Wow, this year has flown by!  The time has come when you pack up your dorm rooms, you get a summer job, and some of you are graduating (congrats!!).

As you take a break from your routine this summer, ACT:S will be taking time to regroup and really dive into some new exciting projects we have going on for the fall. In order to focus on this, we will not be communicating much via email, blog, or social media. After our summer hiatus, we’ll be back this fall with some new exciting things for you to use in your campus activism!

In the meantime—do you have urgent questions? We’ll still be responding to email, so shoot us a message at acts@worldvision.org

Also, check out our friends World Vision Youth. They have a website full of great things you can do over the summer to keep raising awareness on the issues you care about most!

Stay tuned… we’ll see you in the Fall!

The next section of HungerFree explores how the affordability and accessibility of food affect the world’s hungry. When global demands for particular foods increase, often farmers are affected the most negatively- selling their food instead of being able to eat it themselves. This is a shift in the food market because farmers are selling their nutritious, locally grown food and are, instead, eating unhealthy, imported foods.

Similarly, people who live in places affected by emergency and disaster often lack access to adequate food. When they have to depending on imported Food aid from other countries their access to local, nutritious food decreases. The West African region faces grave droughts affecting their food supplies. This crisis is an example of how decreased affordability and accessibility of nutritious, local food devastates hungry people.

West Africa: Food security crisis deepens

With reporting by World Vision communications officers Jonathan Bundu, Laura Blank, and Lauren Fisher.”

In Lolibaye Na Oulad Yare village, southwestern Mauritania, even one meal a day has become a luxury that many families cannot afford.

Many families’ food supplies are running low, and prices in the market are sky-rocketing.

Mariama Mbojah — a woman in her late 30s whose husband is blind and cannot work — says she is finding it difficult to feed her three children.

“Even today as we speak, they are going to sleep on an empty stomach,” she says.

Stories like Mariama’s are common throughout West Africa, which is currently facing a severe food shortage following poor rains.

“We’re seeing parents forced to make decisions about the safety or education of one child to feed another,” says Paul Sitnam, emergency director with World Vision in West Africa.

“For some families, getting through the crisis means choosing which child will get to eat that night and which will have to wait with an empty belly until the next day.”

In previous years, people have had five to 10 years to recover from droughts and severe food shortages.

This developing crisis hits some areas less than two years since their last drought.

“There is little resilience in communities who are already food poor,” says Chance Briggs, national director for World Vision in Mali.

“Just months after Mali’s harvest, many family granaries are almost empty and local food distribution centres have no access to surplus grains. Food prices are twice as high as they were last year.”

The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS-NET) predicts that food insecurity will begin to rise to “crisis levels” as early as March 2012 and is calling for targeted food assistance for at least the next six months.

World Vision urges the international community to take action now so the situation doesn’t become as deadly as the famine and drought in the Horn of Africa.

World Vision is working in Niger, Mali, Mauritania, and Chad to address the food shortages.

Youth throughout Canada are fasting from food and other parts of their daily routine for 30 hours during 12- 13 April. You may be thinking, “Are these people crazy?” The answer is “yes” and “no” because they are crazy about making a change in our world! These youth are participating in World Vision Canada’s 30 Hour Famine, raising awareness and money for projects relieving hunger and supporting education around the world. To be exact, they are supporting 18 different projects globally that move our world closer to being HungerFree! How amazing is that?!

Here are just a few of the projects they are raising money for:

Project No. 3: 7-11 Health Program- Ethiopia

To improve dietary intake for children under five and families; Improve access to essential health services and healthy environment; and to strengthen capacity of communities and institutions to implement program

Project No. 4: Emergency Nutrition Integration- Sudan
To provide basic life-saving emergency nutrition and reduce infant and children under five mortality rates. We will help ensure pregnant women and children under five screened are offered rehabilitation and follow-ups.

