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Access Ends Hunger: World Hunger Day

May 25, 2021
©The Hunger Project, Moringa Farmers in Uganda by Rebke Klokke

May 28, 2021: Join us in marking the 10th Anniversary of World Hunger Day!

Each year, World Hunger Day celebrates the incredible achievements that we as a global community have made towards ending hunger. This year, however, we have to draw attention to the reality that more people are living in or at risk of experiencing chronic hunger than ever before—in large part due to COVID-19.

The pandemic’s impact is moving us further and further away from reaching the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, an estimated 119 to 124 million people have been pushed into poverty. Now more than ever, we must come together, doubling down on our investment in ending hunger.

Access Ends Hunger

This year’s World Hunger Day theme, Access Ends Hunger, calls attention to the inequitable, and at times nonexistent, access to education, healthcare and technology that much of the world faces. Learn more at worldhungerday.org.

Watch our Access Ends Hunger special event with Hunger Project leaders and Goodwill Ambassador Dora Moono Nyambe. Watch now on Facebook.

Denial of access exacerbates already existing inequities—inequities that are being compounded by the global pandemic, threatening the lives of millions who are currently experiencing hunger or live on the cusp of food insecurity. The phrase “lack of access,” is often used. But “lack of access” belies what’s actually happening. It frees anyone from taking responsibility—because no one can own ‘lack of.’ The phrase gives the impression that there is an underlying natural cause to this disparity. But there is no natural cause. Wealthy countries are making a choice to deny access to those living in poverty. It is time we take a closer look at the words ‘lack of’ and start calling this injustice what it is: “denying access to those most at risk.”

Op-ed: Read more on the distinction between lack of access versus denial of access to resources and how this misrepresentation is impacting communities in India and Africa in this Reuters op-ed from our Global Vice President Rowlands Kaotcha.

We must urgently address the barriers to accessing education, healthcare and technology. When children are educated and women have access to healthcare and technology, they have the ability to build a better future for themselves and their communities.

According to the World Bank, bringing an additional 600 million women online would contribute up to $18 billion to annual GDP across 144 developing countries. And if all students in low-income countries had basic reading skills and nothing else, an estimated 171 million people could escape extreme poverty. However, accessing education, healthcare and technology in many countries where we work can be difficult if not impossible. Bridging the gaps in access to these essential resources is a sustainable and critical step towards ending hunger and poverty. 

On World Hunger Day–and every day–we call upon the world to come together with a shared goal of actualizing healthy, fulfilling lives for all people.

In partnership with our Goodwill Ambassador, Dora Nyambe, we highlight the power of youth and access to technology to educate and unite us all on our shared goal of ending hunger by 2030. Just 2 years ago Dora Nyambe, a 28 year old English teacher, previously working in China, returned to her home country, Zambia, and founded a free school in the rural village of Mpapa where there had previously been no access to education for the village children. In addition to creating free, accessible education for the village, Dora launched a feeding program that provides a whole, nutritious meal to the students and educates the families about nutrition. Her school currently educates, cares for, and nourishes 106 children.

In 2020, Dora began educating the world about chronic hunger and the importance of education access on TikTok. She has since shared her story with over 2 million people in her online community. Dora recently teamed up with The Hunger Project as a Goodwill Ambassador to continue advocating for a sustainable end to hunger. Watch her on TikTok.

By sharing and investing on World Hunger Day, you join Hunger Project partners and millions of people in rural communities who are innovating collaborative solutions to these issues – local leaders who have reached across political and cultural boundaries in meaningful ways to act as agents of their own development for the greater good. 

 

Want to know more?

Why is community-led development important?

Individual and community ownership of local development goals is critical for lasting change. Actions are most successful if decisions are made close to the people. This requires effective national and local government working in partnership with the people. Building self-reliance and resilience at a community level is key to ending hunger.

What is The Hunger Project's approach to ending hunger?

Ending hunger is not about handouts. Since 1977, The Hunger Project has demonstrated success with sustainable, gender-focused strategies that are led by communities. We prioritize three critical elements that, when combined, equip people with the agency and power to make significant progress in overcoming hunger: Mobilizing people at the grassroots level to build self-reliance, working with empowered women as key change agents, and forging effective partnerships with local governments. Learn more about our approach.

How can I get involved on World Hunger Day?

First, visit www.worldhungerday.org. There are ways to get involved all over the world!

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