In the last few weeks I have spent time going with activistas as they visit the homes of people who have HIV/AIDS in area. In talking with many of those infected it became clear to me that in addition to HIV/AIDS, many of them were also hungry. When I asked how they were feeling, a common response was “I’m hungry” or “I don’t have any food”. I asked the activistas how people who didn’t have food get food. They told me that some people get food from various NGO’s but mostly they get food from neighbors or other friends.
As it relates to HIV/AIDS hunger is extremely problematic. In general, food intake and proper nutrition is an imperative life function. Food is a basic human need. For people who are HIV positive or have AIDS good nutrition makes the body stronger and helps people stay healthy, which helps them fight off opportunistic infections. For those that have HIV/AIDS, anywhere in the world, keeping their body physically healthy is a top priority. For people who are currently on treatment for HIV, food and proper nutrition is needed for the HIV meds to work properly. It is counterproductive for people to be taking HIV meds that are prolonging their life, if these same people are going hungry.
There are organizations and programs in Mozambique and all over southern Africa that are tackling the Gi-Normous problem of hunger and specifically working with those that have HIV/AIDS. There are food distribution programs, helping people survive day to day. And there are also programs that teach people how to grow their own food or teach them skills that they can use to make money to buy food. There are also community education efforts that help people who are infected with HIV/AIDS understand the importance of proper nutrition and ways in which they can obtain the nutrients necessary to stay healthy.
But the reality is that even with all these organizations and programs, I am still meeting people who are not only infected with HIV/AIDS but who are desperately hungry. Which says to me we need to do a better job of identifying who needs food and getting them the food, as well as helping them acquire the skills necessary to be able to become responsible for getting their own food one day.
Throughout my work here in Africa and in the States I have interacted with many people who go hungry, people who don’t have regular access to food. And even though I know hundreds of millions of people around the world go hungry, it always shocks and enrages me when I meet someone who tells me they are hungry. Not only does it seem unfair that some people on the planet get to eat and others don’t, but it is something that is completely unnecessary. We, as a planet have the resources to feed everyone and for some reason it doesn’t happen. I have come to realize that allowing people to be hungry, in this world of plenty is one of the gravest of injustices in existence today.
Okay, so I know many of you are upset and want to DO SOMETHING to help. And that is great! You want to send food or money or something that will help. You could do that…but while those solutions are needed in the short term, they are not sustainable, meaning you can’t feed a family forever (unless of course you are Oprah and there is no doubt she does).
Instead I would suggest becoming aware and learning more about hunger and what a specific person, family or community experiences. And then share with others what you learn and how you feel about it. Then if you want to go a step further I would look into volunteering in your own community, because hunger exists everywhere. Talk with, listen to and build relationships with those that go hungry and then share who you learn and feel with others.
I believe that there are 3 key components that are integral to social change: Awareness, Empathy and Action.
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In short, food is extremely important for ALL people, regardless of their HIV/AIDS status. There are hundreds of millions people who go hungry every day. World hunger is a huge ass problem and can be overwhelming. But if everyone just engaged with this problem a tiny bit, in their own community, as many people already do, it might not be such a huge ass problem. And we surely could live in a world where no one goes hungry.
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