About Action Against Hunger and our Fight Against Climate Change

Action Against Hunger action for climate change

Chad : Floods, families pay the price of climate change

Since 2021, a series of events have greatly impacted this region of Central Africa. This is because 2021 was marked by the death of President Dbey and the establishment of a transitional military council. Added to this was a catastrophic rainy season that greatly worsened food security in the Sahel belt in 2022.

In 2022, flooding hit 16 of the country’s 23 provinces, affecting more than 622,550 people. In the province of Logone Occidental, in Moundou, in the south of the country, Action Against Hunger responded to 1,180 families with non-food kits and monetary support.

The majority of the affected population now lives in the city centre, in the schools of Guelbe, Guelkoura and Djarabe 1 and 2 and lack all necessities. AAH works to provide them with shelter, essential non-food items, food, access to water, sanitation and hygiene, as well as health, education and protection services. Their immediate environment is unhealthy, flooded and overgrown, with high risks to public health (malaria, waterborne diseases, epidemics, etc.). Farmland is flooded and many animals have been washed away.

Learn more about our missions in Chad: HERE

To read the full article: HERE

Action Against Hunger action for climate change

Zimbabwe, problems of access to water

In 2021, the Zimbabwe mission continued its interventions in food security and water,
sanitation and hygiene, fostering a partnership-based approach with two national partners – Africa Ahead and Nutrition Action Zimbabwe.

The mission has been implementing a multisectoral response to address food insecurity in the rural and urban populations caused by the effects of prolonged drought, COVID-19 restrictions and the prolonged economic crisis.

 The projects implemented aim to meet immediate needs while strengthening existing community systems and increasing access to drinking water. People are worried about water scarcity. Resources are below the minimum level required to provide sufficient drinking water for consumption, putting the population at risk of waterborne diseases (cholera, typhoid).

Only 30% of rural water sources are operational and protected. In urban areas, too, the shortage of electricity and the lack of treatment products are leading to a decrease in the supply of running water. The mission also contributes to the prevention and control of infections in health centres through the restoration of water infrastructure, sanitation and hygiene (wells, hand washing stations, latrines).

Learn more about our missions in Zimbabwe: HERE

To read the full article: HERE

Action Against Hunger action for climate change

South Sudan : Football unites young people

The youngest state in the world, South Sudan experienced a civil war from the very beginning of its independence. AAH has chosen to give hope to the younger generation through the universal language of sport.

In many countries, football is just a sport. But for the people of Paguir, a region that has faced conflict, hunger and severe flooding for years, it’s also a moment of respite and a way to bond and be together…even if that hasn’t always been the case.

Young people have been in conflict for a very long time,” said John Wat, captain of the Thok Chak village football team. “It was a real problem for our community, because people were scared and we couldn’t be together”.

One day, a handful of young people armed themselves with courage and decided to put an end to this situation. They too deserved to have a space to play, a space to escape, even for a moment, the stress of living in a region ravaged by conflict and the climate crisis.

The kids started playing football,” says John.

At dawn, young people from the different villages of the region find themselves under the scorching sun. They’re not here to fight. They’re here to play.

It’s a sunny day and the heat is sweltering. Many people gather around the field, most of them in direct sunlight. No one wants to miss this game. The elderly, women and children come to watch their champions play the final match of the Paguir Football Championship.

There’s still a long way to go. Players are united, but face the immense challenges of inequality, hunger and poverty every day. Yet they dream of becoming professional players and celebrate each of their victories together. Ruot is from Paguir, but he is the captain of Puyai’s team and he celebrates his team’s victories with pride.

Far too many young people have lost their lives in the fighting,” he said. People need to forget the past. That’s why we play football together”.

Learn more about our missions in South Sudan: HERE

To read the full article: click HERE

Action Against Hunger action for climate change

Guatemala : An increasingly harsh hurricane season

In 2021 in Central America, we focused a large part of our efforts on our response to the emergency caused by hurricanes ETA and IOTA, expanding our coverage to new geographical areas and opening two new bases, one in the autonomous region of the North Caribbean Coast (Nicaragua), and another in San Pedro Sula, which allowed us to resume our activities in Honduras. We have paid more attention to returning immigrants, especially in Guatemala and Honduras.

Together with our major donors, we have been able to meet the basic needs of the most vulnerable families returning to their countries and promote social and professional integration. Cash transfers remain the main form of assistance to the most vulnerable and food-insecure families. In 2021, we helped more than 45,000 people in the region.

 

Last June, another disaster hit the country: the eruption of the Fuego volcano in the south of the country that covered the region with a cloud of ash. In total, more than 200 people are missing and 190 people have lost their lives. This event comes in addition to the various climatic disasters endured by the country that worsen the food situation. The level of malnutrition among children under 5 years old in Guatemala is 46.5%, the highest in Latin America and one of the highest in the world.

Finally, we continue to prioritise research in partnership with academia, focusing on key humanitarian crises in the region: widespread and sustained food insecurity in the Seco Corredor region and increasing illegal immigration to Mexico and the United States, which pose significant protection risks, especially for women and children.

 

Learn more about our missions in Guatemala: HERE

To read the full article: HERE

Action Against Hunger's commitment

The most vulnerable people, who contributed the least to the disruption, are the hardest hit by the climate crisis. Action Against Hunger teams see this on a daily basis and act on the ground to support people. In order to be consistent with the commitments made by states at COP21, the 2015 Paris Climate Change Conference, which set a goal of limiting global warming to between 1.5 and 2 degrees, and aware of our responsibilities as an organisation, we have made several commitments.

 

First, to measure our impact on the environment. Then, to reduce our carbon footprint by setting a reduction target in line with the recommendations of the IPCC (the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) to halve  emissions by 2030 and at least 30% by 2025.

Finally, to adapt our humanitarian action to these new challenges by integrating an analysis of climate and environmental risks into all our actions and by promoting humanitarian actions with a positive impact on the environment.

Learn more about our commitments