| HUNGER UNDER THE CHRISTMAS TREE |
| Written by Maria Elena Salinas |
| Thursday, December 12 2002 |
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| There will be no joy this holiday season for thousands of children in Central America and Argentina. They will have no presents under the Christmas tree, no stockings stuffed with candy canes, and no visits from Santa Claus or the Three Kings. Worst of all, for the poorest children in these two parts of Latin America there will be no food on the table.
Central America is suffering from a worsening food crisis that is leaving millions of people hungry. In recent years, droughts, earthquakes, and hurricanes have caused widespread crop losses in Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua. The United Nations World Food Program estimates that 8.6 million of Central America's 35 million inhabitants are suffering from hunger and malnutrition. In the past 18 months, 200 Central American children have died of hunger-related illnesses.
In Argentina, a catastrophic economic crisis has left nearly nine million people trying to survive on less than one dollar a day. Hunger is also beginning to take its toll. At night, entire families sift through large garbage dumps in Buenos Aires trying to find something to eat. In Tucuman, one of the country's poorest regions, more than a dozen children have died in recent weeks. Others are being found with bloated stomachs, blotchy skin and dry hair associated with severe protein deficiency.
Ironically, Argentina is the world's fourth biggest exporter of food. The country of 36 million people produces enough food to feed nearly 300 million people. Buenos Aires, which resembles a European city, is home to great art, music and fine restaurants. But the skyrocketing jobless rate and devalued peso has left one third of its population in poverty.
Central America's hunger crisis is compounded by the fact that it is not easily seen. A first time visitor would find it hard to believe that the region cannot grow enough food to feed its people. After all, it is home to lush tropical rain forests and large agricultural plants that produce food for export to all parts of the world. The rainy season has just ended and the native vegetation has come back to life. The levels of hunger have not reached the catastrophic levels seen in parts of Africa.
To find the hunger in Central America you have to visit the remote villages where peasants depend on agriculture, primarily coffee, to feed their families. Inhabitants of small farming communities throughout the so called "drought corridor" have been devastated by lack of rain, earthquakes and hurricanes. A slumping world economy and dropping coffee prices on the world market have added to the misery.
In response to the drought, dozens of relief organizations have sent millions of dollars worth of aid to the region. The United States, Europe and Japan have also responded to the crisis in these two parts of Latin America, but more needs to be done.
I am sure that some of you might be thinking that we don't need to go beyond our borders to find poverty. We have plenty of it if right here in the richest country in the world. As a matter of fact there are at least 11 million children in the United States that live in families with incomes below the federal poverty line. But fortunately, they are not starving to death. We are very lucky to have so many private and non-profit organizations as well as some government programs and religion based community groups that assist those who are hungry. However, those resources are scarce in the poor neighboring countries.
We as individuals can help, especially during this holiday time of giving. We can allow our generosity and compassion to extend beyond our borders. One way to give directly to those in need is by contacting the United Nations World Food Project at P.O. Box 11856, Washington, D.C. 20008, or you can also visit their web-site at www.friendsofwfp.org. |
