Feed the Future: Nourish 120 Underprivileged Dream

Children's rights are being overshadowed by climate change. Extreme weather events threaten the survival, growth, and development of the very young. These extreme events are a time bomb putting the lives of children at risk. At their young age, children lack the capacity to cope with natural disasters or climate stresses such as droughts, floods, avalanches, or diseases resulting from environmental crises.

Climate change not only affects the planet but also accelerates and intensifies inequality. In Colombia, 12.1% of the population lives in conditions of extreme poverty. These people bear the brunt of climate and environmental degradation. A significant part of society, especially the most vulnerable, faces even greater risks than before. As if the needs already knocking on their doors were not enough, they now have to be constantly on alert to ensure that climate change does not further exacerbate problems related to health, food, drinking water, and decent infrastructure, hindering efforts to combat poverty and hunger.

Adverse weather events have increasingly occurred in recent years in Colombia, proving that this is not a distant problem. The last winter wave destroyed homes, schools, and health centers, drastically affecting the welfare of children and their families. Meanwhile, the current drought has damaged ecosystems, exacerbated water scarcity, and led to crop failures and higher food prices. These issues have caused food insecurity and disease among the children of the most vulnerable families, dangerously compromising their lives.

At the Bogota Food Bank, we are committed to the rights of our children. That is why we continue to fight against food waste in partnership with private enterprises, traders in the country's largest marketplace, and farmers in different municipalities to reduce greenhouse emissions. At the same time, through our Comprehensive Nutrition Program, we strive to bring quality food to the neediest children, strengthening the solidarity that unites those who can help and those who need help.

Defending children's rights means taking urgent action and adapting to climate change. It is a race against time that, if not approached with constancy, forcefulness, and generosity, it is impossible to reach the goal. The invitation remains for you to support initiatives such as the Food Bank of Bogota, which achieve comprehensive and sustainable work to build more resilient communities and promote the care of the planet.

Thank you for supporting our daily efforts. Today, we invite you once again to help us ensure that food in Colombia is a right, not a privilege.

To learn more about our work, visit us at: www.bancodealimentos.org.co

Links:

• Bogota Food Bank website