Access to Food is a Basic Human Right

I have supported the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) since I started working in my twenties. The WFP is the world’s largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. In emergencies, to get food to where it is needed, saving the lives of victims of war, civil conflict and natural disasters.

When we were kids, no matter how tough things were, my late dad made sure we had food on the table. He was a navigating officer on contract, and there were times he didn’t have work. But thanks to my dad, we never went a day without food. I feel blessed that we were happy, well cared for and fed. That’s why I feel so strongly about the WFP’s Zero Hunger programme. It is my way of giving back and making sure I do my part to help. After all, no child should die of hunger when there’s enough food in the world for us all.

When I read about kids being displaced and dying of hunger in conflict areas, my heart breaks. Especially today, when the world is so advanced, and when barely-old food thrown away in developing countries, how can kids be dying of hunger in other parts of the world?

Today one in nine people worldwide still do not have enough to eat. Having food is a fundamental human right, and what’s happening is not acceptable!

According to the UN, “In 2015, the global community adopted the 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development to improve people’s lives by 2030.” But if recent trends continue, the number of people affected by hunger will surpass 840 million by 2030. And the world is certainly not on track to achieve Zero Hunger by 2030.

So now it is time to renew the call to action for zero hunger and malnutrition.

Here are some facts to consider:

There is more than enough food produced in the world to feed everyone on the planet. And yet, about 690 million people worldwide go to bed hungry each night (or 8.9% of the world population).
The majority of the world’s undernourished – 381 million – are still found in Asia. More than 250 million live in Africa, where the number of undernourished is growing faster than anywhere in the world.
144 million children under age 5 were affected by stunting in 2019, with three quarters living in Southern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.

Sources: www.un.org, www.globalcitizen.org

I need your support to join hands with the World Food Programme and me to end hunger. Together we can realise our goal of #ZeroHunger in our lifetime.

Here are some ways you can help:

1. GET INFORMED. Read more here: www.wfp.org

2. SPREAD THE WORD

3. PLAY FREE RICE. Yes, I’m asking you to play a game! At www.freerice.com, for each answer you get right, sponsors send the cash equivalent of 10 grains of rice to the World Food Programme. The rice sent is used to save and change lives.

4. DONATE. Here are some websites you can make donations at: www.wfp.org/support-us and www.sharethemeal.org/en.

I can’t fully articulate the profound sense of joy I feel when I receive a monthly thank you letter from the WFP sharing how my contributions have helped a hungry family. I want you to feel that same insurmountable joy.