Around the world, 783 million people go to bed hungry each night. We have the power to save lives and end hunger. Join us!
Students Against Hunger
Lys Arango
Action Against Hunger, Iraq
In a plentiful and generous world, every life should be well-fed. Yet 1 in 3 children worldwide never get enough nutrition.
We can end hunger for good, within our lifetimes. But we can’t do it alone. With your help, we can reach millions more people, innovate better ways to deal with hunger, and advocate for lasting change.
Below, learn more about the global fight against hunger and how you can help.
The Causes of Hunger
Inequity
Power determines who eats and who goes hungry, who lives and who dies.
Climate change
The climate crisis is driving hunger and malnutrition around the world.
Conflict
Seventy-five percent of the world’s malnourished people live in conflict zones.
Disasters & emergencies
Humanitarian emergencies disrupt and destroy livelihoods for millions of people.
Poverty
Extreme poverty, lack of sufficient food, and hunger are inextricably linked.
How we fight hunger
Together with your help, Action Against Hunger takes decisive action against the causes and effects of hunger.
Get involved. End hunger.
Take the pledge to end hunger
Sign our pledge now to make more lifesaving care possible.
Create Your Own Fundraiser
Help save lives by hosting your own fundraising campaign.
Rally your school
Unite the power of your classmates to raise funds for global hunger.
Follow @ActionAgainstHunger
Stay tuned on social media for updates on the fight against hunger and share our stories with your family and friends.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)
Want to learn more about Action Against Hunger and how you can help? Do you have a school project about global hunger? Find answers to your questions below.
When and why did Action Against Hunger start?
Action Against Hunger was founded in France as Action Contre La Faim in 1979 by a group of French intellectuals who wanted to help fight hunger and save lives in Afghanistan and Pakistan. While the fight against hunger had previously been one part of broader humanitarian efforts against poverty or improve health, our founders were driven to start an organization exclusively dedicated to ending hunger.
What is Action Against Hunger’s mission and vision?
Our Vision: A world free from hunger is not only possible – we can achieve it within our lifetimes.
Our Mission: From crises to long-term challenges, we tackle the causes and consequences of hunger. We save lives by preventing, detecting, and treating undernutrition. We enable people to provide for themselves, see their children grow up strong, and for whole communities to prosper. We constantly search for more effective solutions, while sharing our knowledge and expertise with the world.
What is hunger?
Hunger is more complicated than empty bellies. It’s a multifaceted and deadly challenge with many root causes and far-reaching impact.
Learn the facts about global hunger.
Why is fighting hunger important?
As many as 783 million people—one in nine of the world’s population—do not have sufficient access to food. Yet the world produces enough food to feed every man, woman, and child on the planet.
One in every three children in low- and middle-income countries in the world suffers from chronic undernutrition—which can cause irreversible stunting to their physical and mental development.
Undernutrition is the single greatest threat to child survival worldwide: an estimated 45 percent of all child deaths are from causes related to undernutrition.
We believe that no one should be hungry or suffer from undernutrition in today’s world. Hunger is not inevitable. Addressing its root causes – conflict, poverty, injustice, as well as climate change and gender inequality – can help create a world free from hunger.
Where is hunger the worst?
Around the world, hunger is on the rise. Approximately 193 million people across 53 countries or territories were struggling to survive a food crisis last year. According to the United Nations, the most severe hunger crises are in Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen.
Read more about the World’s Hungriest Countries.
How does Action Against Hunger fight hunger?
As the largest international nonprofit exclusively focused on hunger and nutrition, we innovate solutions, advocate for change, and scale proven hunger prevention and treatment programs that reach 28 million people across 55 countries each year.
From crises to long-term challenges, Action Against Hunger tackles the causes and consequences of hunger. We save lives by preventing, detecting, and treating undernutrition. We enable people to provide for themselves, see their children grow up strong, and for whole communities to prosper. We constantly search for more effective solutions, while sharing our knowledge and expertise with the world.
We use a community-based, holistic approach and partner with local people to empower women, support farmers, and improve access to food, water, and health care. For more than 40 years, our research teams have helped to develop revolutionary nutrition treatment products and conducted field testing of treatment protocols that are now international best practice.
Do you have stories of people you have helped?
Yes, please find our latest stories on our website here. You can also follow us on social media for more stories from our programs.
How does Action Against Hunger get the food and supplies needed to places like Africa?
Our Logistics teams manage our supply chain and source the majority of our materials (80-90%) within the countries or regions in which we work. Sometimes, we import supplies like medicines, nutrition treatments, and specialized equipment from abroad, which are shipped plane or boat into the country. The supplies are then delivered via car, boat, motorbike, or even walking!
Can world hunger be eliminated?
Yes! Hunger can be eliminated, and Action Against Hunger will not stop until we create a world free from hunger, for everyone, for good.
Investments in nutrition are one of the world’s most cost‐effective, impactful interventions. Research shows that every $1 invested in a child’s nutrition in the first 1,000 days yields an average of $16 in benefits.
Hunger is manmade. The solutions can be, too. Together, we can address drivers of hunger, including conflict, climate change, and inequity. By joining our movement, you can help create a world where every life is well-nourished.
Does Action Against Hunger offer internships or volunteer opportunities?
All of our program work is done internationally, so we currently do not have a volunteer program in the United States. If you are interested in interning or working with Action Against Hunger, you can find all available openings in our Career Portal.