If there is one thing every single person living on the Earth today deserves, regardless of who they are and what they identify as, it’s the right to live a life free from wondering when they’ll eat for the next time. Yes, we need a world without fear, hate, intolerance and bloodshed. Yes, while we need a world where there is the right to freedom and equality, on a more individual level, food, drink and nutrition should be demanded and made available by all for all.
It may seem out of the question, or an idea limited to a utopic fantasy world. Yet in a world of extremes wherein the West, an estimated one-third of all food is wasted, any action taken to help those affected by the global food crisis will bring us closer to a world without hunger. Around 795 million people worldwide do not have enough food to lead an active or healthy lifestyle and 821 million people globally are undernourished, meaning hunger and malnutrition are the number one risk to health overall. One thing’s for sure: we can and should do better.
These shocking statistics are exactly why the UN’s Share The Meal app, devised by the World Food Programme, has the opportunity to change lives. Reaching 80 million people with food assistance in 80 countries across the globe every year, the initiative allows smartphone users to merely download the app and tap to pay $0.50 in order to feed one child per day. It also offers the ability for users to see where their money goes in a completely transparent manner. Not only is it hands-on and empowers everyone with a smartphone with the means to make a change and push for a global society in which food or a lack of it is no barrier for anyone, but it also works directly with the people who need it most, actively reaching them every day.
Here’s how it works:
As the disparity between the richest and poorest in the world increases, it is up to those with even the slightest degree of privilege or knowledge on these issues to reach out and be the change they wish to see. As smartphone users outnumber hungry children 20 to 1, coming together and using technology as a platform to bring us closer to ending worldwide hunger is an innovative and powerful way to stand up and listen to the needs of those the world over. In recent times, crises in places such as Yemen (where 15.9 million people wake up hungry every single day), and rising temperatures due to global warming potentially having an impact on the food supplies of many, it is imperative that we take action. We don’t live in a world where everyone has enough food, drink and nutrition. By taking a stand and acting together, we can.
Image: Instagram
