Global Malnutrition Crisis
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Global Malnutrition Crisis
UPDATE: Our worst fears have been realised – famine has been confirmed in North Darfur, Sudan.
Conflict and displacement has put more than 400,000 people at risk in the region, with a further 730,000 children across Sudan projected to suffer from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) this year. This is the latest tragic development in a children's malnutrition crisis which is unfolding across many parts of the world right now.
Your support can help hungry kids.
Conflict, displacement, climate change and humanitarian access constraints are fueling global hunger, and it’s reached crisis point. Mums and dads in places like Afghanistan, Somalia, Sudan and Gaza are doing what they can to feed their kids, but the challenge right now is simply too great.
UNICEF is working tirelessly to help hungry kids. We’re providing life-saving therapeutic food, delivering medicines and clean water, and nutrition support to the most at-risk children. However, these kids urgently need more help.
Donate now to help save kids’ lives.
What is children's malnutrition?
Childhood malnutrition has many faces - from a child who isn’t getting enough food to eat and is slowly wasting away, to a mum who became anaemic during her pregnancy and gave birth to an underweight baby. Not all the faces of malnutrition are instantly recognisable.
Check out these 5 things you should know about malnutrition
Malnutrition is a complicated issue, with a range of causes and quite devastating impacts on kids. It can be deadly. It can also have life-long consequences on kids’ learning, development and future prospects.
Malnutrition doesn't need to be a life sentence. By supporting UNICEF, you're helping children beat malnutrition and go on to achieve their dreams.
Meet some of our Humanitarian Superheroes
These amazing people are going the extra mile every day for hungry kids
Zahra Ahmadi, UNICEF Community Health Worker, AFGHANISTAN
Zahra works in the remote Daikundi province in Afghanistan, bringing health and nutrition support to women and children in their homes.
“I go house-to-house to guide and heal,” says Zahra.
Everyone knows Zahra in her village. When she’s not visiting families, her home doubles as the local health clinic where mothers can bring their children for screening and treatment for malnutrition.
“Every child I treat today could become a doctor, a teacher, or an engineer in the future” says Zahra “when I imagine their potential, I am more motivated to help."
A donation today will help ensure Zahra can continue to visit children in their homes
Asma Abdullah, UNICEF Nutritionist, SUDAN
In war-torn Sudan, Asma Abdullah risks her life to help malnourished children."Conflict brings immense suffering to children,” she says “but we continue stand-up for them.”
At Wadi Madani Children’s Hospital, Asma uses a tape measure, weighing scales, therapeutic food and milk to treat hungry kids. “Children are suffering the most. They are wasting away due to lack or little to eat.” Asma says.
Each day, more and more mothers and caregivers arrive with their children. Yet, despite the increased workload, Asma remains committed to her role saving young lives.
A donation today will help ensure Asma has the tools and supplies she needs
Aminata Zabré, UNICEF Head of Nutrition, BURKINA FASO
For the past ten years, Aminata has treated thousands of malnourished children in Burkina Faso.
“When I save the life of a child, my heart is filled with joy,” she says.
“I love children and I dedicate a lot of my time and energy to do my work and to make sure no child that comes to me is left unattended, even if it means I have less time for my own family,” she says.
Her love for children makes her a hero in her community. We think she’s a hero too.
A donation today will help ensure Aminata can continue to save livesZahra Ahmadi, UNICEF Community Health Worker, AFGHANISTAN
Zahra works in the remote Daikundi province in Afghanistan, bringing health and nutrition support to women and children in their homes.
“I go house-to-house to guide and heal,” says Zahra.
Everyone knows Zahra in her village. When she’s not visiting families, her home doubles as the local health clinic where mothers can bring their children for screening and treatment for malnutrition.
“Every child I treat today could become a doctor, a teacher, or an engineer in the future” says Zahra “when I imagine their potential, I am more motivated to help."
A donation today will help ensure Zahra can continue to visit children in their homesAsma Abdullah, UNICEF Nutritionist, SUDAN
In war-torn Sudan, Asma Abdullah risks her life to help malnourished children."Conflict brings immense suffering to children,” she says “but we continue stand-up for them.”
At Wadi Madani Children’s Hospital, Asma uses a tape measure, weighing scales, therapeutic food and milk to treat hungry kids. “Children are suffering the most. They are wasting away due to lack or little to eat.” Asma says.
Each day, more and more mothers and caregivers arrive with their children. Yet, despite the increased workload, Asma remains committed to her role saving young lives.
A donation today will help ensure Asma has the tools and supplies she needs
How we’re helping malnourished kids?
