Global Hunger Watch

Sahel Food Crisis: An Interview with Aboubacar Guindo of WFP in Mali

noreply@blogger.com (Blog) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 15:27:00 +0000

Almost nine million people urgently need food assistance in the Sahel region of Africa following a severe drought. And time is running out to prevent a massive humanitarian disaster.

Josette Sheeran, the director of UN World Food Programme, says, "The needs of the millions affected by drought in the Sahel are enormous, and the time to act is now."

Read the full article at Yahoo! Voices

Save the Children Starts School Meals for Somali Refugees

noreply@blogger.com (Blog) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:55:00 +0000

Imagine if you were a child living in the Gebo and Bay regions of Somalia last summer. Instead of having the opportunity to go to school in the fall you were trapped in a massive drought zone. With food supplies low your family would be forced to flee the region as a matter of survival.

Read the full article at Yahoo! Voices

Guest column: Free breakfast spreads worldwide

noreply@blogger.com (Blog) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:06:00 +0000

They call breakfast the most important meal of the day. It’s especially important for children so they can learn at school. But it’s even more important for a child who comes from a “food insecure” family.

Throughout the United States 1 in 5 children suffer from hunger, according to Feeding America. Safety nets like school breakfast take on even more urgency.

Read the full article at the Cincinnati Enquirer

On Digital Learning Day, Think FreeRice

noreply@blogger.com (Blog) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 02:56:00 +0000

This Wednesday, February 1, is the first ever National Digital Learning Day. It's a chance to showcase the innovation taking place in classrooms through internet technology and digital media.

One online tool helps students learn and also feeds the hungry worldwide. It is called FreeRice and it's an online trivia game in which you answer questions on vocabulary, math, chemistry, foreign languages, and even art.

Read the full article at Yahoo! Voices

Mauritania School Meals Run Out as Drought, High Prices Strike

noreply@blogger.com (Blog) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 04:11:00 +0000

The hunger emergency in the Sahel region of Africa is fast escalating. Drought and high food prices are taking their toll among millions of already impoverished people across several nations.

Read the full article at Yahoo! Voices

How a Silent Guest Can Help Save Hungry Yemen

noreply@blogger.com (Blog) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 04:19:00 +0000

In a letter to the New York Times last February, I wrote about an emergency safety net plan to feed millions of hungry Yemenis suffering from high food prices.

Since that time, child malnutrition in some parts of Yemen has increased so much as to rival famine-ravaged Somalia.

Read the full article at Yahoo! Voices

Sahel Food Crisis: A Race Against Time

noreply@blogger.com (Blog) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:27:00 +0000

In the Sahel region of Africa, millions of people are caught in a severe hunger crisis. Niger, Mauritania, Chad, Burkina Faso and Mali are primarily affected right now.

Drought has reduced food production, and high prices reign over the existing food supply. For families living in poverty, food is out of reach. UNICEF says more than a million children under five years of age will need to be treated for severe malnutrition in the region.

Read the full article at Think Africa Press.

Sahel Food Crisis: School Meals Needed in Chad as Hunger ...

noreply@blogger.com (Blog) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:26:00 +0000

When a hunger crisis hits a community, children often drop out of school to help earn wages for the family. This negative coping strategy denies children education and may even put them in danger.

Critical for Chad will be ensuring that school feeding is continued through the upcoming months when the food shortages will be at their worst. Malek Triki, WFP spokesperson for West Africa, provides us an update on the school feeding response in Chad.

Read the full article at Think Africa Press.

Sahel Food Crisis: School Meals Needed in Chad as Hunger Deepens

noreply@blogger.com (Blog) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 05:07:00 +0000

The African nation of Chad is in the middle of a hunger crisis as drought has struck, ruining the country's food supply. Chad is part of the Sahel region of Africa which in recent months has seen poor crop production. Hunger and malnutrition are growing, and the international community needs to act fast to avert a massive humanitarian disaster.

