Food security
One billion people around the world do not have enough food. They routinely go to bed on an empty stomach and wake up to face the struggle of finding a small amount of food for the next day. They see their children becoming weak and listless, unable to play or go to school.
These tragic scenes are becoming increasingly common as more people than ever before are facing hunger. But this needn’t be the case. The world has enough resources to feed everyone. However, it takes commitment from individuals, communities and governments to be able to ensure that everyone has access to the food they need.
Ramadan with the poor
During the month of Ramadan, Muslims are encouraged to think about those who have less than themselves, including those who do not have enough food. This Ramadan we will bring you stories from communities that are dealing with the effects of shortages of food, either because of drought, poverty or conflict. Stories from people like Mohamud.
Mohamud is a pastoralist from Mandera in Kenya, but most of his livestock have perished as a result of drought. Mohamud did not know how he would feed his family and was reliant on emergency aid but now thanks to support from Islamic Relief, he is growing his own food. Read his story here.
Hunger kills
Few of us know what it is like to be truly hungry. Hunger is not only unpleasant, it is the number one health risk worldwide. Every day 25,000 people die as a result of hunger related causes, the majority of them children.
33-year-old Mariam from Kenya knows the true cost of hunger better than most. Since her livestock perished she has struggled to feed her children and now her four-year-old twins have been diagnosed with malnutrition. Read her story here.
A lack of food, or a lack of nutritious foods can lead to malnutrition. Around 55 million children around the world are malnourished which can lead to problems such as stunting, wasting and impaired learning abilities. One reason for malnutrition is disease, but malnutrition also makes people more susceptible to disease; 60 per cent of children who die from diseases such as malaria and diarrhoea would have survived if they had not already been suffering from malnutrition.
