Why hunger matters

Hunger affects nearly a billion people – that’s more than the combined populations of the United States, Canada and the European Union. But world hunger can seem relatively innocuous compared to the other threats we read in headlines every day. In reality, chronic hunger and malnutrition hinder human development on almost every level: socially, educationally, economically, mentally and physically. That’s how hunger traps people in poverty.

The vicious cycle of chronic hunger

The cycle is most often triggered by drought, armed conflict or natural disaster. Once it starts, people cease working to better themselves and have only one goal: feeding their family. Worse still, they will do practically anything to get food. With around a billion people in this situation, that makes for a very unpredictable future for all of us.

Hunger hinders children’s development

Lack of vitamin A alone accounts for the death of over 1 million infants a year. Up to 60% of children in the developing world suffer mental impairment from lack of iron. All told, lack of proper vitamins and minerals are directly related to a litany of permanent, life threatening conditions including birth defects, stunted growth, blindness, lowered immune response, anaemia, learning disabilities and mental retardation. All of which could be prevented with a few dollars worth of supplements.

Breaking the cycle

That’s our ray of hope: It takes that little to break the cycle. As little as five dollars can provide a month of nutritious meals to a hungry schoolchild. Fifty dollars can feed that child for a year and ensure they stay in school. It takes just one hundred and seventy dollars to feed an adult for a year, allowing them to seek employment and provide for others.

Making the world a better place starts with food. Food fuels education. Food fuels free choice. Food fuels economic independence. Food fuels peace. That’s why WeFeedback and WFP are determined to break the cycle of hunger. We need your support. Please join us.