Families need easy access to food on a regular basis. For families to be food secure, supplies must be available where they live and be accessible to all members of the household, year in and year out. Families must be able to grow or afford enough food, in terms of quantity, quality and variety. All family members, but especially children, must be free from disease so that their bodies can use the food they eat to grow and thrive. That is why access to clean water, sanitation, and health care is also part of food security. Poverty, conflict, natural disasters, and outbreaks of disease can all result in food “insecurity.”

The food security of children is closely linked with the health, nutritional status, education, and economic well being of their mothers. Each year that girls stay in school makes it more likely that they will have children later in life, and that their children will be healthier. Healthy, educated mothers with economic resources are more able to appropriately feed and care for their children. This is why many of Save the Children’s food security programs contain components that focus on health and economic opportunities for women.

The rapidly growing epidemic of HIV/AIDS is eroding gains in food security that had been made in the 1970’s and 80’s, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, where 28 million people are living with HIV/AIDS. Ethiopia alone has 1 million children who have been orphaned by this disease. Save the Children is committed to addressing the special needs of populations affected by HIV/AIDS in our food security programs, both emergency and long term.