We are all aware of the importance of food and nourishment, but the sad fact is that millions of people go hungry across the globe daily. As a matter of fact, it is estimated that there are over 800 million people who are malnourished. Although it is often believed that the hunger crisis is concentrated in Africa, nearly 70% of the world’s hungry live in underdeveloped Asian countries.
That being said, the population of Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest percentage of undernourished people. The spread of hunger is deadly, causing a child to die every 10 seconds; it is responsible for 45% of child deaths under age five. Additionally, three-quarters of the world’s hungry people live in rural areas, with low-income farmers being the most affected.
It is vitally important that we take the necessary steps to eliminate world hunger, but how can it be done?
Researching What Help is Needed
When it comes to something as huge and important as world hunger, it can feel overwhelming to attempt to solve. The best way to familiarise yourself with the crisis is to do thorough research. This way you will know what is happening and what steps need to be taken towards solving the problem.
Avoiding Foods That Hurt the Communities That Grow Them
Some food products are highly damaging to the areas where those foods are grown. For example, growing too much of the same thing can be detrimental to the soil, however, the bulk selling of these food items is the farmers’ only means of livelihood. Additionally, shipping food from developing countries can deplete the amount of food available for the people in that community. It is best to buy locally sourced food to avoid taking produce from potentially vulnerable areas.
Fair Trade
If you find yourself struggling to shop locally, buying Fair Trade food items is another great way to help the world hunger crisis. This is because Fair Trade items are bought from producers at a fair price, whilst the company buying the products invests money into the communities where the goods are being sourced.
Contributing to Charities
There are many ways that you can donate to charity to help alleviate world hunger, be it through a one-off donation or an Ummah Appeal. However, charity comes in many forms; you can organise fundraisers, volunteer at food banks and soup kitchens, or simply give food to those living on the street who might be hungry. There is no one way to give to charity and every approach greatly benefits someone in need. Your contribution does not have to be monetary; your time is just as valuable. No one deserves to go hungry and these charitable steps can bring us closer to the elimination of world hunger.
Conclusion
Everyone can do their bit in helping end the world hunger crisis, no matter how small, every change helps. It cannot be done overnight, yet we must maintain the hope and determination to keep pushing forward with change. No child deserves to go hungry and with lifestyle adjustments and donations to charity, you can change a hungry child’s life for the better.
Whether it be personal or religious demands, we should all have something driving us to assist those in need. Aspects of your life that may seem insignificant, such as buying Fair Trade goods or the donation of as little as £3, make a huge impact on the lives of those in need.
Eventually, the world hunger crisis will be eliminated, but we all need to make a change for this to be achievable.
This is a collaborative post.