William Lambers: Canadians can do something about famine in South Sudan

Boy eats from ladle at his home in Ngop in South Sudan. The world's youngest nation, formed after splitting from the north in 2011, has declared famine in parts of Unity State. ALBERT GONZALEZ FARRAN / AFP/Getty Images

A true emergency is happening a world away in East Africa, but one that we can do something about. There are nearly seven million people at risk of severe hunger in South Sudan. Aid organizations like UNICEF and the World Food Program are sounding the warning as they are low on funding.

This is most tragic because the nutrition programs can save infants from starvation. “If funding is not timely secured, the children we know how to save may not make it,” says Andrea Suley of UNICEF in South Sudan.

This is where the public can make a life-saving difference by supporting relief agencies on the frontlines of hunger in South Sudan. Whether you do a fundraiser or get your representatives in government to send aid, you can save lives.

Seven million people. That would be like if the entire population of Massachusetts needed emergency food aid to survive. In South Sudan, years of civil war have destroyed agriculture and displaced whole communities. Parts of the country are at risk of famine.

The UN World Food Program says “There is a real risk of famine in those areas which are already very food insecure, should the overall situation in the country deteriorate and should there be a prolonged absence of humanitarian assistance.”

Food is desperately needed to save lives and the peace process in South Sudan. You can’t win peace if people are starving to death.

Simon Cammelbeeck, the WFP director in South Sudan, says “Unless we scale up humanitarian and recovery activities soon, more and more people will be at risk. This is especially worrying as those most in need of assistance are malnourished women and children.”

Food shortages in South Sudan have placed small children at the greatest risk. There are some 860,000 children under the age of five who are severely malnourished in South Sudan. The malnutrition can cause lasting physical and mental damage, or death. But WFP, UNICEF, Save the Children and others can save these kids with a treatment of Plumpy’Nut, a nutritious peanut paste. There has to be enough funding.

The number of war and drought emergencies around the globe has stretched humanitarian resources. But yet there is enough food in the world for everyone. Why can’t those in need get it?

The public and governments around the world can help South Sudan by funding relief operations in full. This includes emergency food aid and programs to rebuild agriculture like those run by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization and Catholic Relief Services.

Food is vital to build peace in South Sudan or anywhere.

The WFP and Catholic Relief Services run school feeding programs in South Sudan. This feeds hungry children and gets them back in class learning. We should make sure every child can get school meals in South Sudan, and hopefully supported by local farmers.

There has to be universal child feeding programs for infants and school age children. We can save a generation of children.

We can truly make a difference in rescuing South Sudan from their nightmare of hunger. Food will save lives and help bring South Sudan peace. You can donate to relief agencies in South Sudan including: The World Food Program, UNICEF, Catholic Relief Services, Save the Children, Mercy Corps, World Vision,

William Lambers is an author who partnered with the U.N. World Food Program and Catholic Relief Services on the book, Ending World Hunger.

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