How can we eliminate hunger in the world? - the Sapa story
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Sapa and its rice fields
(Fotos taken by Ngoc An Cao)
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Sapa - located in the north of Vietnam is surrounded by wonderful mountains and rice fields. The idyllic beauty made me calm down from the hectic city where I used to live. Everything was clear and fresh - the air, the plants and the nature as well.
When I went to Sapa last year, I recognized many children who played outside in nature. I kept walking towards them as I was curious. When the children recognized my presence, they started running towards me. One of the children reached out its hands towards me. “Can you give me food”, the girl whispered. Her hands were tiny and dirty from playing outside, her clothes were tattered and she had no shoes on. The other children - some were barefoot, some wore broken sandals - started to reach out their hands towards me as well. There was a sad smile on their face when she put out her hands towards me - her hands kept shaking the whole time. She and the other children looked too skinny for their age. I had no food in my bag - just some Dong (Vietnamese money) and gave it to them. The children told me that their families do not have enough money to buy food, so they ask tourists for help, every day. They beg for food, as they simply do not have enough. The Vietnamese government is aware about the situation concerning hunger in Sapa, however nothing is done.
That moment made me really angry but also thoughtful at the same time. There is a waste of food in the world on the one hand but on the other hand there are many people - especially children who beg for food and do not get enough to survive.
How can we stop hunger in the world?
What can WE do to stop and eliminate hunger in the world?
What can WE as a community do to support the people who cannot afford their everyday meals?
I have had the same experience in Australia, especially in Melbourne. Many people survive day to day. When I see people in need, I feel so helpless. I always ask myself, how can I really help in an effective way. The food relief organizations do not have the capacity to support every one here in Australia. There are many homeless people and even more children who go to school without having a meal, hunger is a wicked problem and its right in front of all our faces.
When Colin talked about the Foodshare concept, I was really impressed. I believe in the impact Foodshare will have in the future in order to reduce hunger in Australia.
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6 comments
Hunger is a very important problem we have to fix. Good luck with Foodshare!
ReplyDeleteHi Anni. I am definitely interested in having a Foodshare meal! Thanks for sharing that touching story, and beautiful photographs, from your time in Vietnam. I have had similar experiences in developing countries and, like you, have given a bit of money and felt helpless that I couldn't do more. The vast difference between the wealth that some people have in the world and those that can't even afford the basics for human survival, such as food, is very overwhelming.
ReplyDeleteThanks for introducing Foodshare as a way that people can act on this problem, Once you have grown to address the need in Australia, do you have plans to expand overseas to be able to help people like those kids in Vietnam?
Thank you, Melissa for your comment. Poverty which leads to hunger is definitely a wicked problem. You can see it everywhere in the world and most of the people just ignore it because it seems to be more comfortable and because there is no real solution to eliminate hunger. Sapa was one shocking experience which is still in my mind. Seeing children suffering all day every day makes you really feel helpless but at the same time you want to change that. And we can and definitely have to change that. That is why I think, Foodshare is a business model which is sustainable and has a great impact on reducing hunger in Australia but also in the world.
ReplyDeleteWith Foodshare we mainly focus on partnering with food relief organizations like Foodbank who provides meals to people in need. We all know that there is a big problem that the food relief organizations do not have enough financial capacity to support and provide all people with an everyday meal. Foodshare provides financial support directly to these organizations. With this stable and frequent financial support to the organizations we can provide more people with a warm meal.
Helping these Vietnamese children is one of my main motivations of Foodshare. Even after more than one year, I cannot forget the moment when they ran behind me in order to reach their hands out to beg for food. That is why we definitely have plans to move internationally and will work with local 'relief' experts in as we do in Australia to properly manage the impact delivery. I hope, I could answer your question.
Thanks Anni. All the best for FoodShare's expansion.
ReplyDeleteIn the meantime it is important to lend a helping hand for people can afford to buy food,basic needs to be alive. The impact of donations, both cash and food, have had an immense impact on world hunger. Organizations such as Foodshare is great solution to reduce the proportion of hungry people. Also I hope that idea not stop there but to spread around the world.
ReplyDeleteThat is right, Khadijah. We all talk about the wicked problems, about poverty and hunger but since today, there is no real solution. Foodshare would be a good start in Australia. People love going out to have a meal in a restaurant and they also pay tip. So why don´t we pay one dollar more to help people in need with a warm meal every day? I am looking forward to have my first Foodshare menu item!
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