We're passionate about helping prevent and treat childhood malnutrition.
We've got nutrition programmes in 130 countries, more than 700 nutrition experts, and numerous other health staff going wherever kids need us, and doing whatever it take to save lives.
Our life-saving malnutrition work includes:
- Providing life-saving therapeutic food and milk to malnourished kids
- Educating parents on nutrition best practices
- Promoting and supporting breastfeeding
- Training health workers in screening, diagnosing and treating kids for malnutrition
- Establishing mobile health and nutrition teams to reach remote communities
- Distributing micronutrient powder and vitamin supplements
- Responding to disasters and emergencies with nutritional support and supplies
What is a MUAC?
It's an important tape measure we use to screen children for malnutrition. We call it MUAC, which stands for Mid-Upper Arm Circumference.
When wrapped around a child’s arm, the colour coding easily shows how malnourished they are and the treatment they need.
What is RUTF?
This is what we call our life-saving therapeutic food - it stands for Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food. It comes in 92 grams packets, these little packets of goodness punch well above their weight. Just 2-3 packets a day for around 6-8 weeks is enough to save a child suffering from malnutrition. Amazing eh!
And at only around 60 cents each, it’s something any of us can afford to give. How many life-saving packets could you donate today?
Want to learn more about RUTF?What is a MUAC?
It's an important tape measure we use to screen children for malnutrition. We call it MUAC, which stands for Mid-Upper Arm Circumference.
When wrapped around a child’s arm, the colour coding easily shows how malnourished they are and the treatment they need.What is RUTF?
This is what we call our life-saving therapeutic food - it stands for Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food. It comes in 92 grams packets, these little packets of goodness punch well above their weight. Just 2-3 packets a day for around 6-8 weeks is enough to save a child suffering from malnutrition. Amazing eh!
And at only around 60 cents each, it’s something any of us can afford to give. How many life-saving packets could you donate today?
Want to learn more about RUTF?
Donors like you make a difference
While the global food crisis is hitting children and families hard, UNICEF donors have stepped up to help support the response.
Here’s a snapshot of the difference our donors helped make in 2023:
- Reach 9.3 million children with life-saving treatment for severe acute malnutrition – the most ever in a single year!
- Provide early detection and treatment for more than 150 million children in high-risk environments.
- Deliver 1.1 billion packets of ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) to kids in 75 countries.
- Provide $263 million worth of life-saving nutrition supplies
You can join us to help more hungry kids, it’s easy and you can do it for very little.
A donation of 60 cents a day or $18 a month could help deliver 38 packets of therapeutic food each month to hungry kids. Or if being a monthly donor isn't an option, a one-off donation of $75 could provide 125 packets.
Helping children like Sabir
After a couple of weeks of treatment, Sabir is doing well. “He looks better and is playing instead of crying,” says his relieved mum.
18-month-old Sabir was not in good shape when his mum brought him to see our community health workers at the Kahary IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) Camp in Somalia.
He had diarrhea, a fever, and wasn't eating like he should.
“They looked at Sabir and put the tape (MUAC) on his arm”, said Sabir’s mum. The diagnosis was life-threatening severe acute malnutrition which required immediate treatment.
“They gave him medicine and told me to take him to the clinic.”
At the clinic, Sabir received ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) to treat his malnutrition. This peanut-based paste is full of protein and vitamins that Sabir can munch on straight from the packet. It helps him put on weight and recover quickly from malnutrition.
After a couple of weeks of treatment, Sabir is doing well. “He looks better and is playing instead of crying,” says his relieved mum.
18-month-old Sabir was not in good shape when his mum brought him to see our community health workers at the Kahary IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) Camp in Somalia.
He had diarrhea, a fever, and wasn't eating like he should.
Other ways you can donate
If you'd like to donate over the phone, call our friendly team on 0800 243 575.
If you'd like to donate direct to our bank account, please use account 01-0505-0463764-00 and code 'glomc-ws'.
Other ways you can support hungry kids.
Help us spread awareness of the situation for hungry kids by sharing this appeal with your friends and family.
If you'd like to fundraise with your community to support our work, you can start a fundraiser here.
Disclaimer:
In the event that funds raised exceed UNICEF's funding requirements, the appeal no longer needs funding, or the decision is made to close this appeal, your one-off or ongoing monthly donation will go to our Greatest Need Appeal. Where possible we will communicate this with you, however in some circumstances this might not be possible.
Your life-saving monthly donations will support this appeal for a period of six months. After that they will go into our Greatest Need Fund to save and protect kids worldwide.
UPDATED: 6th August, 2024
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