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Help Gaza, Sudan, Haiti and others facing hunger
William Lambers
Oct. 17, 2025 2:01 pm
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As we marked World Food Day (Oct. 16) there are millions of people close to starvation. Famine has been declared in Gaza and parts of Sudan. Many other nations are close to famine because of extreme food shortages.
There are 319 million people worldwide facing acute hunger according to the U.N. World Food Program (WFP). These are victims facing the most severe levels of hunger and some at risk of famine.
War is the biggest cause of hunger right now as well as natural disasters like drought. While hunger emergencies are increasing, the funding for global food aid has been going down.
"Severe funding shortfalls are forcing WFP to scale back assistance and refocus efforts on the most severe needs. With persistent access constraints also hampering support, some of the most vulnerable people are being left behind" states the WFP, the lead hunger relief organization.
We cannot have a world at peace if people are starving to death. We have to fight hunger, wherever it is taking place. But relief agencies need enough resources to meet the daunting challenge.
Everyone can help the peace process in Gaza by supporting WFP, UNICEF, Save the Children, World Central Kitchen, CARE, Edesia, Catholic Relief Services and others who are trying to feed the hungry in Gaza.
Parts of Sudan are already in famine and nearly 25 million people overall are experiencing food shortages. The civil war in Sudan is so widespread with refugees fleeing into neighboring South Sudan, which is also facing hunger.
Nearly 10 million people are living in severe hunger in Afghanistan and the recent earthquake will increase these numbers.
Haiti is one of the biggest hunger emergencies in the world as armed groups terrorize the country. Half the population, around 5.7 million, is struggling to find food. Malnutrition afflicts many Haitians kids with potential deadly consequences. But despite this WFP and other relief agencies don't have enough funding to keep up with the rising hunger. Cuts to humanitarian aid by the United States have been devastating.
When you have a country in chaos, hunger only leads to more desperation. A U.N. force is planning to restore order in Haiti. But clearly, any plan for saving Haiti must include more food for the hungry and agricultural development. Infant nutrition and the school lunch program for Haiti's kids are sources of hope.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo peace efforts must be supported by food aid. There are a record 28 million people in the Congo at crisis and emergency levels of hunger. But yet food aid donations are not keeping up.
There is also severe hunger in Mali, Burkina Faso, Syria, Yemen, Somalia but again not enough funding to support the relief missions.
People must speak out in support of feeding the hungry. There needs to be more emphasis on funding global food aid.
You can contact your elected officials asking them to increase funding for Food for Peace and other programs that feed the hungry. Children are starving to death in many countries, but we can save them if we take action.
William Lambers is an author who partnered with the U.N. World Food Program on the book “Ending World Hunger.“
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