Global Hunger Crisis

For more than 30 years, World Vision and World Food Programme (WFP) have partnered to assist millions of people in disaster-affected communities with life-giving food, supplementary feeding supplies, cash, and food vouchers.

WFP trusts our ability to deliver high-quality and effective programs in the hardest-to-reach places. As a result, we are WFP’s largest implementing nongovernmental organization partner. Together, World Vision and WFP are helping to save lives and empower vulnerable communities to become self-reliant, now and in the future.

In FY22, we made a powerful difference in 13 countries, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, and Sudan.

Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)

Ongoing fighting has created an unprecedented displacement crisis in the eastern part of the country, forcing the previously displaced to flee for their lives yet again. The DRC is already home to Africa’s highest number of internally displaced people, at over 5.6 million. The most recent displacements only add to the number. A total of 26 million people living in the DRC are now severely food insecure. Through the World Vision-WFP partnership, we have distributed $22,497,427 in food aid to over 92,000 people in FY22. Through other partnerships, we provided more than 192,000 people with WASH and primary healthcare support.

South Sudan

Approximately 7.74 million people, or 62.7% of the population, are facing severe food insecurities, while 2 million women and children are acutely malnourished. Through WFP, we have responded to the hunger crisis in South Sudan with food distributions (including food air drops into remote locations) and school feeding programs, reaching more than 947,000 people in FY22.

Sudan

With significant increases in food prices, a reduced harvest, and continued conflict, acute food insecurity in Sudan continues to worsen rapidly. WFP estimates the number of people in Sudan who require food aid will soon reach 18 million. This crisis is pushing more people deeper into poverty and hunger. In FY22, through our partnership with WFP, we distributed $8.8 million in food aid to 222,505 people in the country.

Photo – Nutrition clinic in Somalia

Seven-month-old Hamdi weighed less than 9 pounds when her mother brought her to a World Vision-operated nutrition clinic in Baidoa, Somalia. Upon screening, she was shown to be severely malnourished and was given RUTF (Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food). After receiving nutritional care from World Vision, Hamdi started on the road to recovery. By her follow-up visit, baby Hamdi’s health was steadily improving, and she had gained nearly 3 pounds in one month. Three servings of RUTF for eight weeks can save the life of a starving child. Over the last 10 years, 89% of the severely malnourished children treated by World Vision made a full recovery.

Photo – Distribution in DRC

A women at a WFP distribution site in teh DRC receives maize rations that will last 2 weeks.

World Vision carefully manages food distributions to ensure those in greatest need get the appropriate amount of food when they need it. Each recipient has a personal ID badge, which is scanned when they receive rations. This system also helps our staff track and follow up with those who have missed a distribution.

URGENT NEED

Today, 50 million people are facing starvation (U.N., 2022). That is an unprecedented number of mothers, daughters, fathers, and sons who are without food. Conflict, extreme weather, COVID-19, and rising costs are making matters worse by causing even greater food and labor shortages, forcing global hunger to rise. World Vision is responding to children and families impacted by the global hunger crisis. By providing food and other necessary support services, we help strengthen families and rebuild hope.

OUR RESPONSE

At World Vision, we believe that every person has a right to a life filled with hope, promise, and well-being. This belief drives our global hunger response. We are providing life-saving essentials to 22 million children and adults in25 countries hardest hit by food-insecurity (see map below). And this we know: Our strategic global hunger crisis response will work. Over the last 10 years, using our carefully developed emergency response strategy, 89% of severely malnourished children receiving support services and treatment by World Vision made a full recovery. Our services include (but are not limited to):

Emergency food: We provide food aid to make sure children and families get essential nutrients during a time of crisis. Also, we help families strengthen and improve their ability to produce or purchase their own food.

Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH): Depending on need, we provide access to water points, toilets, bathing and laundry facilities, and hygiene promotion activities to ensure children and their families stay healthy.

We also provide vulnerable families with:

Health and nutrition: Our services vary based on the specific needs of each country, but may include emergency nutrition, mobile health clinics, supplementary and therapeutic food, referrals to healthcare facilities, support services to revive children diagnosed with severe and moderate acute malnutrition, and nutrition training.

Livelihood: We equip families with skills and resources to participate in and/or start their own income-generating activities to increase and diversify their income streams, improving their abilities to provide for their families.

Child protection: World Vision looks out for the well-being of children by partnering with and training local leaders (such as faith leaders) to identify and meet children’s immediate needs and advocate for their rights. We also provide Child-Friendly Spaces and psychosocial support for children impacted by crisis.

Advocacy: We train communities to address contributors to and causes of poverty.

BENEFICIARY STORY:

Dijas (pictured at left in photo), 40, once owned acres of farmland in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan. But local conflict forced Dijas, his wife, and five children to leave home, seeking refuge in neighboring South Sudan. “We fled by a motorboat and a vehicle,” said Dijas. “[But] I was worried about how we would survive [in the refugee] camp.” Through the World Vision-WFP partnership, Dijas and his family receive monthly food rations, cash assistance, clean water, education, and health services. They also receive seeds and farming materials to grow vegetables. “We have everything we need. … I can [even] sell what I produce from my garden.”

When you give to the Global Hunger Crisis Response Fund, you are helping to save the lives of 22 million starving and food-insecure children and families in 25 countries.

Thank you.

.

Links:

• PBS reporter visits South Sudan with World Vision

Faced with failed cropping, depleted livelihood assets, and severe water scarcity, hundreds of thousands of Somalis in rural areas have been forced to migrate to urban areas in the hope they will get assistance to survive the drought. In partnership with World Food Programme (WFP), World Vision has mounted a drought response project targeting nearly 9,000 vulnerable internally displaced people across over 450 IDP sites in Baidoa.

World Vision’s distribution of scope cards will allow holders to receive either cash or food vouchers by presenting to WFP-approved vendors. World Vision is targeting recently arrived internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Baidoa. Faced with failed cropping, depleted livelihood assets, and severe water scarcity, hundreds of thousands of Somalis in rural areas are forced to migrate to urban areas in the hope they will get assistance to survive the drought. In partnership with World Food Programme, World Vision is implementing a one-year long drought response project targeting nearly 9,000 vulnerable internally displaced people across over 450 sites in Baidoa. The challenge is- there are new IDPs arriving in to the camps on a daily basis. Each targeted household receives either US$60 in cash transfers or US$ 75 worth of food vouchers.

A majority of IDPs are settling in towns such as Baidoa. Baidoa, the capital of the Bay region of Southwest state in Somalia, is surrounded by overcrowded camps from all corners. Because of the large number of IDPs hosted over hundreds of sites- it’s one of the hotspots for a risk of famine, according to the FEWSNET Somalia report of May 2022.

Our staff on the ground are reporting an increase in new arrivals, the number of people in need is outstripping the number targeted in the response. Those who receive the cash or voucher assistance have to share with neighbors and relatives. When food runs out, IDP heads of households are reporting to us that they are forced to resort to begging or eating wild fruits.

Photo - Adey sat quietly and patiently waiting for her name to be called out so that she could confirm the receipt of a World Vision scope electronic card. Until December 2022, she will be receiving a monthly food voucher worth US$75. She will go to the nearest WFP-approved vendor to pick food items.