Project No. 11: Health & Nutrition Project- Ghana

To integrate nutrition ad health activities into the region to improve the health of children under 5 through:

• Improving dietary intake for children and families;

• Improving access to essential health services and healthy environment;

• Strengthening ability of communities and institutions to create their own programs to address malnutrition.

Find information about all the life changing programs that World Vision Canada 30 Hour Famine is support here:

http://yourmovement.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/2013-Project-Selection.pdf 

World Vision’s Famine programs are part of a global movement of youth going without food to fight child hunger.  The programs go by different names – from the 40 Hour Famine in Australia to Zip Your Lip in the Netherlands to Alto al Hambre throughout Latin America – but are united behind on cause: youth fasting for a hunger free world. Does a World Vision office near you out on a Famine event? Join them!

Hunger is often an immediate consequence of a regional emergency, whether a natural disaster, war or other social conflicts. In these situations, emergency aid from outside sources is needed in the form of food, health care, money, shelter and emotional support. World Vision is on the front lines to respond to these situations. It is important that the right kind of resources are provided to emergency victims, including nutritious, and sustainable food to prevent malnutrition. Inadequate nutrition during these emergencies can lead to further health issues, and therefore preventivitve and innovative measures are needed.

During 2011, a drought and food crisis swept through the Horn of Africa. World Vision was active in responding to the emergency. The following article recounts the response and innovative steps taken to ensure nutrition for the future of the region.

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“Farming in the Desert”

from World Vision International

We often look for large, complex solutions to large, complex problems. And 2011‘s drought and subsequent food crisis across much of the Horn of Africa is no exception. But simple, affordable, and highly effective projects have transformed the prospects of rural communities in central Somaliland, suggesting that straightforward initiatives can be just as worthwhile.

One year ago, World Vision began a series of projects designed to combat the affects of drought on rural communities in Somaliland, and strengthen the most vulnerable families to cope with future crises. Borrowing from successes across the region, the project introduced initiatives that had proved successful in other arid countries, from neighboring Kenya and even further afield in Niger.

When it rains in Somaliland, it really rains. After months of drought, rains can be sudden and fierce. Often lasting only hours, torrential rainfall will rapidly run off the land by way of gullies and otherwise-dry river beds, with little moisture actually permeating the earth. Fertile top soil is washed away in these flash rains, leaving the land unproductive.

To combat this, World Vision provided cash to community members of Gatiitiley in Odweyne to construct ‘check dams’ — low-lying rock walls in river beds that force flood waters over the banks, adopted from Niger in Western Africa. As water spills into surrounding lands, it sits atop the earth for longer, and more moisture permeates the soil. It also deposits fertile silt that is carried in the torrent, leaving the land more productive.

On the near bank of the dry river bed the land is parched and cracked, with a few hardy bushes sprouting precariously. But in stark contrast on the far bank, to which flood waters are directed by the check dam, waist-high grasses provide pasture for grazing goats. Herding his family’s 20-strong flock, 11-year old Abdi — the youngest child of 10 — says the livestock are quickly becoming fatter and are already breeding more than last year, thanks to the new pastures. “Now my family can earn more,” he says, “and perhaps next year I can afford to go to school.”

A few hundred metres further from the dry-river bed of the check dams lies metre-high crescent mounds, stretching 40 metres in diametre. These ‘semi-circular bands,’ as they are known, have also been introduced from Niger. When the rains come and runoff begins to leave the land, these earth crescents pool the water in their base, offering precious extra time for the rains to permeate the soil and deposit nutrients on the surface. As with the check dams, grazing pasture has begun to spring up in these semi-circles, and the community is even beginning to plant crops in earth that was barren just months before.

Another initiative that has proved successful in Gatiitiley is dry-land farming. With drought-resistant crops introduced from Kenya, fields of maize and sorghum can be harvested after just two and a half months, as opposed to the four months that are required for traditional varieties. This means that farmers can adapt to shorter and more erratic rainy seasons, and can produce healthier crops more quickly, that build their income, increase the family’s nutritional intake, and improve the health of their livestock.

