ONE DISTURBING FACT that we are unaware is that 24,000 people die everyday from hunger and more than 800 million people go to bed hungry. Shifting weather patterns such as floods and droughts, political turmoil and failed economic policies are the main reasons for this catastrophic condition.
Established in 1963, the World Food Programme (WFP) is the United Nations frontline agency in the fight against global hunger. It relies entirely on voluntary contributions to finance it humanitarian and development projects. For fortunate people like us, the pain of starvation is something that we hardly experience; but seeing the plight of a dying malnourished, skinny young African we feel the pain that conscience gives us.
Secondary to the air we breathe, food is a basic right of everyone for a full-life. It is a shame that while millions of people are afflicted with hunger, the power-conscious world of industrialized nations are spending resources on weapons that would make them more powerful - some kind of buffing their egos in the race for who is the most powerful. It is no surprise therefore that billions of dollars had been spent by the Bush administration in invading Iraq. The money didn’t just pour in the invasion. A post- Iraq war was given a price tag of $80 billion for its reconstruction - all for Iraq alone. That amount, including the money spent for Iraq invasion, is more than enough to feed about a billion people and promote economic and social development throughout the world.
Since its operation in 1963, the Rome-based WFP has spent $27.8 billion in combating hunger through voluntary contributions from governments, corporations and individuals. Last year, contributions totaled to $2.6 billion, higher than the previous year’s $1.8 billion.
For this year, the WFP plans to assist some 65 million persons, of whom an estimated 54 percent will be women and girls. The corresponding projected food aid needs are estimated at 5.1 million tonnes, valued at approximately US$2.6 billion, of which 4.5 million tonnes worth US$2.3 billion represents the level of fresh donor resources that will be needed to fully meet beneficiary needs.
The WFP said the frontline in the battle against hunger runs from sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East to Latin America and Asia. Africa continues to be the most affected by the hunger crisis. It has grown particularly acute in the wake of two major, simultaneous emergencies in the past year. In southern Africa, almost 15 million people are threatened in Malawi, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Lesotho, Swaziland and Mozambique. In Ethiopia and Eritrea, an additional 12 to 16 million are at risk; millions more people also face starvation in Sudan, Angola, the Great Lakes region and West Africa.
"If we are to avert starvation in Africa, ordinary citizens have an important role to play. It's critical they join the campaign and urge their governments to address the needs of the hungry now before it is too late, before we have to endure the shame of seeing images of dying children on the news," said WFP Deputy Executive Director, Jean-Jacques Graisse.
Although, the issue of hunger should always be at the top of international agenda, combating hunger is a communal effort and should not therefore relegated solely to governments of all nations.
"Progress is possible, if the political will is there," Graisse said. "To avert mass starvation we need a massive response by governments, private charities, non-governmental organisations, citizens' groups and individuals. If the relief community is not given the necessary resources to respond, the result will be a humanitarian catastrophe."
**WFP has launched its 19-Cents-a-Day campaign to help feed more of the world's 300 million chronically hungry children , who either do not go to school or don't receive a meal while in class.With just 19 cents, WFP's school feeding programme can guarantee a daily lunch for a hungry student. A US$34-contribution will feed a child for a whole school year.
To make online donation, log on to www.wfp.org or you may contact:
Resources Mobilisation Service, WFPVia C.G.Viola 68 - Parco de Medici00148 Rome - Italyresources@wfp.orgTel: +39 06 6513 2316 Fax: +39 06 6513 2810
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