Experiencing Some of the Most

¶ … experiencing some of the most severe problems of its history, including hunger and poverty; however, in the attempt to find solutions to such issues, organizations and NGOs take different approaches, both in the way in which they construct their policies and the way in which they promote them. In this sense, a relevant comparison could be made on the issue of hunger as seen from the lens of the Organization of American States as opposed to the perspective of the Hunger Project.

The world of the internet and the World Wide Web has become perhaps the most important environment for the dissemination of information; this is why the way in which information is presented online is crucial for the actual messages sent across to the online receiver. In this sense, the critical comparison between the two organizations has as focal point the online presentation of their mission, activities, and aims.

The methods used for this comparison include a qualitative and at the same time quantitative process of data gathering and analysis. This comprehensive approach is important for the way in which the analysis is executed largely because on the one hand, it offers a complex set of data through the quantitative method of research; on the other hand the qualitative method of analysis includes the precise focus on certain defining elements which reveal the similarities and the differences between the two internet pages (Seidel, 1998).

There are several aspects to be taken into account. Firstly, given the nature of the research, the two internet pages, from the content point-of-view, will be analyzed through the answers to the questions: what?, how?, where?, who?, and why?. Secondly, the focus is shifted to the qualitative results of the research which would include the way in which the online discourses are structured, with attention paid to the language used, the imagery, and the cultural approach taken by the two sides.

The "what" and the "how" questions refer in particular to the actual content of the text and of the internet page and the way in which this is structured. In this sense, the OAS is clearly structured on a principle-based frame. In other words, the entire web site is based in fact on the principles of the organization. As stated in the "who we are" section, the "OAS uses a four-pronged approach to effectively implement its essential purposes, based on its pillars: democracy, human rights, security, and development" (Organization of American States, 2010). Therefore the structure of the page develops precisely these points, together with the description of events and meetings conducted in this spirit. The approach on hunger is different from the Hunger Project because of the size of the organization and its nature. More precisely, given the tradition of the organization and the intergovernmental structure, the approach on the matter is more extensive.

By comparison, the Hunger Project presents the content in a different manner. More precisely, it revolves around certain practical issues which include sections such as "who we are," "what we do," "where we work" (Hunger Project, 2010). Indeed, it focuses on the main issue of the organization which is the eradication of hunger, but in a different manner that the OAS. It deals with a more practical approach and an easier access to the information needed by the audience. This approach for the presentation of the content may appear more pragmatic and more useful depending on the actual public and culture it appeals to.

The "where" question may refer to the public, the audience. According to the audience, the text and the context could be different (Ghadessy, 1999). From this point-of-view, the two organizations are relatively different. As mentioned previously, the OAS is intergovernmental which implies a different control of the activities, in particular the control from the member states. In its turn such a control implies a different targeted public. Indeed, the internet page tries to cater for the needs of all types of publics, as there are very technical documents on initiatives related to hunger and strive for development such as all types of policy documents which promote development and thus reduction of poverty and hunger. At the same time, most of the documents presented on the site are technical and principle based. The creed of the OAS is that through development, human rights, and democracy, issues such as poverty and hunger reduction can be achieved. This approach explains the structure and the public of the site.

The Hunger Project, which deals mostly with this type of issues, adjusted its content to the targeted public. As opposed to the OAS web page, the public of the internet page is assumed to be from concerned countries. In this sense, most of the articles related to poverty and hunger include situations in poor countries such as Ghana or Bangladesh. Therefore, the texts are in such a way constructed as to appeal to this cultural structure. Thus, articles about people in those countries such as the one about the woman who managed to improve her living conditions by embarking in petty trade is relevant for the type of subjects especially designed for other people in that community (Hunger Project, n.d.). They are useful for motivating people to change and improve and, at the same time, these types of stories could serve the purpose of informal reporting on the activity of the organization.

The "who" questions considers the actual authors of the text on the internet and what would be the audience targeted. The issue of hunger is not an easy subject to be taken into account. In particular, this is due to the fact that there are different approaches to the matter. Thus, while OAS tries to act on an horizontal scheme, from applying certain principles to undergoing actions based on these principles, the Hunger Project focuses especially on the pragmatics of the problem. The internet pages reveal such an image. Thus, most of the first page of the OAS focuses on the principles, the mission, the member states, and the organization part of the forum. On the other hand, the Hunger Project appears to be a more dynamic source of information and communication of scope and action. Indeed, the first page of the site has subsections on the organization, but the text is in such a way constructed as to immediately offer information on the activities. As example, there is running news which presents the actions for women empowering and for different actions taken as a practical antidote for hunger and poverty. By comparison, the OAS home page has the schedule of meetings and the activity of the Permanent Council. Thus, while one page focuses on practical issues, the other focuses on the politics of this initiative.

The "why" question includes the reasons and motives for the communication. Surely, both sites aim at informing people. The targeted public however is different, from a cultural point-of-view and from a social and political one.

The issue of culture is evident from the way in which the two organizations deal with hunger. In this sense, while the OAS takes into account the situation of the American continent, with all its diversity and issues, the Hunger Project deals with hunger at a global level. Moreover, the problem at hand is dealt with differently. While the first organization considers issues of security to be crucial for the way in which a regional environment of sustainable growth is built, the Hunger Project deals with hunger by addressing its root problems which include underdevelopment, lack of democracy and human rights.

The messages sent across are different and deal with a different public. The cultural difference relates to the areas the two organizations cover. In this sense, the OAS deals with the American part of the world, be it south America or other parts of the continent, while the Hunger Project includes African countries in particular. From this difference comes the difference in imagery. More precisely, although both sites use photos of African-American people, they do not reflect the same background. The Hunger Project deals more with everyday people, such as food farmers in Africa trained to access small funds to improve their farms and ensure a better life style for themselves (Hunger Project, 2010). The picture presented in the article "Microfinance Program in Africa" shows a senior woman smiling as the reporter takes a photo of her pig. Although it may seem a joyful image, the fact that in the background, a shattered building is seen reveals a different view of the conditions. Even so, the image gives a sense of satisfaction.