Kaabo is a widow and mother of six. When things got really tough a few years ago, she moved her family close to the village to get more support from the community. She also married off her 15-year old daughter to reduce the number of mouths to feed and ease her burden; a practice that is all too common here. Kaabo is one of 30 households to have planted the drought-resistant crops, “I now have more food and more income,” she says as she leads us to her field, which already looms well above head-height after only 30 days of growth. She now sends all but one of her children to school, and her 30 goats are healthier. “I have two cows that are now able to eat properly. I hope they will soon breed again and give us milk,” she says.

Back in Gatiitiley village, Fatima sits outside her hut with one of her five children. She is among the poorest in the village, and her husband is unwell and cannot work. “Last year was the worst,” she says, describing how the 2011 drought killed off some of her animals. Yet even Fatima has high hopes for the future; “with the projects of World Vision and other NGOs, we are now feeling better; now we are well equipped, now we have everything we need. We are ready to deal with another drought,” she concludes determinedly.

Basic Nutrition: Giving children the best start in the first 1,000 days

By Katheryn Reid

You’ve got to respect the tenacity of a babe in arms to hold up his head, focus his eyes, and grasp a grownup’s finger. An enormous amount of mental heavy lifting is going on behind those eyes, and a lot of high-quality fuel is needed to build the muscle and brain cells at work.

Mom’s milk is the perfect fuel, and it’s all that’s needed for the first six months of life. But a new report from World Vision called “The Best Start” makes clear that other simple and inexpensive measures can help ensure that millions more children get a healthy start toward a full life.

Why? Because:

• Undernourishment is a child’s worst enemy. Around 2.5 million children die each year from a variety of ailments that can be traced back to one problem: not enough of the right nutrients.
• The first 1,000 days — from conception to age 2 — are critical. A child who misses out on the proper nutrients during this time will not achieve his or her mental or physical potential.
• Poor nutrition causes stunting. Globally, 195 million children under the age of 5 are stunted. Twenty-four countries account for more than 80 percent of the global burden of stunting.
• Five of the top 10 most cost-effective development measures focus on malnutrition. If we want to see progress in the developing world, we need to put our money where it will do the most good: providing better nutrition for children.
• The number-one cost-effective development solution is micro-nutrient supplements for children. Vitamin A and zinc supplements alone can save hundreds of thousands of children’s lives annually. Every year, 1.5 million children in the developing world die from diarrhea; zinc can reduce deaths from diarrhea by about 25 percent.
• To give children an even better start on life, their mothers can take iron supplements, so they can be the strong caregivers their children need. Iron-deficiency anemia is an underlying cause in one-fifth of maternal deaths.
• Good nutrition in developing countries can boost economic productivity by as much as 3 percent.

As Kevin Jenkins, president of World Vision International, has said in an introductory message about this report: “I hope that you are encouraged, as I am, by the good news in this report. There is nothing new that we need to invent. In fact, it’s pretty clear what we need to do.

I echo the commitment of Kevin Jenkins and World Vision to provide the leadership and influence that will help our generation be remembered as one that treated the world’s hungriest children as though they were our own.

World Vision’s campaign “Child Health Now” uses the combined international action of more than 45 countries to shift the global political agenda, deliver support on the ground and inspire ordinary citizens, change makers in their own communities to take action for healthy children.

Two things you can do:

Join HungerFree, a global movement to end hunger and ensure that all children can have a healthy start to their lives.

Use Your Voice! Share this information with your community and support the efforts of Child Health Now by visiting http://www.childhealthnow.org

World Vision’s Famine programs are part of a global movement of youth going without food to fight child hunger.  The programs go by different names – from the 40 Hour Famine in Australia to Zip Your Lip in the Netherlands to Alto al Hambre throughout Latin America – but are united behind on cause: youth fasting for a hunger free world.

