Bread for the World, a Christian organization dedicated to ending world hunger through education and political action, has gathered some staggering statistics on world hunger and famine.
1. extreme and general scarcity of food, as in a country or a large geographical area.
2. any extreme and general scarcity.
3. extreme hunger; starvation.
923 million people across the world are hungry.
In essence, hunger is the most extreme form of poverty, where individuals or families cannot afford to meet their most basic need for food
Hunger manifests itself in many ways other than starvation and famine. Most poor people who battle hunger deal with chronic undernourishment and vitamin or mineral deficiencies, which result in stunted growth, weakness and heightened susceptibility to illness.
Countries in which a large portion of the population battles hunger daily are usually poor and often lack the social safety nets we enjoy, such as soup kitchens, food stamps, and job training programs. When a family that lives in a poor country cannot grow enough food or earn enough money to buy food, there is nowhere to turn for help.
In the developing world, more than 1.4 billion people currently live below the international poverty line, earning less than $1.25 per day.
Among this group of poor people, many have problems obtaining adequate, nutritious food for themselves and their families. As a result, 820 million people in the developing world are undernourished. They consume less than the minimum amount of calories essential for sound health and growth.
Undernourishment negatively affects people's health, productivity, sense of hope and overall well-being. A lack of food can stunt growth, slow thinking, sap energy, hinder fetal development and contribute to mental retardation.
Economically, the constant securing of food consumes valuable time and energy of poor people, allowing less time for work and earning income.
Socially, the lack of food erodes relationships and feeds shame so that those most in need of support are often least able to call on it.
Famine is a destructive force that erodes not only the fabric of a society, but also destroys the human spirit. Without food, life is a daily struggle, often time becoming a life without hope. Throughout this month, the Power of Only One will address the issues of poverty, world hunger, and famine. I hope to arm you with enough knowledge and to connect you with many excellent organizations so that you become empowered to share your power of only one.
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