Nutrition and healthy food access are factors of survival as a basic human need. Ordinary thoughts such as“I’m hungry”,“What’s there for food” “Let’s go shopping at Walmart” are not just readily to be fulfilled for regions such
Nutrition and healthy food access are factors of survival as a basic human need. Ordinary thoughts such as“I’m hungry”,“What’s there for food” “Let’s go shopping at Walmart” are not just readily to be fulfilled for regions such as Africa, especially Somalia. Widely known, whenever global issues regarding hunger are brought up, most first think Africa is most affected and cease to realize that well off countries, such as the United States, Great Britain, Australia etc are battling with their own conflict of hunger, but not in the same spectrum of some African countries. Africa’s hunger is advertised and promoted every day and everywhere, in ways through television and walking into grocery stores for donations. Africa has specific region that lack nutrition and that their hunger is evident, physically. Often seen in children, the bloating of the stomach is because of their lack of protein and carbohydrates in their diet versus the rest of the binging world. Focusing on Somalia, questions arise, Why is hunger so predominate in that country? Why are the primary causes that lead to a famine there?
Somalia, also located as what is known in the Horn of Africa, was under the rule of Communism since 1991, no central government in most of the country’s territory. An estimated 10 million of Somalia’s individuals are affected by the drought and at least 2.5 million are affected by famine/acute malnutrition. Somalia’s famine is caused by not only the corruption of their government, but their climate and location as well as their emerging economy. I wanted to write about this topic because, being a native to Somalia, it saddens me that I was very uninformed and ignorant about this crisis. I firmly believe that there should be global awareness of the growing famine in Somalia, that ceases to be acknowledged or helped in a global aspect
Western media, of course, portrays Africa as being a country(not a continent filled with diverse backgrounds and stories) stricken by starvation, lost hope and limited civilization, but in order for Africa as a whole to thrive and progress, the media, world renown Organizations, famous/influential leaders, all need to come together and realize the true potential Africa and especially Somalia possess.