This month, three Famine programs, each called the 30 Hour Famine, will host their national weekend. If you’re from any of these countries, be sure to join them!

• Hong Kong: April 6-7
• Canada: April 12-13
• United States: April 26-27

We’ll be offering some pretty exciting ways to join them from wherever you’re from each of those days!

In the mean time, here’s some background on what the Famine movement is all about by Paul Newnham, our global youth engagement director:

I first did the Australia 40 hour Famine through my family’s church when I was 12.  I was so excited to get my own fundraising kit and try to raise some funds. I remember approaching the neighbors and proudly raised over $200. The actual fasting was tough at that young age, as mentally I wasn’t prepared for the feeling of hunger and having to deny myself. In my early High School years I signed up again. I attended a dance party and concert held over the weekend at the World Vision office in Burwood.  Somewhere in World Vision Australia there is a really bad photo of me jumping in a mosh pit!

The “Famine” has been a part of my journey in fighting poverty and experiencing hunger. It has been a similar rite of passage for millions around the world standing in solidarity with many in real hunger situations and bringing meaningful funds to fight hunger in the short and long term. The Famine events are now held in more than 25 countries and it is estimated over hundreds of thousands of people are involved. In this past year, new Famine movements have started in India and Germany. Having started around 40 years ago, there has been millions around the world impacted through uniting to end hunger. 

Earlier this year, I was able to attend Taiwan’s HungerFree event in February with 55,000 people and was blown away at the growth of Taiwan’s event and the passion of the people there. 55,000 people camped out in the National Stadium for 30 hours! Everyone was fasting, learning and sharing about the complexities involved in fighting this global crisis. What an awe-inspiring time, being amidst such passion and dedication to creating change! With no food, and very little sleep, the need to stand up and be heard was further impressed upon me.

How people ‘do’ the famine has changed over the years.  While originally going without food, now people will give up a range of other things from furniture to technology. The number of hours also differs, from 12 hours in the Philippines to 40 hours in Australia and New Zealand with many countries also fast for 24 or 30 hrs. Many groups will also hold events, such as a concert, to raise awareness, and incorporate local service to focus on issues of hunger and poverty in their own community. I have also known groups do a ‘focus on the community’ serving in some way locally. All these expressions show that it is important to give up something for others.

The uniting theme for famines around the world is that they all focus on fighting hunger. Around the world, we still see 870 million people go to bed hungry each day. Until this number is reduced, we will continue to fight and see more and more groups unite to end hunger.

I still do the Famine several times each year, in various countries. I participate because I want to raise money, I want to set an example, and I want to feel hunger. I want to remind myself what it is like to not ‘have’. I want to remind myself what hunger feels like: that emptiness, the feeling that I can’t get rid of.  It sits there, carving a hole in my stomach. I look at my own children when I am fasting and imagine not being able to feed them day after day. It spurs me on to continue to fight.

It excites me knowing that all of you are part of this journey; that you too have reasons that are bigger than yourselves for participating and joining in the fight to stop hunger. The more people that join Famine events around the world, the more awareness we can create, and the more funds we can raise. Get your friends on board!!

Connect with a Famine movement in your country on our Choose Your Famine page.

Hunger is not just about a lack of food. Even if people eat enough calories, they can be malnourished if that food does not provide adequate nutrients to allow their bodies to function well. Malnutrition is the single-biggest contributor to child mortality. How does Malnutrition affect individuals and communities? Watch this video and read about nutrition to learn about why nutrition is a crucial aspect in creating a HungerFree world.

Nutrition Basics
excerpted from World Vision International

Why Malnutrition Matters

For individuals: Children weakened by all forms of malnutrition often die from diseases that are both preventable and easy to treat, such as diarrhoea and pneumonia. Those who survive typically face frequent illnesses as well as reduced opportunities for education and income earning. Young women with a history of malnutrition tend to have more difficulty in childbirth and give birth to smaller babies, thus perpetuating a cycle of malnutrition.

