The developing world is currently in a state of struggle and is in a situation that it cannot resolve itself. Instead, it must rely on charitable donations, which is not a consistent form of income. Moreover, the residents of these countries will find themselves in more danger over the coming months, due to the drop in temperatures and the increase of seasonal illnesses. There are multiple charities designed to aid these struggling countries, but who needs our help?
Gaza/Palestine
The conflict in Palestine has destroyed homes, schools, and hospitals, and with Gaza being the largest city, it has been hit the hardest. Many citizens have been separated from their families and have no idea whether their loved ones are dead or alive. The conflict does not appear to be ending any time soon and so thousands more innocent lives will be damaged by what is happening in Palestine. Many families feel hopeless, and these are desperate times.
Somalia
Drought in Somalia is causing a humanitarian catastrophe, leaving over 6 million people with poor harvests and minimal water. Furthermore, 3.5 million people have been driven out of their homes due to civil unrest. Children of Somalia and their refugee families are being uprooted from their homes and are forced to flee to unfamiliar parts of the country or seek refuge in other countries. Not only this, but they are struggling o find safe and disease-free water in the process.
Yemen
Over 14 million people in Yemen are at risk of dying from starvation. Those who are vulnerable such as young children, the elderly, and the disabled are most likely to be affected. For example, over just a 3-month period, 85,000 children lost their lives to starvation. Not only is access to food limited, but the people of Yemen also lack clean water, medical supplies, and other life-saving facilities. 80% of Yemen’s population requires humanitarian assistance with families being separated, the loss of loved ones, the lack of medical supplies, and the state of the hospital facilities.
Kashmir
Kashmir has long been a scene of territorial conflict between Pakistan and India, causing thousands of mothers to become widows. Many women are left uncertain as to whether their husbands are still alive or not. Amongst feelings of grief and a lack of closure, women are left to struggle in extremely demanding and desperate circumstances. The women who are uncertain of their husband’s whereabouts are referred to as “half-widows”; these women are unable to bury or mourn their husbands, and also cannot remarry. Due to their desperate circumstances, they are very susceptible to exploitation, as they are willing to do whatever it takes to support their children. Tragically, many mothers lose their battles, resulting in over 20,000 orphans seeking shelter in Kashmir, however, the true number of orphans is much higher. This means that many orphans receive no support, forcing them to live in places of poor hygiene and turn to petty crime as a means of survival.
India
Despite being the fifth largest economy in the world, millions of children are going hungry in India. The huge presence of slums means that millions of families are denied access to clean water, food, healthcare, and other necessities. Shockingly, the richest 1% of Indians have more than four times the wealth of the poorest 70% of the population, encompassing 953 million people.
Conclusion
These are just 6 of the many countries that need our help and there are multiple charities designated to help alleviate poverty. Everyone should be given the opportunity to live secure life, but the sad fact is that billions of people across the globe are denied this right.