My nephew’s favorite food is bananas. Usually when he wakes up in the morning, it’s the first word out of his mouth: “Nana!” He knows his breakfast is waiting for him downstairs.
But if you were to ask one of the countless children in developing countries what their favorite food is, their answer would probably be, “Anything you can give me.” They don’t have the luxury of choice. Most of them barely have any food at all.
Violence, famine, and poverty have caused one of the worst global hunger crises in decades. And families in Africa and the Middle East are suffering most.
Their grocery lists are empty because there aren’t groceries to buy. Even if there is food in the markets, it’s often too expensive for a family living in poverty to afford.
As a result, there isn’t just a food crisis; there’s an enormous increase in childhood deaths due to severe acute malnutrition. More than 1 million children will die this year because of it.
And the worst part is most people will never even know about it.
Today, a young child is dying of starvation in sub-Saharan Africa. You won’t see his face on the news. The hunger crisis that is killing him has been going on for years, so it’s no longer considered “newsworthy.”
But that doesn’t mean his life is any less important.
To the mother who is watching her baby slowly die from starvation, this is the most important news you will hear today. She is begging you not to overlook her child.
Children suffering from starvation are often plagued by illnesses — making their life sheer torture.
Lesions, joint pain, swollen stomachs, sunken eyes, discolored skin and hair, and sometimes even blindness result from the slow process of starvation — also known as wasting. Not only does famine often lead to death, but it’s also usually an excruciating process.
But, there is good news! This is 100 percent preventable.
For just $40, you can feed a child living in poverty for an entire year. You can be the difference between life and death for a vulnerable boy or girl.
No child should have to know the pains of hunger. Give today and make sure one child has the nutritious meals he needs to grow strong and healthy.
For less than you spend on groceries for a week, you can feed one child for an entire year. You can help save a life.