For communities and nations: In a global context, malnutrition continues to be the world’s most serious health problem. Malnutrition is the single-biggest contributor to child mortality (deaths of children under five years of age per 1,000 live births) and to the global burden of disease. Approximately one-third of all child mortality, 3.5 million deaths per year, is linked to malnutrition. Malnutrition also reduces human capital through compromised cognitive development and physical health. This leads to lost productivity, which in turn reduces economic growth and development.

Most malnutrition is chronic and can be prevented through targeted interventions in the first 1,000 days of life.

World Vision focuses nutrition programming on mothers and children who are experiencing or at risk for undernutrition. Undernutrition occurs when individuals do not eat enough food of sufficient quality to meet all their nutritional requirements for healthy life and growth. However, because ‘malnutrition’ is a more familiar term, it is used throughout this website instead of ‘undernutrition’. Technically, malnutrition includes both over- and undernutrition. Overnutrition, or obesity, is not a focus of World Vision’s nutrition programming or advocacy work, although it is a significant health issue around the world.

FIRST 1,000 DAYS

Most stunting begins in early childhood. Both stunting and its effects are very difficult to reverse. In fact, once a child is stunted, the damage to the body and brain is already done. Optimising nutrition during the first 1,000 days, the period from conception to a child’s second birthday, can prevent this from happening. World Vision joins the global community in targeting the first 1,000 days through the interventions in our 7-11 Approach.

Watch a clever twist of the Peter Pan story, to illustrate the ultimate importance of nutrition during the first 1,000 days.

MICRONUTRIENT MALNUTRITION

Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals. These are essential nutrients needed in tiny amounts. Micronutrient malnutrition occurs when individuals do not receive adequate intakes of specific vitamins and minerals. Often people who are deficient in one micronutrient will be deficient in many others, reflecting the fact that overall diet quality is poor. Priority micronutrients include iron, vitamin A, iodine and zinc. Micronutrient malnutrition is often called ‘hidden hunger’ because the effects of deficiency are not visibly obvious, yet have a devastating impact.

Iron is an essential component of haemoglobin, the molecule in red blood cells that transports oxygen to the body’s tissues. Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional disorder, and the major cause of anaemia, which affects two billion people worldwide. Anaemia is a condition in which haemoglobin is malformed and is therefore unable to deliver sufficient oxygen to the tissues of the body and brain. Consequences of anaemia include fatigue, reduced cognitive capacity and decreased immune function. Key strategies to meet iron needs of mothers and children include supplementation, home-based fortification, small-scale fortification and improved diet diversity.

Vitamin A is an essential factor for both eyesight and immune function. Vitamin A deficiency disorders are the leading cause of preventable childhood blindness. Children with even mild or moderate vitamin A deficiency have weakened immune systems and suffer more from common infectious diseases, contributing to an increased risk of death.

Globally, 190 million preschool children and 19 million pregnant women are affected by vitamin A deficiency, with the highest numbers in Africa and Southeast Asia. Key strategies to meet the vitamin A needs of mothers and children include supplementation and improved diet diversity.

Iodine is used by the thyroid gland to produce hormones. Iodine deficiency disorders are the leading causes of preventable brain damage and result in poor growth, poor childbirth outcomes, decreased cognitive ability and goitre (enlargement of the thyroid). The impacts are greatest during the first 1,000 days of life, when the brain is developing rapidly. Fortification of salt with iodine is the primary global strategy to eliminate iodine deficiency disorders, but more than 30 per cent of households around the world still do not have access to sufficiently iodised salt.

Zinc plays a significant role in growth and immune function. Zinc deficiency leads to impaired growth and increased risk of illness and death, particularly related to diarrhoeal diseases. Global estimates are that 30 per cent of preschool children are affected by zinc deficiency, with the greatest burden in Africa, Eastern Mediterranean and Southeast Asia. Key strategies to meet the zinc needs of mothers and children include home-based fortification, small-scale fortification, improved diet diversity (particularly the consumption of animal source foods) and providing zinc supplements with oral rehydration therapy for the treatment of diarrhoea.

