World Hunger... A term you may hear daily, but sometimes never really pay any mind to. You're sitting on the couch, watching your favorite television station, meanwhile, during the commercial break, you hear a woman talking about the population of those in poverty, who have little to no food, and how donating twenty five cents a day could give a child in need a meal. This leads you to think to yourself, That's so awful, I couldn't imagine that being me, as you gaze into your iPhone, scrolling through your Instagram feed. However, just because it isn't happening to you, doesn't mean it isn't happening.
Sometimes, we do not always realize how fortunate we are, and how quick everything can be taken away from us. Undernourishment is a severe crisis taking place throughout Africa, Asia, Haiti, the Caribbean Islands and numerous other nations. While many of us wake up everyday starting our cars and heading to work or school, or spending money on dining out/vacations/personal expenses, the people of these countries wake up in the same clothes they've worn for months, even years, working in fields for hours just to find a meal to share with their families. And yes, this includes young children, frequently working to exhaustion trying to support themselves and those they live with. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization measures that approximately 795 million people of the entire world population have been suffering from the issue of chronic hunger over the course of the last two years; keep in mind that the Earth's population is now at an all time high of 7.4 billion.
When it comes to hunger, children are the most vulnerable. Poor nutrition causes almost half of deaths among children- 3.1 million or 45%. Not only do countries like those in Africa suffer undergo malnutrition, the lack of resources add more fuel to the fire. Poverty can lead to hunger and hunger can lead to poverty, a horrific cycle, leaving the people of these nations to face no relief. Children are working long, endless hours in places that have to go through these issues, and with already a shortage of food, their bodies are giving up, damaging their long-term health.
We, including myself, do not always put thought into how many people lack the advantages we do. There are so many people throughout the world that suffer from starvation. It doesn't really cross your mind until it happens to you, but just because it isn't happening to you, doesn't mean it isn't happening. Most of the world's population that suffers from hunger resides in a country that is striving to become more advanced economically, where 12.9% of the people have an absence of nutrition. Asia is the continent with the highest amount of hungry people, equaling 2/3 of the total.
So how many more places does hunger take place in, you ask?
Can you believe it? More than half the world either goes through or is at risk for malnutrition. Not every nation has the resources, economic quality, or agricultural advantage that we do.
So, what exactly can I do to help?
Raising awareness- Take action by spreading the word! The more people that put thought into this global issue, the more that will help and contribute to it. Educate yourself and others about the problem.
Donating to Reduce Hunger & Poverty- There are a ton of organizations that contribute financially to those in need, such as Food for the Hungry, The Hunger Project, Why Hunger, etc. A list of some can be found on the link below, do your research and find which one interests you.
https://hungermath.wordpress.com/world-hunger-orga...
Volunteer- There are many charities/groups that fund overseas. If you're unsure how to apply or help, see if there are any in your town!
There are countless ways we can come together to support those who live in a country that suffer from global hunger. I remember being in middle school and playing on a website called Free Rice (http://freerice.com/#/english-vocabulary/1871). You can answer basic question on English vocabulary, math, science, or any subject that interests you. With every question you answer correctly, 10 grains of rice gets donated to someone in need. On the website http://1face.com/product/hunger/, with every purchase of 1 watch, 10 children are fed. There's also many others such as ones for cancer, education, the environment, etc. What a great way to not only raise awareness, but to gain financial support for those who are in need!
So next time you're laying on the couch, watching that favorite television station of yours, and you hear a commercial about those who suffer from hunger, think twice before flipping the channel. Why not give it some thought? It could be you. Put yourself in a new perspective, and consider how common this is. It is possible to end world hunger, and is a mission to do so by 2030, but why not shoot for sooner than that? It takes place everyday, impacting millions of people. What if it were you? Just because it isn't happening to you, doesn't mean it isn't happening.
