A future, which depends on the youngest generation for it to prosper are dying. Death and hunger are the closest of friends when the world is experiencing hunger. Child hunger is at its worst it has ever been, its one the world biggest problems; many things contribute to this epidemic. Diseases, food and job insecurity, and a country being weak and depressed are major contributors. There are endless amount of options to end this poverty; reading a book, spreading the word, hosting and volunteering at food drives, etc. According to WHES, “6.3 million children under age five died in 2013, nearly 17,000 every day.” In the United States, rounded to about 11,280 babies are born every day. There are more children dying in a day than being born. The organization, Bread for the World, states that nutritional quality is to be taken into consideration because the people who are hungry are malnourished. Malnutrition is a category of diseases in which contains undernutrition and overnutrition. “A lack of vitamin C can result in scurvy.
Scurvy is rare in industrialized nations, but it can affect older people, those who consume excessive quantities of alcohol, and people who do not eat fresh fruits and vegetables. Some infants and children who follow a limited diet for any reason may be prone to scurvy.” , “It can also slow recovery from wounds and illnesses, and it can complicate diseases such as measles, pneumonia, malaria, and diarrhea. It can leave the body more susceptible to disease.” (Christian Nordqvist). “Food insecurity is the household’s inability to provide enough food for every person to live an active, healthy life,” says Feeding America. “Some of the serious effects of food insecurity are when there serious health complications, especially when people facing hunger are forced to choose between spending money on food and medicine or medical care; damage to a child’s ability to learn and grow; and difficult decisions for seniors — often living on fixed incomes — such as choosing between paying for food and critical healthcare.” (Feeding America).
Those who have to worry whether their job will remain stable are affiliated to those with food insecurity. Many families around the world are affected by job insecurity; either unable to find a job or the pay isn’t enough to support them. Another contribution to job insecurity, according to Bread for the World is, “the parent may not be able to take a job or work enough hours because of no childcare options.” A country’s economy affects children and their families the most in every way. Job and food insecurity, lack of medical care, and hunger are happenings of the economy. “Any fluctuation that pushes food prices up creates additional hardship. Basic grains such as wheat, rice, and corn make up the largest share of calories among people in developing countries who are hungry. In 2009, prices of these grains spiked and hunger surged for a short time by an additional 50 to 100 million people. Parents tend to cut back their portions during relatively brief periods of instability. Over a prolonged time they may have to pull children out of school to earn income to pay for food.” (Bread for the World). According to the study of Malawi , Not only does the economy affect Hunger but hunger affects the country’s economy.“The Cost of Hunger in Africa: The Social and Economic Impact of Child Undernutrition in Malawi report shows that the country loses significant sums of money each year as a result of child undernutrition through increased healthcare costs, additional burdens to the education system and lower productivity by its workforce.” (World Food Programme).
Supporting better conditions and fairer wages for food workers is one way to end hunger. “A recent study showed that more than half of the families of front-line, fast-food workers depend on public programs such as Medicaid or food stamps. You can make a difference by supporting organizations who are working to change this, such as the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, Restaurant Opportunities Centers and United and Food Chain Workers Alliance.” (Bill Ayers). Even just reading a book can help end hunger! Becoming educated on the subject will not only help to understand what actually is happening, but to figure out different solutions to end hunger. A food bank is also a way to help those within in the community to get food and end hunger of those near. “Advocating for federal nutritional programs such as SNAP, WIC, and public school breakfast and lunch provide over 20 times more food than food banks, food pantries and soup kitchens do, which is why it is so important to advocate for government policies that help hungry people, especially as Congress considers deep cuts to these programs.” (Bill Ayers). Spreading word of the epidemic will increase activity and cause many to be proactive if others are contributing or participating.