PREVENTION BASICS

Reducing malnutrition is an urgent global challenge. It is essential to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), a set of internationally agreed upon development targets for 2000–2015. Nutrition is directly addressed in MDG 1 and must be improved in order to achieve MDGs 4 and 5.

MDG 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger.

MDG 4: Reduce child mortality rates.

MDG 5: Improve maternal health.

Scaling up a handful of proven nutrition-related interventions for both mothers and children will save and improve millions of lives. This has already happened in high-income countries. At World Vision, we believe that all children deserve the best start in life, regardless of where they live. We believe that by focusing on the most effective interventions, working with communities and families to develop context-sensitive solutions, and engaging with partners and stakeholders at all levels, the next generation of children can enjoy a life free from malnutrition.

NUTRITION INTERVENTIONS TARGETING JUST 20 COUNTRIES CAN IMPACT 80 PER CENT OF THE WORLD’S UNDERNOURISHED CHILDREN.

Malnutrition is the world’s number one health problem, yet 80 per cent of the world’s chronically undernourished children live in just 20 countries.

(Bryce J, Coitinho D, Darnton-Hill I, et al., for the Maternal and Child Undernutrition StudyGroup. Maternal and child undernutrition: effective action at national level. The Lancet 2008, published online Jan 17. DOI:10.1016/S0140-6736(07)61694-8.)

A concerted effort to intensify nutrition programming in these countries will greatly reduce the global burden of undernutrition. It will also help achieve MDG 1 and greatly increase the chances of reaching MDGs 4 and 5.  Evidence from countries such as Costa Rica, Cuba, Sri Lanka, Thailand and China shows that the nutrition of mothers and children can be improved fairly quickly with focused political will.

World Vision’s 7-11 Approach defines our core package of priority preventive interventions. Strategies to achieve the nutrition-focused components of 7-11 include the following:

Optimal Breastfeeding – Breastfeeding is the first-line intervention for healthy growth and the prevention of malnutrition. It is also a life-saving intervention, because the combination of nutrition plus immune factors from the mother builds the infant’s defences against disease. Optimal breastfeeding means that infants are breastfed within one hour of birth, and are then exclusively breastfed (that is, no other food or liquids, except essential medicines) for the first six months. After six months, breastfeeding is continued, along with appropriate complementary feeding, until at least two years of age. In places where HIV is highly prevalent, the World Health Organization’s Guidelines for Infant Feeding in HIV Contexts guide breastfeeding recommendations.

Appropriate Complementary Feeding – In addition to breastmilk, infants over six months of age receive increasing amounts of family foods, with age-appropriate composition, quantity, frequency and texture. Appropriate complementary feeding is an essential component of stunting prevention, yet it is time-intensive and challenging to achieve in many contexts. Positive Deviance/Hearth is a proven methodology that applies local wisdom to improve child feeding and care practices.

Vitamin A Supplementation – Many countries have national strategies to provide high-dose vitamin A capsules to children between the ages of six and 59 months and to post-partum women. A semi-annual dose is sufficient to meet children’s needs, given vitamin A is stored in the liver and gradually released as needed.

Iron Supplementation – Provision of daily iron/folate supplements to pregnant mothers is a standard component of antenatal care around the world. Supplementation of non-pregnant women and preschool children has also been shown to be beneficial, but is not routine for most ministries of health. In contexts where malaria is endemic, iron supplementation must be targeted, not universal. World Vision follows international guidelines related to iron supplementation.

Fortification – Fortification is the process of adding vitamins and minerals to foods during processing or preparation. This is typically done during commercial food production, but in developing countries, additional approaches are necessary. Home-based fortification refers to adding a small sachet of micronutrients during food preparation in the home. Small-scale fortification refers to adding micronutrients to staple grains during processing at a community mill.