Read the full article at Yahoo! Voices

Fighting Hunger: An Interview with Joodi Archer of Matthew 25: Ministries

noreply@blogger.com (Blog) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 04:17:00 +0000

Cincinnati, Ohio has historically been at the forefront of the fight against hunger, this tradition starting with "penny lunch" programs in the early 1900s and more recently with universal free breakfast for public schools.

Since its founding in 1991, Matthew 25: Ministries has been a big part of this tradition, fighting hunger both in the United States and other countries. Based in Blue Ash, Ohio the charity is dedicated to helping those in need, whether it is disaster victims in Joplin, Missouri or earthquake-devastated Haiti.

Read the full article at Yahoo! Voices

Top Foreign Policy Goal for 2012: Feeding the Children of Drought and Conflict

noreply@blogger.com (Blog) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 03:49:00 +0000

As the State of the Union is upon us for 2012, let's look briefly at history to tell us what should be atop the foreign policy agenda.

When the fighting of World War One came to an end on November 11th, 1918, there still was an "enemy" who remained on the offensive. The war had ruined agriculture and food supply systems, thereby unleashing the most unrelenting of foes--hunger and malnutrition.

Read the full article at Yahoo! Voices

WILLIAM LAMBERS: Hunger in America and the 'penny lunch' tradition

noreply@blogger.com (Blog) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 14:48:00 +0000

Hunger is on the rise in America. The Conference of Mayors recently reported that 86 percent of surveyed cities have seen increases in the need for emergency food aid. These findings coincide with a Feeding America report that 20 percent of children in the United States are hungry.

Read the full article at the Bakersfield Californian

Building the Future in Ivory Coast with School Meals

noreply@blogger.com (Blog) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 04:06:00 +0000

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton traveled to the Ivory Coast (Côte d'Ivoire) this week and spoke of hope for the future. Hope was something not often talked about when this African nation was embroiled in violence last year over a disputed election.

Read the full article at WilliamLambers.com

Sahel Food Crisis: Race Against Time to Save Lives

noreply@blogger.com (Blog) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 03:46:00 +0000

In the Sahel region of Africa millions of people are caught in a severe hunger crisis. Niger, Mauritania, Chad, Burkina Faso and Mali are primarily the countries affected right now.

Drought has reduced food production, and high prices reign over the existing food supply. For families living in poverty, food is out of reach. UNICEF says more than a million children under five years of age will need to be treated for severe malnutrition in the region.

Read the full article at Yahoo! Voices

Big East Basketball to Shine Light on War-torn and Hungry Sudan

noreply@blogger.com (Blog) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 04:26:00 +0000

This Wednesday, when Villanova University squares off against Seton Hall, you can expect another competitive Big East Conference basketball game. This game will differ from others in that it will seek to build support for peace in Sudan.

Villanova and Seton Hall are partnering with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) in "Playing for Peace" to help bring an end to conflict, hunger, and suffering in Sudan and South Sudan. Sudan and South Sudan fought a decades-long civil war that ended in 2005 with a peace agreement. However, violence has continued and the agreement has not been fully implemented.

Read the full article at Yahoo! Voices

American Epic Highlights War, Peace, and Child Hunger

noreply@blogger.com (Blog) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 02:57:00 +0000

Herbert Hoover's book American Epic Volume Four gives a country-by-country breakdown of the siege of hunger after World War II. Detailed reports reveal the crisis of child hunger and the desperate race to find solutions.

The book is a great history of the World War II era and the fight to save millions from starvation after the fighting had ended. It tells a story not often covered in the histories of this time period.

Read the full article at Yahoo! Voices

Interview: Rajia Sharhan of UNICEF Yemen

noreply@blogger.com (Blog) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 03:35:00 +0000

In my interview with Geert Cappelaere of UNICEF, we see the widescale crisis of child health and malnutrition in Yemen. Dr. Rajia Sharhan witnesses this crisis unfold daily as a nutrition specialist for UNICEF Yemen.

