Across the world, 828 million people will go to bed hungry tonight. A quarter of a billion people face acute food insecurity and are in need of urgent food assistance. Last year, nearly 150 million children were stunted due to a chronic lack of essential nutrients. 45 million children suffered from wasting, the most severe and life threatening form of malnutrition. Current estimates suggest another child is pushed into severe malnutrition every minute, and a pregnant woman or newborn dies every seven seconds.
These statistics are not mere numbers; each of them represents a precious life, global sisters and brothers created for so much more, and they are worthy of dignity, health, and hope. But the global hunger and malnutrition crisis continues to grow, caused by a perfect storm of spiraling conflicts: inflation and economic disruptions driving up the cost of nutritious food; increasing climate shocks destroying homes, crops, and livelihoods; and a world still recovering from a pandemic. The crisis has devastated vulnerable communities and left far too many families unable to afford and access nutritious food. This reality grieves me greatly, and it should grieve all of us as Christians, too.
At Food for the Hungry (FH), we have been dedicated to providing life-changing relief and development programs for over 50 years. We are deeply moved by poverty, injustice, and marginalization, and we are privileged to partner with individuals, churches, corporations, foundations, and governments to fight hunger and malnutrition. We walk alongside the most vulnerable people in many of the world’s hardest places, sustained by our faith and encouraged by Micah 6:8 “to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
With an acute hunger and malnutrition crisis threatening the lives of millions, infants, young children, and pregnant and breastfeeding mothers are particularly vulnerable. At no time is malnutrition more devastating than during the first thousand days, the critical period from pregnancy through a child’s second birthday. Malnutrition in infancy and early childhood greatly increases a child’s risk of death, and causes lasting physical and cognitive damage for those that survive.
For this reason, the fight against malnutrition is central to our efforts to ensure “the poor have hope and injustice shuts its mouth” (Job 5:16). We work in many of the so-called Hunger Hotspots–vulnerable countries like Ethiopia, Haiti, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo– where fragility, weak institutions, limited social protections, and significant dependence on staple crops imported from Russia and Ukraine have combined to produce indescribable suffering and staggering rates of severe malnutrition.
In these challenging contexts, we focus on low-cost, high-impact nutrition actions that have been proven to support long-term physical and cognitive development. Research has shown that prioritizing prenatal vitamins for all pregnant women, providing breastfeeding support to mothers and vitamin A supplementation to children, and utilizing community-based approaches to screen and refer for treatment those children who currently suffer from malnutrition significantly reduces child mortality. These relatively simple, evidence-based solutions can ensure that the world’s most vulnerable children not only survive, but flourish.
We incorporate this work as part of a holistic approach that also includes improvements to water, sanitation, and hygiene, as well as agricultural and livelihoods support to build resilience and strengthen the ability of families to feed themselves. We design, develop, and deliver catalytic solutions that enable communities challenged by poverty, injustice, and marginalization to have the agency and resources necessary to be resilient and flourish.
1 Corinthians 3:9 reminds us that “we are co-workers in God’s service,” meaning each of us has a role to play in caring for others. Ready to make a lasting impact in the fight against hunger and malnutrition? Learn more about our work and join our community of compassionate advocates dedicated to transforming lives. Poverty and malnutrition break the heart of God, and I encourage you to join us in the fight against it through faithful action and consistent prayer that uplifts those children, families, and communities currently challenged by poverty, injustice, and marginalization. Together, we can turn the tide on malnutrition and ensure more of God’s children have health, healing, and hope for a flourishing future.
Mark Viso is the President & CEO of Food for the Hungry, a Christian humanitarian organization providing life-changing development programs, disaster relief, and advocacy since 1971. His 30-year career in international relief and development represents a lifelong commitment to help the most vulnerable and marginalized find their voice, overcome poverty, and have hope for a brighter future. Mark received his BA in International Affairs from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and completed graduate work at George Washington University. Along with his wife, Kristine, and his son Booker, he is an avid biker, rock climber, kayaker, and backpacker.
