Aspirations Prevail Amid Catastrophic Food Crisis

25 July 2010 - Sitting in front of a feeding centre supported by Action Against Hunger in Kanem, Western Chad, one year old Adam smiles weakly as his mother Hawa cradles him. Determined to save her son, Hawa had travelled five days by camel in the burning heat to bring him to the feeding centre.  His whole body swollen with oedema, Adam was in an advanced stage of acute malnutrition, a life-threatening type of hunger.

“Adam started to have a fever,” Hawa explains, “The fever got worse and worse and he stopped eating. The health promoters who visited our village told me about the centre and I decided to bring him here. It’s not easy to travel so far and leave the family behind, but I did not think twice about it. I just want him to be healthy again.” 

At the feeding centre, Adam is receiving round-the-clock treatment and medical care. “The swelling has disappeared and he is getting better now. He is still very weak but I am glad he is eating again,” says Hawa. 

Times are difficult for nomadic herders like Hawa and her family. Erratic rains have resulted in a shortage of pasture and poor harvests, leading to an enormous deficit in food production. Tens of thousands of families have already been pushed into outright hunger and starvation because they cannot access or afford food. Without help, the situation in this forgotten corner of the world risks reaching catastrophic levels. “Everyone is hungry. Parents, neighbours…even our cattle are dying from hunger,” Hawa explains. “But when it hits our children it is simply too much.... We need support.” 

However, with the world’s attention turned elsewhere, these vulnerable families are left to fend for themselves. Action Against Hunger, one of only two aid agencies present in the area, has launched an emergency response to treat malnourished children and prevent the situation from deteriorating. But needs are great and urgent help is needed to offer alternative sources of livelihoods, and therefore tackle the underlying causes of hunger. 

 “We need food for our children and ourselves. My husband has left to search for work; all he needs is a job to be able to earn some money. I would like to work too. I’ve always wanted to have my own business but need a loan to turn it into reality. I would like to buy a pasta making machine. I’d buy flour, make pasta and sell it, and then with the money earned, I’d be able to feed my children,” says Hawa. 

Both immediate assistance to save malnourished children and long-term solutions such as income-generating activities and farming, could prevent the current situation from escalating and avert future crises. The devastating food crisis has not crushed the aspirations of communities in Chad. Resources and commitment are crucial to help families like Hawa’s take control of their own future. 

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