Dr. Sharhan works at a health clinic and also trains other medical care workers throughout the country. She recently took time to answer some questions about her work at the clinic. Her insight gives us at least some idea of the challenges facing Yemeni families, and also some solutions.

Read the full article at Yahoo! Voices

NFL players raising awareness of famine, war and drought in East Africa

noreply@blogger.com (Blog) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 04:11:00 +0000

The NFL playoffs are about to start, but just recently players from rival squads came together to form their own team to tackle famine in East Africa. The players filmed a series of public service announcements to raise awareness about the ongoing humanitarian relief effort in East Africa.

Earlier this year massive drought struck East Africa causing extreme food shortages, starvation and mass displacement. Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya and other parts of the region were impacted. The natural disaster of drought came on top of ongoing conflict in the region.

Read the full article at Yahoo! Voices

UNICEF starts relief fund for children in Yemen

noreply@blogger.com (Blog) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 03:58:00 +0000

UNICEF USA has started a relief fund to help the suffering children of Yemen. You can donate to the fund here.

Children are suffering the effects of malnutrition and displacement after a year of political instability, as well as fighting between the government and militant groups. Some families are even living in caves after fleeing violence.

Read the full article at Examiner.com

Interview: Geert Cappelaere of UNICEF on the Humanitarian Crisis in Yemen

noreply@blogger.com (Blog) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 04:42:00 +0000

How can people reach out and help UNICEF aid children Yemen? Can someone get involved?

Any possible help is welcome. I am glad to announce that individuals and organizations can make donation to Yemeni children online through this link.
We need also the voice of Yemeni children to be heard and media to take the lead to inform donors about the dire humanitarian needs in this country.

Read the full article at Yahoo! Voices

Remembering the Horn of Africa this Holiday Season

noreply@blogger.com (Blog) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 03:47:00 +0000

President Obama issued a statement last week thanking Americans who had donated to relief efforts in the Horn of Africa this year. He also cautioned that much more needs to be done to overcome the humanitarian tragedy of 2011.

Read the full article at Yahoo! Voices

WFP Ambassador Drew Brees Sets NFL Passing Record

noreply@blogger.com (Blog) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 03:41:00 +0000

Ambassador Against Hunger, Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints, set an NFL record last night for most passing yards in a season. Brees broke the record of 5,084 yards held by Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino since 1984.

The Saints, by defeating the Atlanta Falcons, moved their record to 12-3 and prime position to make a run at the Super Bowl.

Read the full article at Yahoo! Voices

This Christmas Feed a Silent Guest and End World Hunger

noreply@blogger.com (Blog) — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 04:52:00 +0000

Imagine if every person gave a gift this Christmas to a “silent guest,” one of the world’s hungry. During Christmas 1947, Americans did just that, continuing the successful “silent guest” program started in Thanksgiving of that year by a former aspiring actress named Iris Gabriel.

Read the full article here.

War Horse Set During World War I Era of Hunger and Suffering

noreply@blogger.com (Blog) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 03:46:00 +0000

A new movie called War Horse, directed by Steven Spielberg, opens this Christmas. The film is set during World War I, what actress Emily Watson vividly describes as the useless slaughter of so many young men. (see her interview with Jen Dalton of WKRC News)

Millions perished from the advanced weaponry unleashed in the world's first global war. But that was not the only threat facing France, Belgium and other countries caught in the conflict.

Read the full article at Yahoo! Voices

The Battle of the Bulge and Fighting Global Hunger

noreply@blogger.com (Blog) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 03:55:00 +0000

It was December, 1944 when the Battle of the Bulge started in World War II. Germany launched its last big offensive against the surging allied armies which had landed in Europe on D-Day. While this massive battle unfolded, another war was also taking place in Europe, a war against hunger and famine.

Hunger was everywhere. At Christmas time, a Belgian father published an open letter to General Eisenhower and the American soldiers. He thanked them for sharing food from their ration kits with hungry Belgian children.

Read the full article at Yahoo! Voices