In a world that houses 6.55 billion people, almost half - three billion people - live below the poverty line, earning less than $2 a day. Among this group, 800 million people are suffering from hunger and malnourishment because they cannot afford to provide themselves and their families an essential daily need: food.
Hunger can manifest itself in many forms besides starvation and famine. Most poor people who battle hunger suffer from chronic undernourishment and vitamin or mineral deficiencies, which can result in weakness, delayed fetal development, stunted growth, and greater susceptibility to illness.
Malnutrition is the single most important risk factor for disease. The more malnourished a person is, the more vulnerable he or she is to disease; and the sicker a person is, the more vulnerable he or she is to malnutrition. In addition to the impact on health, the constant search for food consumes valuable time and energy, causing less time for people in poverty to work and earn much needed income.
Better nutrition is a major key in ending poverty and provides the foundation for achieving better quality of life. Healthy children have the capacity to learn better. Healthy people are stronger and more able to create opportunities that gradually break the cycles of both poverty and hunger.
With countless countries facing food shortages around the world, a global food crisis is upon us. This “silent tsunami” threatens over 100 million people. Addressing the core issues of poverty and hunger is paramount – and the time to act is now.
So do what you can to effect change – whether it’s spreading awareness of the issue or donating to a charity involved in this international work. Each of us has the capacity to make a difference. And together, we’ll have the momentum to plant a seed of change for the next generation to escape a fate of suffering caused by hunger and malnourishment.
Hunger can manifest itself in many forms besides starvation and famine. Most poor people who battle hunger suffer from chronic undernourishment and vitamin or mineral deficiencies, which can result in weakness, delayed fetal development, stunted growth, and greater susceptibility to illness.
Malnutrition is the single most important risk factor for disease. The more malnourished a person is, the more vulnerable he or she is to disease; and the sicker a person is, the more vulnerable he or she is to malnutrition. In addition to the impact on health, the constant search for food consumes valuable time and energy, causing less time for people in poverty to work and earn much needed income.
Better nutrition is a major key in ending poverty and provides the foundation for achieving better quality of life. Healthy children have the capacity to learn better. Healthy people are stronger and more able to create opportunities that gradually break the cycles of both poverty and hunger.
With countless countries facing food shortages around the world, a global food crisis is upon us. This “silent tsunami” threatens over 100 million people. Addressing the core issues of poverty and hunger is paramount – and the time to act is now.
So do what you can to effect change – whether it’s spreading awareness of the issue or donating to a charity involved in this international work. Each of us has the capacity to make a difference. And together, we’ll have the momentum to plant a seed of change for the next generation to escape a fate of suffering caused by hunger and malnourishment.
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