Understanding the Food Crisis

South Sudan has had problems for a long time, like 

• Wars, 
• Government Instability, and 
• Environmental Problems. 

These things lead the country to chronic food insecurity. But the food crisis in 2023 has reached alarming proportions. Widespread drought made it hard for farmers to work. Ongoing armed battles have made it hard for the country to access food from outside. Because of this terrible situation, millions of South Sudanese people are in a state of vulnerability and desperation.

The Escalating Food Shortage and Famine

South Sudan is in a humanitarian catastrophe because there is a food shortage. Families all over the country are having a hard time finding enough food to eat, even one meal a day. The situation has worsened to the extent that famine threatens the lives of countless individuals. Famine is a state where hunger and starvation lead to widespread death. 

Malnutrition rates are also going up rapidly because people can’t get enough food. This poses long-term health risks and threatens the overall health of the community.

UMR’s Contribution

In the middle of this huge disaster, UMR has been working hard on the ground to help the people of South Sudan. UMR has sent out emergency relief teams to help with things like food, clean water, and medical care. This is because they know how big and urgent the food situation is. UMR’s work in South Sudan shows that its main goal is to help people in need.

But UMR’s work depends on the kindness and help of people all over the world. Donations are a key part of UMR’s ability to do its important job in South Sudan and other places. By Giving to UMR’s aid efforts, you can make a real difference in the lives of those in South Sudan who are suffering from the food crisis.

Conclusion

The South Sudan food crisis in 2023 demands immediate attention and concerted efforts from the international community. The widespread food shortage, famine, and escalating malnutrition rates have placed millions of lives at risk. In this challenging time, UMR has emerged as a beacon of hope, working tirelessly to provide critical assistance to those affected. However, sustaining these efforts requires ongoing support through donations. Together, we can help alleviate the suffering and bring hope to the resilient people of South Sudan as they navigate this grave food crisis.

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However, the drought is not the only issue. A number of additional regional and global elements are at play. These are seriously endangering people’s lives all around the country. These include high inflation, climatically related calamities, conflicts, and displacement.

As people struggle to survive and gain access to scarce resources, we are witnessing an increase in child marriage rates, a rise in school dropout rates, and growing conflicts as a result of the hunger crisis. 

UMR is implementing many projects to feed starving children in Kenya. Let’s take a look at the crisis, solutions and UMR’s contribution.

Reasons for Food Crisis

Food insecurity is a problem in Kenya’s urban and rural areas. Some of the core reasons are –

• Two years of failed rains, 
• Climate change, 
• A locust infestation, 
• The war in Ukraine, and 
• Inflation. 

Kenyans find it challenging to eat three meals a day due to the high cost of staple foods. While this is happening, many people in the northern, semi-arid regions lack any access to food.

The Sufferings of Children in Kenya

Over 100,000 children under the age of 5 require treatment for severe malnutrition. Approximately 1.1 million children nationwide require food assistance.

Kilifi is one of the most affected areas of Kenya. Children are leaving school there to assist family members in their search for water. Those who continue their education find it difficult to focus on their academics.

Children are falling asleep during class time because of the lack of food. High school students are fed in school. But kindergarten and primary school students are not because their parents are supposed to feed them at home during lunch or pack them a lunch. Due to the present food crisis, this doesn’t happen very often.

Emergency Solutions

With the food crisis, lack of money, and little help from the government, it seems unlikely that poor communities in Kenya will be able to solve this problem on their own. This is where international non-profit organizations come in. Working with local partners, they want to change this situation. There are many steps they can take, such as-

Emergency Food Aid

They should provide emergency food aid to vulnerable children and families. This can include distributing ready-to-eat meals, nutritious food packages, and fortified supplements. Organizations like UMR often play a crucial role in coordinating and implementing such interventions.

Agricultural Support

Enhancing agricultural productivity and promoting sustainable farming practices can help address long-term food security challenges. This includes –

1. Providing small-scale farmers with access to improved seeds, fertilizers, irrigation systems
2. Training in modern farming techniques like hydroponics, aquaponics and vertical farming
3. Supporting local farmers and empowering them to produce more food 

Nutritional Programs

Malnutrition is a significant concern among children during a food crisis. They should implement targeted nutritional programs for infants and young children. It can help prevent severe malnutrition and its long-term consequences. These programs can include providing nutrition education and access to healthcare services.

