Sam Childers was once a drug dealer whose work often turned violent, but in the summer of 1992, he attended a church revival and decided to abandon his life of crime. After traveling to war-torn Sudan to find a way to aid children there, he founded an orphanage with his wife in what is now South Sudan. Childers came on The Takeaway in September to discuss his life, his orphanage, and making amends.

The five countries of the Horn of Africa are experiencing the worst declared drought in 60 years. What was a serious problem with the weather has become a humanitarian crisis in Somalia where over 60 percent of the country is controlled by militias who have been hampering the access of aid groups. 

John Hockenberry went to Somalia in 1992. Hunger, armed Islamists, and drought were taking a heavy toll on the country — just like they are now. In his latest video, Hockenberry talks about the experience, and how news of famine and difficult challenges to delivery of aid in recent weeks sounds far too familiar in a country still desperate for help, and plagued by those who undermine it. 

Millions of Somalis are mired in a deep humanitarian crisis that is now driving thousands of refugees over the border to Kenya daily. Famine is devastating the country, and the process of seeking outside aid is complicated by by an ineffective government, interference by the al-Qaida linked group al-Shabaab, and internal strife. Regardless, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called for international aid agencies to bring food and supplies.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, better known as FEMA, is asking thousands of Americans to return more than $22 million in government aid. The agency claims that it doled that money erroneously, to disaster victims ineligible for the support. In some cases, individual claimants will be asked to return up to $27,000.

Poverty continues to raise questions for economists, who have differing viewpoints on its source and its solution. A new book out by two MIT Economists moves away from the question of why poverty toward looking at how poor people behave and survive. They are asking questions like, "why would a man in Morocco, who doesn’t have enough to eat, buy at television set?" and "Does having lots of children make you poorer?"

International humanitarian agencies are sounding the alarm in Libya, where fighting has cut off access to vulnerable populations. Aid officials say the eastern city of Misurata is facing water and electricity shortages as hospitals struggle to care for those who have been wounded by fighting. There are warnings that food is in short supply in many parts of Libya. "The situation of civilians in and around Ajdabiya, Misurata and other locations where active fighting continues remains of great concern," the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said in a statement. "The presence of assistance actors inside Libya remains very limited due to prevailing security conditions."

More than 600 nonprofits have offered relief goods and materials to the people of Japan since the earthquake and tsunami. But with the exception of twelve countries with specialized search and rescue teams and a handful of international aid organizations, the Japanese government is politely turning them down. The Japanese Red Cross Society has yet to appeal for funds. Still, just like after every major natural disaster, dozens if not hundreds of new nonprofits have been registered. In the case of a major world economy like Japan, where and how does it make sense to give? 

This tragedy and disaster in Japan is framed by a moment in technological history. The tsunami waves were recorded from helicopters with cameras, images of the earth shaking office buildings and street signs and the heart wrenching images of the devastation are sweeping the world. Technology has also enabled numerous tools and datasets that have become another way of following what is happening in Japan. Google has set up a crisis response page to help those affected by the crisis. Prem Ramaswami, product manager with Google.org's crisis response team explains what they have done. Ramaswami says that crisis mapping is key in getting help to those who need it.

Today marks one year since the devastating earthquake in Haiti. The country suffered tremendously on January 12, 2010: 230,000 dead, thousands more injured, businesses and homes reduced to rubble. And yet the year only brought more difficulties, as cholera struck the countryside and accusations of fraud haunted a hotly-contested presidential election. Half of all American households sent donations to Haiti in the months following the earthquake. But as over 800,000 Haitians continue to live in temporary camps, the situation still seems dire. Where has all the aid gone? Who has it helped? What difference has it made?

UN officials announced this week that cholera is now projected to spread across Haiti more than twice as fast as originally estimated, with more than 425,000 cases expected in the first six months since it appeared. The disease had officially infected 66,593 people and killed 1,523 as of Monday, according to the country's Ministry of Health.

