Hungry enough to eat water lilies?

Nine-month-old Baby Chiengjiuk lives in Bentiu camp for displaced people in South Sudan.

His family are some of the 117,000 people who have been forced to shelter here due to conflict. But life here is hard, crowded and unsanitary. Food is scarce and sicknesses spread quickly and severely through the camp.

“Before we came here, we ran to the bush where we stayed for three months. We were eating water lilies and seeds from the trees. I came here for protection with my mother and siblings.” Chiengjiuk’s mother Nyameat explains.

“My son was born in the shelter. His father died of sickness before the crisis.”

Fearing that her son is sick, Nyameat brings Chiengjiuk to a UNICEF outpatient therapeutic programme in the camp.

“My baby is malnourished. He was admitted last week and I’m receiving instructions on how to make him better.”

Without intervention in the first 1000 days of a child's life, the negative impacts of malnutrition can be irreversible. But thankfully, Chiengjiuk’s health is improving and UNICEF staff at the feeding centre are happy with his progress.

“He likes the plumpynut," says a clearly relieved Nyameat. “He has been taking it for one week and today he was weighed."

UNICEF is the world’s largest supplier of plumpynut – a therapeutic food which is key in treating malnutrition. Each sachet is just 50 cents, and 3 sachets a day for 6-8 weeks is enough to nourish a malnourished child back to health.

That means just $63 could be enough to cover a child like Chiengjiuk’s full recovery.

Please donate now and help rush life-saving aid to where it’s needed most.

Nyabel Wal travelled for six days to look for food, only to come back empty-handed. With no other options, she’s been forced to gather plants which grow close to the ground in the her remote village of Kiech Kon, South Sudan.

The plant is the only food Nyabel has to feed her family.

“Since January, we have been living without food, except for the wild grass. I went to Mathiang town to look for food and left the baby behind. When I came back, the baby refused to breastfeed, refused food and became sick.”

Nyabel’s young son Goaner Pal is suffering from severe acute malnutrition. This is an extremely dangerous condition, leaving children susceptible to severe versions of common illnesses and can lead to poor growth, development and even death.

Goaner Pal needs urgent treatment to nurse him back to health, and to avoid suffering with potentially life-long debilitating conditions.

Nyabel is one of 1.3 million people who have been displaced due to conflict in South Sudan. The crisis has had wide-reaching impact, particularly on food security. And sadly, Nyabel’s story is not uncommon, with many families struggling with hunger and malnutrition.

UNICEF is on the ground supporting children and families with life-saving aid – but to reach every child, we need your help.

Just $63 could cover the full cost of treating a malnourished child like Goaner Pal back to full health.

Please donate now.

Hunger and malnutrition deprive children of essential nutrients, making them susceptible to severe versions of common sicknesses and diseases, and can lead to poor growth, development and stunting.

Over time this can worsen into wasting, which makes malnourished children incredibly thin and weak - putting kids at greater risk of dying, starvation and developing life-long debilitating conditions.

The need is great. But there is hope.

UNICEF is the world’s largest supplier of therapeutic food, which is used to treat malnutrition. Each sachet is just 50 cents, and 3 sachets a day for 6-8 weeks is enough to nourish a malnourished child back to health. With your help, we can reach children before it’s too late.

Don’t let the future starve.

Please donate now and help fight world hunger.