The number of people going hungry on this earth far exceeds 780 million. In a world where agricultural techniques are so advanced that food can be grown in the most hostile of environments, where transportation methods can ensure fish caught in Vietnam can be served fresh in the UK, finding ways to feed the hungry should not be an issue.
But it is. And will continue to be an issue for generations to come. Food charities such as Charity Meals will continue to fight for the rights of those caught up in food poverty.
What is Food Poverty?
The definition of poverty is the condition of not having access to sufficient food, or food of adequate quality, to meet someone’s basic needs. This can also be referred to as food insecurity and can affect communities across the world, from sub-Saharan developing countries to families in modern developed communities struggling with the impact of the cost of living and soaring inflation.
What are the Effects of Food Poverty?
Hunger manifests itself in much more complex ways than the simple growling of your tummy as lunchtime approaches. Acute hunger leads to malnutrition, which in turn seriously affects healthy growth and development, which is particularly harmful to younger children.
As well as stunting growth and development, it also undermines the immune system, making those suffering from malnutrition more susceptible to an array of chronic diseases and infections. Lack of energy, cognitive impairment, insomnia, and accompanying mental health issues all take their toll on an individual’s overall well-being when lack of food is an issue.
An emergency food parcel will alleviate the suffering for a short period of time, but a longer-term approach needs to be adopted to give those who are struggling greater agency over their own lives. Dignity, self-respect, and a general sense of empowerment are crucial for communities to work together and pull themselves out of bleak places.
How Much Would It Cost to End World Hunger?
So many of us wake up asking ourselves, ‘How can I help end world hunger?’ yet Googling the costs makes you realise just how vast an ocean it is – with costs estimated at up to £250 billion. It makes you understand just how challenging it is going to be to truly end food poverty and build healthier communities across the world. Yet the support of every single individual, no matter how large or small, cannot be underestimated.
Desmond Tutu is famously quoted as saying: “There is only one way to eat an elephant: a bit at a time.” Instead of focusing on the mammoth task ahead, simply start with the first step.
And this is exactly the ethos we at Charity Meals place on providing charity food parcels to communities who are experiencing chronic food poverty. £30 may seem like a minuscule drop in the ocean that will barely make a difference to that £250 billion, but that £30 will buy a food parcel that can feed an entire family in some of the countries in which we work.
Going further, because we like to source the contents and ingredients of our food parcels from within the communities themselves, this guarantees a knock-on effect on the local economy. This strict policy ensures that we are not just providing an emergency food parcel to struggling families, but we are also keeping that cash donation within local businesses to contribute towards rebuilding their future.
Providing help with food parcels is just one way to help feed the hungry with Charity Meals.
Our children are the future, and their healthy development is essential to creating a future that is healthy, vibrant, and productive. To this end, aspiring to the attainment of high educational standards must be an essential focus of all communities across the world. For children to be able to concentrate in school, they need to eat.
In many countries, children do not attend school because they are hungry. This cycle must be broken. If a child knows that going to school will also result in a healthy, nutritious meal, they will be more likely to continue their education and mature into a strong, resilient, productive member of their community.
Charity Meals operates a School Meals programme that aims to guarantee the provision of a school meal every single day. Just £1 a day will help give one child one meal. £365 will ensure that one child will be well-fed every single day of the year, fuelling their learning and building resilience for the future.
Every year, World Hunger Day highlights the extent of the food crisis across nations and communities. Here at Charity Meals, we work as though every day were World Hunger Day. Join us in our endeavours to feed the hungry and end food poverty.