One of the major items on the United Nations' agenda this week is the Millennium Development Goals — an eight-pronged initiative laid out in 2001 by nearly 200 U.N. member states to help end extreme poverty around the world by 2015. Today, Secretery General Ban Ki-moon has called a meeting to evaluate the initiative, and 150 national leaders are expected to attend. Many of the leaders will likely acknowledge what may seem obvious: some progress is certainly evident, but much more remains to be done. What is the role the United States is playing — or failing to play — in this global quest?

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the latest suicide attack, whcih killed 19 people. Today the group threatened to continue to target Pakistani security forces with suicide attacks. This comes at a time when Pakistan is still struggling to recover from massive flooding, which has killed more than 1500 people and destroyed infrastructure and agriculture. Issam Ahmed, reporter for the Christian Science Monitor is in South Punjab, one of the regions that has been hit worst by the flood. He says that the government is taking the Taliban's theat very seriously and describes the mood of the country. "When the state can't protect its own people, you have that ongoing fear that they could strike at any time," he says.

Ad Pakistan struggles to cope with a devastating flood, the U.S. has stepped in, delivering aid, boxes of biscuits and sacks of flour, and evacuating people from flooded areas by helicopter.  The U.S. has become the single biggest international donor to Pakistan during these troubles and their presence and aid has shifted Pakistani perceptions of America. However, this may not necessarily mean a consistently positive relationship on a political level.

Pakistan’s floods are producing some mind-boggling numbers: 3.5 million children are at risk of disease, and roughly one-fifth of the country is under water. 20 million people have been displaced from their homes by the ongoing deluge.   

And some more disturbing numbers: the UN has asked for $460 million in emergency aid. To date, donor nations have only pledged 35 percent of that amount. A little less than half the donations - roughly $76 million - has come from the United States.

Pakistan's worst flooding in 80 years has killed hundreds and displaced what's estimated to be more than a million people. The United States has pledged $10 million in relief, in addition to providing helicopters and other critical supplies to Pakistan. But is this enough relief to matter?

It's been six months since a devastating earthquake shook Haiti and its capital, Port-au-Prince, leaving tens of thousands dead and several hundred thousand more injured and homeless. The country remains in dire straits, with a fractured government, a continued need for basic aid, and a large number of groups competing for a foothold in a country with a severely damaged infrastructure.

The United Nations and the United States are hosting a conference today on paying for rebuilding in Haiti after the earthquake. Haitian President Rene Preval is expected to present a report on his country's needs, and the amount he's asking for may break records. Also on the table will be a vision for Haiti in the near future. The estimated cost over the next ten years? $11.5 billion. 

UPDATED 8:00pm

Arwa Gunja here with the night shift update.

We’ve booked P.J. Crowley, State Department Spokesperson, to discuss US aid efforts to Chile. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton visited Chile today with satellite phones in hand as she pledged more US support. Reports out of the country indicate that conditions are worsening. We’re aiming to get an update from a reporter on the ground in Concepción, one of the hardest hit cities.  

We’ll also take a look at North Carolina public schools where there is a program in place to bus students based on their socio-economic background. The program has become very controversial and many parents are up in arms. There is a vote tonight to decide whether scrap the system, and tomorrow we’ll bring you the latest..

One other story likely to make headlines tomorrow is the status of marriage equality in Washington, D.C. Tomorrow will be the first day same-sex couples will be able to apply for marriage certificates. The co-chair of the DC for Marriage campaign will join us in the morning to discuss this victory for the gay community.

Finally, all day tomorrow we’re asking the question, what is one thing about your life that you want the world to know? And it seems to apply to so many of our segments tomorrow – from the survivors in Chile, to students in North Carolina being bussed based on their financial status, to the Americans living in some of America’s most depressed cities, and to the community in DC which will be adjusting to a landmark decision that will inevitably bring social change. For all our listeners, leave us a message here to tell us what we should know about your life. Or you can call us at 877-8-MYTAKE.

Today marks one month since an earthquake of 7.0 magnitude shook Port-au-Prince, Haiti. At dawn on that first day, the capital was filled with dust, rubble and disoriented Haitians searching for loved ones.  Today, the sun rises on a changed city, full of tents, foreign aid workers and the first signs of rebuilding.