The hunger for change can be overwhelming at times until we have the tools to satiate our appetite. This yearning can be applied to our desire to be heard and seen as well as our need to create value in this turbulent world. Having a sense of purpose in life does not magically appear when we become educated, it comes from an unmet need deep within our soul, a primal hunger. Empowerment comes when we have the tools to fill the void that can not be filled through traditional career or material pursuits. The Hunger Project creates opportunity for those with full bellies as well as those who are starving for their next meal. If you have been feeling like something is missing from your life, that the problems of the world are insurmountable, then you will absolutely love this project!
It’s About Self-Reliance and Sustainability
Sending money to a non-profit that purchases food to feed hungry people in the third world does nothing to empower the people in these communities to be self-reliant. Instead it often enforces a narrative of victims in the Third World being dependent on those of us who are fortunate enough to live abundantly in the First World. Conscious consumers often talk about growing food locally to reduce emissions from shipping, or pesticides from commercial agriculture. The Hunger Project has created a model to revitalize communities through sustainable initiatives that are as valuable to people in the First World as they are in developing countries.
Feeding Bellies, Minds, and Souls
May 28 is World Hunger Day, though it may as well be called Global Empowerment Day because a new paradigm in mutual upliftment is upon us. The Hunger Project has teamed up with UPLIFT to bring about a new paradigm in grassroots campaigns that will revolutionize the way we think about hunger. the hunger to learn is what inspires us to become educated, the hunger to help is what drives us to make a better world, the hunger to be heard is what causes us to raise our voices, the hunger to be seen is what motivates us to wear our finest outfit before hitting the town. Hunger isn’t the problem, the way we think about hunger is the real issue.
Though some may live with barely enough food to survive they may be rich in culture, supported in a community that drums and dances to celebrate the changing of seasons. Though some may have a large house and a full refrigerator, they may sit inside isolated from their community feeling powerlessness watching the news. We all hunger for the things we don’t have, and we all have the ability to give to ourselves while also empowering others to do the same. You can even give a dollar without spending a dollar while getting inspired by UPLIFT’s new film! Just keep reading…
Usually we wait for the government to do things and they never do. Yet when we confront the truth, when we think things through, we discover that we can take actions ourselves.
– The Hunger Project
Unlikely Leaders in Unexpected Places
Cathy Burke, author of Unlikely Leaders and former Global Vice President of The Hunger Project shares the wisdom of grassroots leaders who have ended hunger in their villages, brought education to their youth, and empowered women to have a voice in the development of their communities. These tales of extraordinary courage and human brilliance are so unexpected and all the more remarkable because they come from people and regions where we think have not much to offer at all. This is revolutionary at a time when governments in wealthy nations struggle to provide healthcare, pesticide-free food, and a good education. Individuals across the globe are lifting each other up to make sure these needs are met, that the hunger for dignity and respect is satiated as well as the desire for nourishment from our food.
In this book you will learn about resilience from a non-literate woman who navigates ridicule and threats of violence to bring water to her village. You’ll discover how we can find our voice by learning from a woman who first had to discover her own power, and when she did, she got girls in school. These stories are captivating and moving, providing a roadmap for personal and social change.
– Unlikely Leaders
Give a Dollar Without Spending a Dollar!
UPLIFT is producing a short film that will be released on May 28 to commemorate World Hunger Day, and the mission to end hunger on our planet. For each person that signs up with their email to see the film they will donate $1 to the Hunger Project! That’s it… just enter your email, confirm it by clicking the link that is sent to you, and a dollar will be donated to this amazing project. Not only that but you will be the first to see this inspired film about empowering ourselves and others to make a better world by starting in our own local communities.
Collaboration and cooperation will be the antidotes to greed and oppression in our world. No longer can we afford to allow ourselves to feel hopeless and disempowered waiting for someone else to fix things for us. Making a better world is a team effort. As our planet floats through an endless sea of stars, it is becoming evident that we are all in this together, and together we will thrive against all odds. This is not charity this is self-empowerment. Let’s do this!
This article first appeared in The Huffington Post.
