Hunger in the United States and Around the World

Hunger in the United States and Around the World and the Effect on Child Development

My Mom was born in 1946, the fourth child in a family that eventually grew to ten children.  They lived in a small suburb of Detroit called, Garden City.  Her father worked for General Motors as a factory worker.  His job was steady and he was able to keep a roof over their heads and the utilities turned on but that was about it.  Her mother did not drive and had ten children to care for so she did not work outside the home.  She babysat for other people’s children, took in ironing and made decorative cakes after getting the opportunity to take a cake decorating class.

They were helped with food and clothing by the Salvation Army and their church. They received powdered milk and cheese through government surplus programs.  Once their family’s need was known in the community, people would just drop off food and household items on their porch. The police department would bring fruit baskets.  So they were not really hungry.  It always made my grandmother happy when each of her ten children got a half a piece of fresh fruit each day.

However, being needy took a psychological toll on the children.  To this day my mom does not drink milk because my grandmother would mix the powdered milk with the regular milk to stretch it.  My mom was required to drink it, but hated the taste.  She doesn’t especially like cheese either, after eating so much of it as a child.  It was embarrassing to have to have strangers dropping off food at the house.  Being the fourth child, she was one of the first to become aware of just how needy they were.

They were fortunate to have extended family that pitched in with some extras for the children, especially at Christmas.  My mother’s most prized possession was a record player.  She would escape to her room and listen to music to cheer herself up.  When she was old enough to babysit she was allowed to use some of the money to buy a few new records.  She remembers one Christmas when she just wanted to stay in her room and listen to records instead of seeing what Santa brought.  She knew her parents couldn’t afford Christmas and felt bad getting anything.  She thought everything should go to the littler siblings.

One of the hardest things about not having money for food was the toll it took on my grandfather.  He was harsh with his children, partly because of his shame at not being able to provide for them the way he thought he should.  They all have some psychological scars, probably from the chronic stress of living with a harsh father.

The good news is all ten children went on to have success in their lives.  They all graduated from high school.  Only one of them went to college, but they all hold good jobs that have enabled them to provide for their own children better than their parents could.  They have close relationships with each other and all keep in touch.  Several of them have been married to the same spouse for over 40 years.  They are reasonably healthy and have good eating habits.  They all really like fruit. They are all generous with time and money to help others in need.  Their children have all gone on to successful lives, many of them achieving more than one college degree.

The people and agencies that helped my Mom’s family really made a difference in their lives.  The assistance with food, clothing and a few extras allowed my grandparents to focus on keeping a roof over all their heads, so they never became homeless.  The children need not have to quit school to get jobs so they all got a good education.  These good things have gone on to effect the next generation, as they have raised productive members of society.

In order to take a look at hunger around the world I studied several websites.  The one that gave me the most hope was The Hunger Project website. (www.thp.org)  I watched two videos that gave great insight into the work they are doing.  The first was Hunger Not in Isolation (Hunger project, 2008) It told the story of a woman in Africa who struggled to feed her children.  The problem was multifaceted, compounded by village traditions.  She was not able to send her daughters to school because it was frowned upon and because she needed them to help her do the daily work just to keep the household going.  Her husband had moved to the city to obtain work, but sent home little money after paying for his own needs for food and shelter.

Everything changed for her family when the Hunger Project arrived at her village.  After about a decade, her self-esteem had improved and she was running her own business, enabling her husband to return and work with her. Her daughters were finally able to attend school. She began working for the Hunger project and even ran for a political office.  Not just her household but her entire village had turned around to the point where they had all become self-sufficient.

Next I watched a video on the Hunger Project website called Epicenter Strategy. (Hunger project,2011)  It describes the four part process the Hunger Project uses to transform villages in Africa.  The four phase strategy takes about eight years to complete.  It involves mobilizing 10,000 people in a small geographical area, educating them, helping them build necessary buildings and getting them working in their own businesses.  The end goal is to leave the village in a state of sustainable self-reliance.    At the end the people are more educated, healthier and happier than they have ever been.

In conclusion, hunger anywhere is a multifaceted concern.  It effects people and especially children in all domains of their development.  Its effects can be serious and long-term.  However, evidence shows that agencies and people working together can make a difference in families and societies.

References

The Hunger project website. (www.thp.org)

 Hunger project, 2008. Hunger not in isolation. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccbdKKPclFk.

  Hunger project, 2011.Epicenter strategy. Retrieved from thp.org/our-work/where-we-work/africa.