Hunger in the World

Here are some facts about the issue of hunger from the organization Bread of the World.

In 2004, almost 1 billion people lived below the international poverty line, earning less than $1 per day. Approximately 820 million people in the developing world are undernourished. Health is a significant issue when it comes to poverty. According to World Health Organization, food deficiencies causes nearly one in three to die prematurely or disabilities. “In 2005, about 10.1 million children died before they reached their fifth birthday. Almost all of these deaths occured in developing countries, 3/4 of them in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, the two regions that also suffer from the highest rates of hunger and malnutrition.” Most of these deaths are caused not by only by starvation but diseases that affect vulnerable children whose bodies have been weaken by hunger. In addition, 20 million low-birth weight babies are born in developing countries every year. These babies will either die during infancy or suffer permanent physical or cognitive disabilities.

According to World Food Program

“An estimated 126.5 million children in developing countries are underweight – the result of acute or chronic hunger (source: UN Standing Committee on Nutrition’s 5th Report on the World Nutrition Situation, 2005). This means that 25 percent of all hungry people are children. Chronic hunger also delays or stops the physical and mental growth of children. Poor or insufficient nutrition over time means some 147 million children are too small for their age. Most tragically, diseases such as measles or dysentery, can kill undernourished children.”

Here are ways you can help:

Bread of the World: Bread for the World’s aim is legislative in nature. The focus is on using the power we have as citizens in a democracy to support policies that address the root causes of hunger and poverty. Here is one way you can help: Join us in our efforts.

Check also World Food Program. This site is pretty fascinating speaking of all the things children can do to elevate world hunger: Kids Can Make a Difference.

is there anything we can do?

Is there anything that can be done for hungry children, homeless people, victims of trafficking, displaced men and women, and citizen of countries that experience genocide? I hope we can. I really hope there are things we can do. It can be a letter, a note, a cup of water, a prayer, a small donation and many other possible activities. The question, “is there anything we can do,” is a question that I need to answer and would like to find a space to share. So I would like to extend invitation to anyone who have information to share their knowledge here so we can make it available. So we will not have to keep asking the question, what can we do? So we know there is something we CAN do. It may be a drop in a bucket. But every drop means something to someone.