Refusing to Let Hunger Win

One in 11 people faced hunger in 2023. In Africa, it was one in five. That’s according to the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World, a report issued by the United Nations.  

Nearly half of all deaths in children under five are attributable to undernutrition, which is a deficiency of calories or of one or more essential nutrients. Undernutrition puts children at greater risk of dying from common infections, increases the frequency and severity of such infections, and delays recovery, the UN says.

Across the world, United Way is working with partners to help make healthy, nutritious food more available to more people. It’s part of what we’re doing in 35 countries to mobilize communities to action, bringing millions of volunteers, advocates, and donors together to make life better for people around the world.  

Here are two stories showing how people are stepping up to help their neighbors and their communities:

Bengaluru, India

Ravi is not quite three years old. His parents, both laborers, persistently lack access to nutritious foods and are challenged to create healthy eating habits in their home. Ravi’s diet often contains foods with poor nutritional value. United Way of Bengaluru is helping families such as Ravi’s by working through local mothers’ groups to share nutritional information and healthy food habits moms can bring home to their families.

Ravi’s mother has embraced what she’s learned and practices her newfound dietary habits daily in her household, thanks to a ready-made recipe book she received from United Way of Bengaluru. Her family is now eating better, and, at this critical stage of Ravi’s childhood development, his health is noticeably improved.  

Des Moines, Iowa

With Central Iowa facing one of the nation’s lowest rates of fruit and vegetable consumption, United Way of Central Iowa looks for innovative ways to increase the availability of and access to fresh, healthy food.  

One solution that volunteers help fuel is community gardens. United Way believes that getting healthy food into the hands of people who live in neighborhoods with limited or no access is essential for helping Central Iowans improve overall health and well-being.  

So far, Central Iowan community gardens have generated almost 12,000 pounds of food donated to the community.  

United Way also facilitates mini-grants to seed 10-25 new community gardens every year, with an emphasis on gardens serving communities with limited access to healthy foods, such as high-poverty or food desert neighborhoods. There’s an online tool to search for community gardens and demographic information, displayed in a map and directory to help improve access to fresh, locally grown produce.  And United Way encourages Central Iowans to start or support community gardens, providing guides, toolkits, and educational materials to help volunteers cultivate a thriving garden and engage with community.