Words by Smiley Team
Throughout Latin America, Action Against Hunger’s teams are distributing food, prevention supplies, and hygiene materials to ensure that the hunger crisis is not further exacerbated by the pandemic.
The organisation has over 40 years experience in humanitarian aid and development, treating and preventing hunger in 50 countries and serving 21 million people in 2018 alone.
As movement restrictions and confinement measures impact on the daily diet of millions of people, they are increasingly difficult to sustain: "In Lima, the street market did not take long to reappear after more than 40 days of isolation, and there is no longer respect for social isolation requirements,” explains América Arias, Country Director for Action Against Hunger in Peru, where there are more than 88,000 confirmed cases.
Peru also has significant internal displacement: 165,000 people have requested humanitarian transfers in attempts to leave the capital and return to their hometowns due to job losses.
Action Against Hunger’s Country Director John Orlando is also concerned for the hundreds of Venezuelans in Colombia who are trying to return home: "Buses from different parts of the country arrive at border stations such as Norte de Santander and, in these situations, it is essential to guarantee protection to minimize the risks of contagion from both sides of the border.”
In Guatemala, where the state of disaster has been extended until June 4, there is concern about the limited testing capacity and a growing trend of returning migrants. "Guatemala only has 13 doctors and nurses per 10,000 inhabitants, while in some areas, there is only one ICU for 400 people.’
These same socioeconomic and health concerns are compounded by migration: "Remittances sent by Guatemalan migrants abroad will be reduced by at least 25%, just as families need them most. On the other hand, the governments of the United States and Mexico have continued with deportations of those detained at their borders -- without proper health checks. This has caused an indeterminate number of migrants to return to Guatemala sick with COVID-19, at a time when the health and welfare system is under the greatest pressure," adds García.
As well as distributing supplies, Action Against Hunger is also providing cash transfers and supporting the physical and mental health of those experiencing hunger as a result of the pandemic.
Each country and region experiences different problems and so different approaches are used. For example in Peru, the team collaborates with a network of local Peruvian and Venezuelan organisations – who together have distributed 44 tons of food donated by the private sector and Peruvian institutions. In addition, they have partnered with the Ministry of Health to prevent the spread of COVID-19 through messaging campaigns and distributions of protective equipment and hygiene products.
In Colombia, Action Against Hunger has been distributing food and monitoring the nutrient status of children in border areas whilst also working to prevent disease through hygiene awareness and distribution of supplies in highly populated urban areas, such as the city of Bogotá. Whereas in Guatemala and Nicaragua, Action Against Hunger is distributing food and hygiene kits, as well as disinfecting health facilities and training staff in infection prevention and control measures.
Without this work, the impact of the coronavirus pandemic will be felt for generations if hunger continues to affect people across the world. You can find out more about Action Against Hunger on their website and donate here to support their work.
By Ellen Jones
