Sunday, October 26, 2008

Hunger & World Recession

One billion people in the world are starving, said the voice on my radio, tuned to KPFA, Pacifica.

The economic recession that causes some of us to lose value in our 401 k accounts will cause more of those in the lowest income groups to starve.

About 16,000 children die daily from hunger-related causes.

Out of 6.6 billion people in the world, 1.4 billion lived below the international poverty line in 2005, according to Bread for the World, www.bread.org. They earned less than $1.25 per day.

"Among this group of poor people, many have problems obtaining adequate, nutritious food for themselves and their families. As a result, 820 million people in the developing world are undernourished. They consume less than the minimum amount of calories essential for sound health and growth," reports BFW.


And that was 2005. The current estimate is one billion.

As we cut back our spending or look for a new job, depending on how this recession has hit us, let us remember those at the bottom for whom fluctuations in the price or grain or the price of oil mean less food and even starvation.

No comments: