50 leaders, 50 weeks, 50 views on how to feed the world - an initiative marking WFP's 50 years on the frontlines of hunger.
To mark WFP's 50 years of service to the hungry, we asked 50 influential people to give us their thoughts on the global fight against hunger. A fresh videoclip, with a new person's take on hunger, will be published here every week. 50 Takes On Hunger aims to be a global conversation on hunger, so please tell us what you think. Listen to what people say on this page and leave your comments at the bottom.
Molly, a 13-year-old girl from the Mathare slum in Kenya, talks about the meals she receives every day in class through WFP’s school feeding programme. Last year, Molly starred in a series of videos she made herself using a camera lent to her by WFP, which showed how those meals make a difference in the lives of children like her. Her videos were watched and shared thousands of times by people all over the world. Watch Molly's Videos | Watch 50 Takes On Hunger
Sometimes WFP’s food assistance needs a bit of extra help to make it to communities in need. Naval protection from organizations like NATO lets WFP deliver food even under dangerous conditions, says Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO Secretary General
Fighting hunger is about finding new ways to reach out to those who can afford to help as well as using innovative tools to assist those in need, says Ann Cairns, President of International Markets for MasterCard.
With so many children in the world going without daily meals, we must share our successes with the kids who really deserve it, says Christian Courtin-Clarins, Chairman of luxury cosmetics company Clarins.
Fashion designer Donna Karan asks us all to do our part to help those in need get the food they need to survive and be healthy.
We all know people who don’t get enough to reach their full potential, says David Novak, CEO of Yum! Brands, Inc., which is why the cause of solving global hunger is so inspiring to millions of people.
Effective HIV treatment requires good nutrition, says UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé, but unfortunately too many people in the world living with HIV still don’t have enough to eat; this means they often are not able to continue their treatment.
It is important to provide enough food and calories for those in need, says Feike Sijbesma, CEO of Royal DSM, but it is essential that we also provide food with the right nutrients to keep people alive and health.
Malnutrition has lifelong effects on health and on productivity, says economist and Nobel Laureate Joseph Stiglitz, especially when it occurs in children. See more 50 Takes On Hunger.
We need to do three things to end hunger, says Tony Hall Executive Director of the Alliance to End Hunger: collaborate better, educate the public and develop political will.
Beyond assisting in humanitarian emergencies, we need to help people prepare for future emergencies, says Ambassador David Lane. Fortunately, greater knowledge and political will around the world means we have reason to be optimistic about the fight against hunger.
With programmes like those run by WFP and other UN agencies, says economist Jeffrey Sachs, we have the opportunity to end the tragedy of hunger and to build a healthier and more prosperous world.
Many of the hungry poor are also disempowered and on the margins of society, says Olivier De Schutter, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, and giving them a voice is key to successfully reducing hunger and malnutrition
Empowering the poor is the key to feeding the nation, says First Lady of Zambia Dr. Christine Kaseba Sata, who calls on governments to ensure that land is used properly to reduce hunger and poverty.
Lauren Bush Lauren, co-founder and CEO of FEED Projects, says we can make a great impact on the solvable problem of global hunger if we all work together
Child hunger is growing, says Arianna Huffington, President and Editor-in-chief of the Huffington Post Media Group, but we have the ability to stop this suffering if we all work together. Watch some of the other 50 Takes On Hunger.
WFP Ambassador Against Hunger for Korea Jang Dong-gun talks about his experience visiting WFP's operations in the southeast Asian country of Laos.
WFP Ambassador Against Hunger Maria Grazia Cucinotta describes the opportunities she has been given to travel the world working with children. It is a gift, the actress says, to be able to interact with so many children in her role as ambassador.
United States Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack recalls his own childhood as an orphan and discusses the strong, moral imperative shared by everyone to help end hunger.
