Most people who live in The East African nation of Burundi face a life that is constantly filled with struggle. The country suffers from one of the highest child mortality rates globally and nearly 80 per cent of the entire population live in conditions of extreme poverty. The services provided by the government are weak, the economy is in terrible shape and there is limited availability of food. In fact, even during harvest season families spend as much as two third of their income on food.
Help people become self-sufficient
Burundi illustrates why Concern Worldwide’s Food in a Fragile World appeal is so important. The aid agency understands the challenges faced by the people of countries like Burundi and is working hard to begin project that will alleviate the suffering. Concern runs a project called Kitchen Garden which offers a way out from starvation by sustainably training families to feed themselves though a community-based solution.
Kitchen Garden project
The garden is a simple idea. Concern provides the seeds and trains families to cultivate a vegetable patch that seeks to maximise the amount of food that is produced throughout the year. Families have a wide range of vegetables to choose from and obviously this makes a lot of difference. The project protects families from malnutrition and ensures they have a food supply all year round. The ability to grow their own food gives families independence and if they have a good harvest it can even generate some extra income.
Providing aid to malnourished children
The money raised by Concern’s appeal will be used by the agency to establish a new programme that will help many families in Burundi. Concern wants to improve the health of over 40,000 children and the project is designed to identify sick and malnourished children. The Department for International Development of the UK (DFID) has lent its muscle to the movement and will match every donation Pound for Pound.
Hunger is the hidden enemy
We live in a world filled with challenges ranging from conflict to climate change and this means millions of people are vulnerable and living in fear and uncertainty. The hidden enemy however is hunger and malnutrition. It is a sad fact of life, that a child living in a country that is in conflict is twice as likely to be undernourished compared to a child living in a developing country not affected by violence. The effects of this are devastating and continue well after the fighting has stopped.
Supporting the poor and vulnerable
Last year we saw famine declared in South Sudan and alarms being raised in Nigeria, Somalia and Yemen, countries which are all affected by conflict. This means it is critical that we take immediate action. This is why it is important to support Concern’s Food in a Fragile World appeal. The money is used to support those that are poor and vulnerable, ensuring they receive the support they need to have a healthy future.