Increased Diet Diversity – The basis of good nutrition is a balanced diet providing a variety of nourishing foods in sufficient quantity to meet nutrient requirements for health and growth. Many families in developing countries consume primarily starchy foods with small amounts of foods rich in protein, fats, vitamins and minerals. This type of diet cannot meet the nutritional requirements of growing children, but can be diversified through home gardening, small-animal raising, fruit tree cultivation and improved preservation techniques.

***

How do you stay nourished? Food is different all over the world. Not just recipes, but the actual types of food available. This means that although nutrition is a global concept, the ways to achieve nourishment vary by region. We challenge you to share how and what your area of the world eats by taking a photo of a meal and uploading it to our “What’s on Your Plate?” challenge. During this process, think through key things you’ve learned about nutrition and the types of nutrition this food gives your body. 

 Hunger is not just about a lack of food.

Even if people eat enough calories, they can be malnourished if that food does not provide adequate nutrients to allow their bodies to function well. We’re going to explore nutrition by starting with what’s on our own plate. 

How do you stay nourished? Food is different all over the world. Not just recipes, but the actual types of food available. This means that although nutrition is a global concept, the ways to achieve nourishment vary by region. We challenge you to share how and what your area of the world eats by taking a photo of a meal and uploading it to our “What’s on Your Plate?” challenge page.

During this process, think through key things you’ve learned about nutrition and the types of nutrition this food gives your body. 

Throughout April, we’re focusing on hunger.

Today, one in seven people in the world – nearly 1 billion people – will go hungry. And hunger is one of the leading killers of children under the age of 5 – contributing to as many as 7,000 deaths each day.

Hunger is present in every continent and country on the planet. And yet, the world wastes up to 50% of its food. So in various ways, hunger impacts each of us.

Hunger is more than just a lack of food; it’s about access to nutritious food, affordable good and sustainably grown food. We’ll explore each of these aspects of hunger, as well as some of the efforts being done and what each of us can do to act on hunger locally and globally using our voices and actions.

Throughout the month, we also invite you to take part in these Challenges on our global sharing platform:

• How Much Do You Know About Hunger? – Use this to see how much you currently know about the realities of hunger and current efforts toward hunger alleviation.
• What’s on Your Plate? – We will look at nutrition by first examining and sharing what’s on our own plates.
• Trading Plates – Together, we will build a global cookbook by sharing nutritious recipes from our cultures.
• Lend a Hand  – We will share how we are tackling hunger and issues related to it in our local communities.
• Share Your Voice – We will share how we are using our voices and actions to fight hunger globally through advocating & fundraising for innovative initiatives.

A hunger free world is possible. Some of the solutions may be complicated, but we do have the capacity to end hunger. We just need the will to make it so and to motivation to each do our part.

Get started with this campaign by testing your knowledge and taking our “How much do you know about Hunger?” quiz. This quiz gives you a glimpse into how much you currently know about the realities of hunger and current efforts toward hunger alleviation. Don’t worry if you don’t get all the answers “correct” – instead learn from the answers and get excited about understanding more of how we can work together to create a HungerFree world.

Make sure to stay connected, join our mailing list below and follow World Vision Youth on Facebook and Twitter.

Download this amazing infographic here.

Jillian is the voice behind Live Life – from writing the challenges to tweeting for World Vision Youth. During her Live Life journey, Jillian adopted an old tradition to give up eating animal products throughout Lent. See what she learned about herself and her community.

Find more ways to celebrate Easter with us, by reading our CELEBRATE blog or downloading our Easter Traditions resource.

Then, come back on April 3, as we begin HungerFree – a four-week campaign to learn about hunger and its solutions, serve our local communities, and use our voices to advocate for a hunger free world!

Stay connected with Jillian & the team on Twitter and Facebook!