Q: Can you define “hunger” for us as well as community food security?
A: Hunger is a condition where individuals do not have enough food to meet their daily nutritional needs, leading to physical weakness, malnutrition, and a weakened immune system. Community food security is about ensuring that all people in a community have access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food for a healthy and active life.
Q: How does agricultural training transform a family and their future opportunities?
A: Agricultural training has the power to transform families, lifting them out of hunger and poverty into a future of stability and opportunity. For many families in Rwanda, limited farming knowledge and poor soil management mean low yields and constant food insecurity. But when parents receive training in improved farming techniques, everything changes!
Q: Can you give an example of how you’ve seen that happen in Rwanda?
A: Yes! There is Marie, a mother of four who once struggled to feed her children. Before training, her farm produced little beyond cassava and maize, leaving her family malnourished. Through farmer field schools she learned about soil fertility, crop diversification, and post-harvest handling. She started growing nutrient-rich vegetables and practicing sustainable farming. In just one season, her harvest doubled! Not only could she feed her children nutritious meals, but she also sold surplus produce, earning enough to afford school fees and healthcare. Her children, once weak from malnutrition, became healthier and more energetic in school.
“Agricultural training doesn’t just grow food, it grows futures. It empowers families to break the cycle of hunger.” — Donat, Rwanda
Let’s Restore Hope
An estimated 733 million people live in chronic hunger. That’s one in eleven people globally. Today, due to escalating conflict, soaring inflation, and unprecedented weather events, a mind- boggling 1.9 million people have been pushed into full-on starvation. The world has lost 15 years of progress in the fight against hunger.
But there is hope! Together, we can—and are—making a difference.
Since 2021, Canadians have supported over 8,000 people to access agricultural training and learn to grow gardens, raise livestock, sell produce, and more through partnership with FH Canada! Thousands of parents like Marie are now trained to grow long-term solutions to hunger and thriving futures for their children. Together, we pulled families back from the brink of extreme hunger. Your gift combined with the gifts of thousands of Canadians creates an overflowing cascade of support that is ending hunger.