Contributor: Leah Hazard

The latest update from our assessment team bound for Libya confirms that they've crossed safely through the Libyan border. The humanitarian picture is still uncertain, and they're working to ascertain needs on the ground. It's been suggested that food shortages may soon be a problem in Eastern Libya.

You can stay up to date on their work by following them on Twitter: @cassandranelson and @stevemhaley.

Mercy Corps has also dispatched a team to Tunisia to assess the situation on the ground there. They're expected to arrive by Saturday. We'll keep you updated as we receive more information.

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Our winnings will support our programs around the globe — including helping us bring together youth from around the globe for positive social action via a Global Citizen Corps Youth Summit.

Despite being a rainy, post-holiday Monday afternoon, there are cheers around Mercy Corps' headquarters. Why? Mercy Corps was just announced as the winner of Western Union's 50 Days of Giving Campaign! That means $150,000 will go to families in need around the world, and support our youth programs here in the United States!

We truly couldn't have won this money without the continued support of our donors, supporters and staff — including lots of Global Citizen Corps youth leaders — who voted every day for 50 days! Our Facebook fans definitely lifted us to victory during the last few days of the campaign, so if you're not already a fan, here's a perfect opportunity to go join a great group of supporters.

On behalf of the entire Mercy Corps team, and the beneficiaries we serve, thank you for helping us secure this funding. We couldn't have done it without you!

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Our winnings will support our programs around the globe — including helping us bring together youth from around the globe for positive social action via a Global Citizen Corps Youth Summit.

It starts with a gathering, From Jakarta to Beirut, from Edinburgh to Baghdad, from Madison to Amman, from New York to Islamabad; these are the cities where young people are taking a stand between the world they see and the world they want. The Global Citizen Corps International Summit will bring together young people who are agents of change in their communities to learn, share, and grow an international movement of young people who want to build a more secure and just world for their generation. Help support Mercy Corps’ Global Citizen Corps program and grow an international movement of young leaders who are changing the world one community at a time.

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When I was in Assam last month visiting with women in our literacy programmes, I heard the same sentiment over and over again: the women want to learn more now. Some want to learn English or develop their abilities in their native Assamese — but mostly they have gained confidence in their ability to learn, and they want to learn whatever they can.

After years of providing a thumbprint signature, women can sign their name to receive their paycheck. After a lifetime of not knowing if shop keepers at the market were giving them the correct change, they are now financially literate. They are now recognized by as being educated — and are helping their children succeed in school so they never have to know the struggles of illiteracy.

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