crash in Ndola while on a UN mission to bring about a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). On 18 September 2021, a moving ceremony was held at the site where the plane carrying Hammarskjöld and his staff fell. Special Representative to the Secretary General (SRSG) and Head of the United Nations Organisation Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) Bintou Keita was among dignitaries that attended the event in Ndola. Ms Keita said that Dag Hammarskjöld was a reference and an inspiration as the leading diplomat of his generation. “By promoting dialogue, tolerance, and mutual understanding, by pushing creative solutions to the most complex issues of his time, he still embodies today the values and the ideals that guide the United Nations’ work. He also led the way in shaping our institution into an active force in making and keeping peace,” said Ms Keita. In introducing the SRSG, UN Zambia Resident Coordinator Dr Coumba Mar Gadio said the UN in Zambia was committed to remembering the legacy of Dag Hammarskjöld because keeping his memory alive offers many lessons about peace.  While describing Dag Hammarskjöld as one of the world’s finest diplomats, Dr. Gadio called for concerted efforts by everyone in promoting peace. “We may not have to pay with the ultimate price like it was with the man we are remembering today, but there is something we can all do, including promoting peace,” added Dr Gadio. In his remarks Copperbelt Minister Elisha Matambo, MP, who was the Guest of Honour said that the Government will continue to value the ideas of Dag Hammarskjöld, who demonstrated courage and believed in dialogue and cooperation. Mr. Matambo also highlighted the Government’s commitment to inclusion of youth in development processes. “The New Dawn Government recognises the youth as partners in leadership, business and decision-making and is committed to ensure that our country continues on a path that promotes the ideals of peace among our youth”, said Mr. Matambo. And Swedish Vice-Minister for International Development Ms Janine Alma Ericson noted that Dag Hammarskjöld is remembered for achievements in bringing peace through preventive diplomacy. “Dag Hammarskjöld believed that a problem should be solved at an early stage, preventing it from betting bigger and more complicated. He also introduced preventive diplomacy,” said Ms Ericson. “Dag Hammarskjöld believed in equality between people and nations. He was a true champion of peace with an extraordinary sense of duty.” In a vote of thanks, a student from Fatima Girls Secondary School, Chileshe Kafwilo, noted that the commemoration was very important in keeping the history of Dag Hammarskjöld alive and enabling all an opportunity for all to learn about peace. Representatives of the Swedish veterans who at the time of Dag Hammarskjöld’s demise were serving as peacekeepers in the DRC also spoke at the event, including Bengt Wicksén, First Vice Chair of the Association of Swedish UN Veterans in the DRC and Captain Mats Fogelmark, Head of the Swedish Armed Forces Department of Veteran Affairs. Other activities organised that the UN in Zambia and Embassy of Sweden organised in partnership with the Ministry of Education were school debates on peace and a poetry writing contest, both involving secondary schools in Ndola. Further, guests at the commemoration were treated to a rich photo exhibition about Dag Hammarskjöld and week earlier, a virtual discussion was organised on the role of youth in peace building. Programmes on Radio Icengelo and ZNBC Radio 2 also helped to spread awareness about Hammarskjöld with the Swedish Ambassador to Zambia and Resident Coordinator making appearances. It is still clear that six decades since his passing, Dag Hammarskjöld continues to hold a special place in history as a peace maker with his legacy inspiring many, young and old alike, to work for peace.    

Having just turned 16, he recognises Zambia’s biggest challenge: food systems – the production, distribution, and consumption of food – are not robust enough to meet the needs of the population. “When I grow up, I want to use technology to modernise the way people farm. There are new technologies like hydroponics that can help farmers improve their yields and grow nutritious food. Zambian farmers depend on rain-fed crops, but with this system, crops can be grown each and every month,” says Daniel sitting outside his home in Kitwe, Zambia’s industrial hub, where he lives with his parents and three siblings. Daniel first learnt about hydroponics when the World Food Programme (WFP) went to his school to set up a hydroponics garden, helping the Ministry of Education provide nutritious meals to students throughout the year without the threat of climate shocks. Hydroponics is a soilless cultivation technique that uses up to 90 percent less water and 75 percent less space than traditional agriculture, while growing crops 100 percent faster. Each and every year, farmers use vast areas of land to grow crops that are sometimes destroyed by drought, high temperatures and floods – sometimes triggered by climate change. This increases production costs – an increase that is passed on to the consumer in the price tag – and makes it difficult for the Government to nourish the next generation. People who depend on markets for food struggle with the price tag the most, with up to 54 percent of the population unable to afford a nutritious diet. A nutritious diet costs on average ZMW 33 per five-person household per day, three times as much as a diet meeting only energy needs. Those who cannot afford fresh food opt for less nutritional food, high in carbohydrates and sugar – contributing towards Zambia’s ‘triple burden’ of malnutrition – undernutrition, overweight and obesity. While 35 percent of children aged under 5 suffer from stunting, a condition that prevents them from growing and developing as they should, 23 percent of people are overweight or obese. With the hope of tackling Zambia’s food system problem and growing nutritious food for his family in a sustainable way, Daniel decided to take the knowledge he learnt from school and replicate the hydroponics site at home. “When WFP first came to my school, I thought wow, these people are amazing. I never thought you could grow plants without soil. I said I have to try to do this at home. I knew I could do it. I started trying to replicate it, until finally I built my own greenhouse,” Daniel says. As hydroponic equipment is expensive, Daniel had to improvise on the material he used. “I used creative thinking to build the site. I thought of using tyres and plastic sheets as a place where the water could fit in