Child Hunger Crisis in Niger

At least 400 million children suffer from hunger. Unfortunately, the problem worsens as the economic crisis and volatile food prices push more families into poverty. This year the number of chronically hungry people topped one billion for the first time in history. While food prices have dropped from record highs in 2008, they remain historically out-of-reach, and are expected to climb in the coming years. At the same time, extreme weather events are increasing and decimate people’s sources of food and income. Three-fourths of the world’s poor live in rural areas, with most of them dependent on agriculture.

In East Africa right now, an estimated 20 million people will need food aid through the end of the year following several years of severe drought. In Guatemala this year, drought wiped out crops and caused the kind of acute malnutrition people thought no longer occurred in the Americas. In Tajikistan, heavy rains, hail, drought and locust invasions all contributed to the widespread loss of crops. In Bangladesh flooding and cyclones engendered the prevalence of severe acute malnutrition among children.

When there is not enough nutritious food to eat, children suffer the most. Often, the effects aren’t immediately as obvious as a small child’s hunger pangs. Chronic malnutrition harms children’s long-term development. They may never grow as tall, strong, or as intellectually developed as they might have, had they received the nutrients they need. And when parents struggle to put food on the table, they often cut back on other expenses that can determine a child’s future, such as books and fees to send a daughter to school, or the cost of taking a sick son to a health clinic.

Malnourished children already face increased risk of deadly disease. Every year three million children in low-income countries die from pneumonia, diarrhea and other causes because they suffer from malnutrition. Hunger remains a widespread and growing problem, but there are solutions. A boost in hunger-fighting efforts could come from world leaders who — following years of reduced investments in agricultural development — have pledged to support a global food security initiative. A comprehensive strategy that incorporates attention to not only agriculture, but nutrition, emergency response, and other safety nets can save the lives of millions of children — and help many millions more grow up healthy and strong. That, in turn, will provide a strong foundation for development in low-income countries.

Fighting child hunger is an investment in a precious resource — the next generation.

Niger

Save the Children has been working in Niger since 2005 in response to the hunger crisis, and is launching an appeal for $10 million dollars so it can urgently scale-up its work and provide more families with life-saving food and medical treatment.

• More than half of the population of 7.8 million people is in need of emergency assistance.
• Niger has one of the world’s highest under-5 child mortality rates. One in six children does not live to see his or her fifth birthday.
• More than 378,000 children under 5 are at risk of severe malnutrition and 1.2 million from moderate malnutrition.
• Most recently, 9,867 children have been admitted to a severe acute malnutrition program as heavy rainfall is spurred an increase in cases of diarrhea, malaria and respiratory infections, which can cause and compound malnutrition. A Save the Children-supported health center saw 17,572 people, including 17,399 children, for malaria.
• We are planning to reach 133,788 children under age 5 through our nutrition program and provide case to 15,597 people in our food security and livelihoods programs.

Pictured below are Maryam, age 35, and her two-year-old daughter Hadizat who suffers from severe anemia. Maryam has just recovered from an operation and is still paying the loan she had to take out in order to afford her health fees. Despite her weakness, she is helping her husband on the farm with the hope that the yield will give them the chance to make money and afford their daughter's health fees.

Save the Children is working in three provinces in the south of Niger: Maradi, Zinder and Diffa. In each province we're working in two districts:

• Maradi - Aguie and Tessaoua
• Zinder - Matameye and Magaria
• Diffa - Mainé Soroa and N'Guigmi

We're operating programs in:

• Nutrition (in Aguie, Tessaoua, Matameye, Magaira, Mainé Soroa and N'Guimi)
• Food security and Livelihoods (in Aguie, Tessaoua and Magaria)
• Health (in Aguie, Tessaoua, Matamaye and Magaira)

Our Global Response to Child Hunger

Globally, Save the Children is part of a broad-based coalition — which numbers more than 30 organizations, among them Bread for the World, CARE, Catholic Relief Services, Friends of the World Food Program, Mercy Corps and World Vision — to support "The Roadmap End Global Hunger," a strategic plan to address global hunger in the short, intermediate and long term.

The plan calls on the Obama administration and Congress to work together with governments and citizens all over the world to reach the established international goal of cutting global hunger in half by 2015.

Ways You Can Help

You can help Save the Children respond to emergencies around the world that put at risk the survival, protection, and well-being of significant numbers of children. By contributing to our Children's Emergency Fund, you enable us to prepare and respond immediately to children and families who urgently need our help when disasters strike. Donate to the Children’s Emergency Fund

In addition, you can help make a difference by supporting all the work that Save the Children does to help children in need in the U.S. and around the world. Donate Now to Support our Mission