The Global Food Crisis

Tipu Mohammed, a 10-year-old boy from Bangladesh, can't remember the last time he went to bed with a full belly. Every morning he wakes up thinking one thing: Will I eat dinner tonight?

His mother, Mahinoor, does the best she can. After Tipu's father died four years ago, Mahinoor took a job roofing houses to provide for her three children. Since she only earns 200 taka (U.S.$2.93) a day, she works as often as she can.

"It's hard for me to work regularly though," Mahinoor says. "After three days of work, I must rest a day. Otherwise it's impossible for me to keep going. But on days I rest I have to starve with my children." 

On the days Mahinoor is able to work, she gets home about midnight. When she makes enough money to buy food, she wakes her children up for dinner.

Mahinoor and her children are among the millions of people worldwide plunged deeper into poverty due to the global food crisis. A host of factors including rising oil costs, natural disasters and a shortage of such foods as rice and wheat have combined to drive food prices sky high.

Before the global food crisis began, Mahinoor was able to provide food for her family. But with the cost of staples like rice surging in Bangladesh, dinners have become a luxury.

The global food crisis hits the poor hardest
Like Mahinoor, thousands of caregivers living in poverty cannot afford to feed their children. Every country Compassion works in is being affected and the crisis is expected to get worse during the coming months.

The global food crisis, also known as the "silent tsunami," is hitting developing countries like Bangladesh hardest. And it's impossible for mothers like Mahinoor to keep up.
 
"It hurts me that I cannot provide my children food every night," she says. "The rising price of food has made the condition more difficult. If this condition goes for another month then we will be in even more trouble."

Hope from Compassion
But one thing gives Mahinoor hope. She is extremely grateful for Compassion. Because of Compassion, her family is considerably better off than most families in Bangladesh.

"Thank God that Tipu and my younger daughter, Fatema, have been registered in Compassion," she says. "They at least have lunch five times a week."

Tipu can't imagine life without Compassion. Since he rarely eats breakfast, he rushes to the child development center every morning, desperately counting down the minutes until lunch. "I endure hunger during my classes, but it's hard for me to be attentive during my studies with a hungry stomach," Tipu says.

When you ask Tipu about the "silent tsunami" or children in poverty, he tells you he doesn't understand those things. He says all he really knows is that he and his family go to bed hungry — night after night.

That is why Compassion, a Christian ministry, is doing everything possible to fight this "silent tsunami" — the global food crisis. Learn how you can help fight the global food crisis and help children like Tipu!

What can you do to help fight the global food crisis?
You can help fight this silent tsunami though your online donations. Just $13 can help feed a child in need for an entire month. Help provide lifesaving food to children affected by the global food crisis today!

Please partner with Compassion, a Christian ministry, to fight this "silent tsunami." Your online donations will help save lives and offer hope to children in need!