and used wood to make the beds. I even made a pump using wood and rubber to oxygenate the water.” “My school gave me some hydroponic fertilizer to get me started. Since then, I’ve been experimenting with local solutions that I can use. I tried to make fertilizer by soaking a sack of compost in a bucket of water for 28 days so that the nutrients dissolve into the water. The pH wasn’t good for hydroponics, but I will keep experimenting until I find a solution,” he says. At his impressive site, he grows rape seed leaves, lettuce and Chinese cabbage. Every two weeks, he manages to harvest around 90 percent of the crops he grows, which his Mother uses to make his favourite meal. “My favourite meal at home is salad, I like vegetable salads, and fruits. My mum is the one that makes them, and she knows how to make them. I like it a lot,” Daniel says. “The best thing about my garden is that it’s beautiful. I like how green the plants are. The vegetables are much tastier than the ones grown in traditional gardens, they contain a lot more nutrients,” he adds. With his surplus harvest, he gives some vegetables to his friends and sells some to his neighbours. He is saving up to expand his site so that he can grow even more vegetables for his community. With his new found knowledge in hydroponics, Daniel wants to join WFP one day and help change the world through modern farming technologies that can help to ensure availability of nutritious food for all. Daniel says: “I’d like to tell the people reading this story to never give up on your achieving your dreams. I went through trouble and trial trying to make this greenhouse but since I did not give up, I made it. Thanks to generous support from Germany, WFP is helping the Government of Zambia to set up 71 school hydroponic gardens to improve school meals and ensure year-round access to food – making a difference to children’s health, nutrition and education.

Having just turned 16, he recognises one of Zambia’s biggest challenges: food systems – the paths that food travels from production to plate – are not robust enough to meet the needs of the population. “When I grow up, I want to use technology to modernise the way people farm. There are new technologies like hydroponics that can help farmers improve their yields and grow nutritious food. Zambian farmers depend on rain-fed crops, but with this system, crops can be grown each and every month,” says Daniel sitting outside his home in Kitwe, Zambia’s industrial hub, where he lives with his parents and three siblings. Daniel first learnt about this technology when the World Food Programme (WFP) went to his school to set up a hydroponics garden in collaboration with the Ministry of Education. These gardens provide nutritious meals to students throughout the year without the threat of climate shocks - making a difference to children's health, nutrition and education. Hydroponics is a soilless cultivation technique that uses up to 90 percent less water and 75 percent less space than traditional agriculture, while growing crops 100 percent faster. Each year, farmers use vast areas of land to grow crops that are sometimes destroyed by drought, high temperatures and floods – many of which are triggered by climate change. This increases production costs – an increase that is passed on to the consumer in the price tag – and makes it difficult for the government to nourish the next generation. People who depend on markets for food struggle with high prices, with up to 53 percent of the population unable to afford enough nutritious food. A nutritious diet costs on average ZMW33 (US$1.80) per five-person family per day, three times as much as a diet meeting only energy needs. Those who cannot afford fresh food opt for less nutritional food high in carbohydrates and sugar, contributing towards Zambia’s ‘triple burden of malnutrition' - undernutrition, overweight and obesity - with 35 percent of children under 5 suffering from stunting and 23 percent of people overweight or obese. With the hope of tackling Zambia’s food system problem and growing nutritious food for his family in a sustainable way, Daniel decided to take the knowledge he learnt from school and replicate the hydroponics site at home. “When WFP first came to my school, I thought 'wow, these people are amazing'. I never thought you could grow plants without soil. I said I have to try to do this at home. I knew I could do it. I started trying to replicate it, until finally I built my own greenhouse,” Daniel says. As hydroponic equipment is expensive, Daniel had to improvise on the material he used. “I used creative thinking to build the site. I thought of using tyres and plastic sheets as a place where the water could fit in and used wood to make the beds. I even made a pump using wood and rubber to oxygenate the water.” “My school gave me some hydroponic fertilizer to get me started. Since then, I’ve been experimenting with local solutions that I can use. I tried to make fertilizer by soaking a sack of compost in a bucket of water for 28 days so that the nutrients dissolve into the water. The pH wasn’t good for hydroponics, but I will keep experimenting until I find a solution,” he says. At his impressive site, he grows rape seed leaves, lettuce and Chinese cabbage. Every two weeks, he manages to harvest around 90 percent of the crops he grows, which his mother uses to make his favourite meal. “My favourite meal at home is salad, I like vegetable salads, and fruits. My mum is the one that makes them, and she knows how to make them. I like it a lot,” Daniel says. “The best thing about my garden is that it’s beautiful. I like how green the plants are. The vegetables are much tastier than the ones grown in traditional gardens, they contain a lot more nutrients,” he adds. With his surplus harvest, he gives some vegetables to his friends and sells some to his neighbours. He is saving up to expand his site so that he can grow even more vegetables for his community. With his new found knowledge in hydroponics, Daniel wants to join WFP one day and help change the world through modern farming technologies that can help to ensure availability of nutritious food for all. Daniel says: “I’d like to tell the people reading this story to never give up on your achieving your dreams. I went through trouble and trial trying to make this greenhouse but since I did not give up, I made it." Thanks to generous support from Germany (Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development BMZ) through the German Development Bank KfW, WFP is helping the Government of Zambia to set up 48 additional school hydroponic gardens in drought-prone areas, bringing the total to 71.