Last year, more than 36 million children under the age of 5 suffered from acute malnutrition worldwide. No child should suffer from lack of sustenance, but natural disasters, poverty and war continue to put the youngest and most vulnerable at risk. Child malnutrition in Sudan is at emergency levels, according to the World Health Organization. And in northern Gaza, up to a quarter of children are malnourished. Children in Afghanistan, Haiti, Nigeria, Yemen and other countries are also afflicted.
Helping children recover from malnutrition isn’t a matter of just giving them food. They are far more vulnerable to illness and death even after receiving treatment, and if they survive, they face an increased risk of health challenges throughout their lives.