Climate Change Adaptation

Given the impact of climate change on food production, implementing strategies to adapt to changing weather patterns is crucial. This may involve –

• Promoting climate-smart agricultural practices, 
• Investing in irrigation systems, and 
• Developing early warning systems to mitigate the effects of droughts and floods.

Help Us!

UMR is conducting many programs to feed starving children in Kenya. If you want to help, you can donate to us and help to feed these poor children. They desperately need your help.

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Refugees in Lebanon

The population of Lebanon is estimated at 6.83 million in 2020. Lebanon has taken in 1.5 million Syrian and Palestinian refugees since 2011. Refugees make up 30% of the country’s population. The highest concentration per capita of refugees in the world. There is an increase in the number of Lebanese and refugees living below the poverty line in Lebanon.

Economic Disaster

In October 2019, protests against the government all over Lebanon occurred. It leads the country’s economy into a free fall. They are causing a lot of trouble for poor Lebanese and refugees. Thousands of people are angry about government corruption and the economy getting worse. It makes people’s buying power go down and makes poverty worse. 

Coronavirus Outbreak

As the crisis gets worse, another crisis, the Coronavirus outbreak, starts to happen. Lebanon was locked down to prevent the coronavirus spread. So, cash-strapped banks have made it difficult for depositors to recover their monies. This is on top of the months of tighter controls that have made it harder for people to get to most of their funds. 

Dollar shortages have kept it from getting important goods for months. The number of cases keeps going up every day. Effects are on monthly payments of rent, food insecurity, health and other necessities.

The Coronavirus is spreading and the economy is collapsing again since May 2020. Families can’t afford good food, medicine, and monetary help for this. 

Food Crisis

In Lebanon, prices went up by 60% to 300%, and the dollar’s worth reached 4000 LBP on the black market. This made it harder for people to get food. Prices of bread and potatoes are rising, for both the producer and the consumer. 49% of Lebanese worry about getting enough food. 60% of the population depends directly or indirectly on agriculture. The number of poor people in Lebanon went up. Some experts say that violent protests are likely to get worse. Because people’s living standards fall and they need humanitarian aid more than ever.

UMR’s Intervention

To solve the problem of food insecurity, UMR will fund two important projects. Combinedly we are calling them the Potato and Bread Campaign.

One of these is the “Salt and Bread” campaign. It is run by a community-based initiative in partnership with the Akkarouna Foundation and Heads of Municipalities. They are working together to raise money for the “Akkar Emergency Room” idea, which is to make bread in a small bakery in the neighborhood and give it to 2,000 families every day. So far, in its first part, it has helped get 74,900 packs of bread to 37,450 families in Tripoli and Saida. 

The Potato Campaign is the second project. Its goal is to encourage farmers to grow potatoes and give potato packs to families. 35,000 people in the Tripoli and Saida areas each got 5 kg. 50% Lebanese and 50% Palestinians. The idea for these projects came from UMR’s mission to help underserved areas and lift people’s spirits in hard times, which is all about sharing our goodness.

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In Yemen, over 80% of the population — approximately 24.1 million people — is in need of humanitarian assistance, and the situation is worsening. The ongoing conflict has severely interrupted the availability of food, leaving millions of Yemenis displaced and in need of food assistance.

UMR’s Charity Bakeries provide bread to the most vulnerable families in Yemen. UMR, working with local partners on the ground, has completed the construction of one Charity Bakery in Aden and works in partnership with Mercy Bakery to ensure warm bread and food staples are delivered to the most underprivileged communities.

Charity Bakeries employs staff who are selected from local communities including vulnerable people who are food insecure, women who are widows, and older persons with large families. Ingredients are procured locally, and families of concern are provided with vouchers which are brought to the bakery in exchange for loaves of bread.

Security concerns have left international organizations unable to reach many aid recipients, which highlights the need to procure as many foodstuffs and ingredients as possible from local sources. UMR continues to leverage fluid on-the-ground networks to reach families who lack the basic means to survive and ensure that lack of funds, conflict, or location does not stop people from accessing food.

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