UNITE FOR HUNGER AND HOPE

Today, we are supposed to write something on world hunger, on how we can address the problem, and reach a solution to it. I have been wondering since the morning: how can i make a little contribution to the cause-should i not eat the whole day so that my part of the food goes to somebody else? Or should i go somewhere and give food to people who are deprived of it? The first option does not sound very realistic. Even if i don't eat the entire day, there is no guarantee that what i have sacrificed will reach to the needy ones. The second option looks more plausible. I plan to do that today. But this wont help in the long run. I might forget this once April 29 passes. We need to build a more concrete strategy to alleviate the problem.

The foremost reason for the existing status is low production of food that could meet the demand of the growing population. This imbalance between supply and demand creates a shortage and raises the price of the available food...which cannot be afforded by all. I was looking at the statistics related to world hunger and among the many, i found the following the most appalling:

--Every year 15 million children die of hunger-This means that due to world hunger, we lost 15 million brains that could take the world ahead.

--For the price of one missile, a school full of hungry children could eat lunch every day for 5 years-If this is true, why do we value gun power so much? We need to realize how its absence can uplift lives of people...

--One in twelve people worldwide is malnourished, including 160 million children under the age of 5. (Source: United Nations Food and Agriculture)

--Half of all children under five years of age in South Asia and one third of those in sub-Saharan Africa are malnourished.

--About 183 million children weigh less than they should for their age

--To satisfy the world's sanitation and food requirements would cost only US$13 billion- what the people of the United States and the European Union spend on perfume each year.

--Every 3.6 seconds someone dies of hunger

These statistics could take anybody to thinking. How many of us do not waste food? How many of us take for granted what we have? I guess most of us, including me.

I had received an e-mail from a friend who lives in India.A local NGO has taken a wonderful initiative to pacify the situation.If there is food left after lunch or dinner that the family plans to dump,they could rather call the NGO, and they would send their volunteer to collect the food and make it available to people who have to go to bed with empty bellies.They have volunteers spread over the city and food could be collected from anywhere. I think this is a wonderful initiative,and if this is implemented everywhere,everyone could contribute in their small little ways.

I have also seen people offering grain,food,fruits to deities in temple.A lot of food is wasted this way.God doesnt eat it,we all know that. So what is the point in offering it?We could rather give it to people who could eat it and drive away their hunger.I have strictly followed this,and whenever i go to temples,the amount i would use to give offerings to god, i use it to buy some eatables for the poor.

I am hopeful that the situation will improve one day,and we all need to come together to bring the change,and create HOPE!