Baptist World Alliance, BWA News Release

October is hunger emphasis month

Baptist World Alliance Logo
October is hunger emphasis month

The Baptist World Alliance observes Hunger Emphasis Month in October. During this month, the international umbrella organization for Baptists sensitizes the Baptist community in particular and the broader international community of the immediate need of hunger faced by millions around the world.

Hunger kills more people each year than AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis combined. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that 805 million people of the 7.1 billion people in the world, or one in nine persons, suffer from chronic undernourishment.

Children are the most visible victims of under-nutrition.  Children who are poorly nourished suffer up to 160 days of illness each year. Poor nutrition plays a role in at least half of the 10.9 million child deaths each year – five million deaths.

Poverty is the principal cause of hunger, which in turn is caused by harmful or weak economic systems, policy failure, conflict, epidemics and natural disasters.

The BWA aims to improve the lives of persons and communities affected by poverty and hunger by sponsoring, supporting and funding projects that create employment opportunities, increase or improve food production, community development, and assisting victims of disaster and those suffering from forced migration, such as refugees and other displaced persons.

More information on Hunger Emphasis Month is available here.

Donations may be made online at www.bwanet.org or mailed to:
Baptist World Aid
c/o Baptist World Alliance
405 North Washington Street
Falls Church VA 22046

Baptist World Alliance®
© October 3, 2014

The Baptist World Alliance, founded in 1905, is a fellowship of 266 conventions and unions in 134 countries and territories comprising 51 million baptized believers in 178,000 churches. For more than 100 years, the Baptist World Alliance has networked the Baptist family to impact the world for Christ with a commitment to strengthen worship, fellowship and unity; lead in mission and evangelism; respond to people in need through aid, relief, and community development; defend religious freedom, human rights, and justice; and advance theological reflection and leadership development.