The Global Food Crisis: Stories from Around the World
Here are children whose days are defined by the quest for food. One boy lives beside a market, but hunts frogs in order to survive. One girl lives alone for months at a time, while her parents migrate for work. Another girl would love to be in school, but it takes ten days to fill a rice sack—one precious grain at a time
World Vision is committed to ensuring that children don't have to give up everything just to eat. At this year's G8 summit, World Vision fought for food security for children around the world. Although summit leaders committed US $20 billion towards the world's food, there's still a long way to go.
Five-Minute Guide to the Food Crisis.
Cambodia - "Child Hunter"
Though the market next to Klooun’s house is full of delicious food, Klooun has no money for shopping. The little boy provides meat for his family by hunting small birds or frogs with his slingshot.
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Cambodia - "What’s Left Behind "
It takes Chanra 10 days to fill a single sack of rice. She picks up individual grains, one at a time – the leftovers from someone else’s harvest. Her work consumes so much of the day that school is almost impossible.
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India - "School or Family"
In eight-year-old Babita’s district, work is almost impossible to find. Parents migrate for up to eight months of the year. Babita and her younger siblings are left behind – alone – so they can stay in school.
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Niger - "Fighting for Life"
The past two hours of hunger, fever and diarrhea had pushed 10-month old Sabiou to his limit. At any moment, it seemed, his little lungs would stop gasping for air.
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North Korea - "Noodle Factories"
For a girl or boy in North Korea, hunger is often a way of life. Concentrating on schoolwork is very difficult when your belly is empty. World Vision is helping school children with its soya milk and noodle factories.
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Uganda - "Cattle Raiders"
Anna and her children are victims of both hunger and civil unrest. They fled to a camp after armed cattle raiders made it impossible to visit their garden. But even there, life is difficult and far from peaceful.
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Zambia - "Poisonous Root"
When the food runs out, it’s common for people in Zambia to forage for wild roots to eat. Some of the roots are safe, others are poisonous. This time, Maria chose the wrong kind of root.
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Zambia - "Women’s Club"
The Mutumbi Women’s Club has a lot to be proud of. Though famine stalks Zambia, club leaders claim that none of the 45 orphans in their care will die of hunger.
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Zambia - "Community Breakdown"
Although Maria is struggling to support her four orphaned grandchildren, begging for food at neighbors’ homes just isn’t an option. Maria is certain that she’ll be accused of witchcraft.
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Zambia - "Goats Save"
Obvious is only seven, but he’s in charge of a lively herd of healthy goats. In a region of Zambia devastated by torrential rains, the goats are a source of milk, meat, fertilizer and income.
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