Everyone has a part to play in the fight against hunger, says actress Drew Barrymore, underlining that a little bit can go a long way towards changing the lives of hungry children. See more 50 Takes On Hunger
There's no silver bullet for ending global hunger, according to philanthropist and WFP Ambassador Howard G. Buffett, who says empowering the world's 2 billion small farmers to grow more and better food is a key step towards ensuring future food security. See more 50 Takes On Hunger
Calling hunger one of the most debilitating things that anyone can experience in life, actor Hugh Jackman implores each of us to do our part to conquer this most imperative of causes. See More 50 Takes On Hunger
Agricultural scientist M.S. Swaminathan praises the work of the dedicated “hunger fighters” around the world who spend every day helping those most in need.
As a mother, WFP Ambassador Against Hunger Christina Aguilera identifies with the millions of women around the world who struggle to feed their children every day.
WFP is breaking new ground by partnering with small farmers and helping them connect with markets, says Jim Ingram who was head of the agency from 1982-1992.
Tunisian actress and WFP Ambassador Against Hunger Hend Sabry says hunger is at the root of many of the world's most pressing problems such as education and healthcare.
WFP Ambassador Against Hunger George Stroumboulopoulos recalls his travels around the world with WFP, where he saw hunger on the frontlines of emergencies in Darfur, Pakistan and Haiti.
When he was a child, WFP Ambassador Against Hunger and World Champion Marathon Runner Paul Tergat did not go to school to learn. He went to receive daily meals from WFP, which encouraged him to stay in school longer and receive a better education.
David Nabarro, Special Representative of the Secretary-General, emphasizes the collective role that we all play – the United Nations, governments, civil society and the private sector – as we work together to end hunger.
With so many people going hungry in the 21st century, musician and WFP Celebrity Partner Sami Yusuf calls on all of us to do our part in the fight against hunger, the world’s greatest solvable problem.
During her visits to orphanages in southern Africa, Ambassador Against Hunger Hlubi Mboya realized the immense potential of a proper diet to strengthen not only the body, but also the mind and spirit
Hunger affects all of humanity, says Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt, and is particularly harmful for millions of children who are deprived the right to a long and healthy life.
Swiss dance music icon DJ BoBo recounts visiting a school in Ethiopia where WFP provides children with daily, nutrition meals.
Citing the negative effects of hunger on the ability to work and study, Malian musicians and WFP Ambassadors against Hunger Amadou & Mariam call on us to join hands in solidarity as we defend the hungry.
Despite the faces of suffering that he has seen, Rajiv Shah, Administrator for USAID, remains optimistic about our ability to end hunger for the world’s most vulnerable populations
“With so many people struggling to feed themselves every day, Philipines WFP Ambassador against Hunger KC Concepcion stresses the importance of learning about global hunger.”
Former President of Finland and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Martti Ahtisaari reminds the international community of the need to protect the most vulnerable members of society, particularly women and children.
Executive Director of UN Women Michelle Bachelet describes the critical role that women play in helping communities to break out of the cycle of poverty and hunger
Ambassador Against Hunger John Kufuor speaks about the fundamental needs of humanity, calling food the most dire concern.
Paul Polman, CEO of Unilever, tells us why the emergence of public-private partnerships is so important in the fight against hunger.
President Porfirio Lobo Sosa of the Republic of Honduras remembers WFP’s response to the great humanitarian and food needs that followed the floods of 2011.
Mary Robinson, Chair of the Mary Robinson Foundation, notes the need to link the effects of climate change to food security in order to continue the fight against hunger.”
Roger Thurow, Senior Fellow for Global Agriculture and Food Policy at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, explains how after visiting Ethiopia during the food crisis of 2003, he was moved to describe hunger as “a disease of the soul.”
Mamphono Khaketla, Minister of Education and Training of Lesotho and a former WFP beneficiary, talks about how important it is for children to have a full stomach if they are to learn well in school.
Danish Minister for Development Cooperation Christian Friis Bach notes the many benefits of supporting poor farmers, including creating economic growth and combating hunger and poverty.
European Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response Kristalina Georgieva talks about the heartbreaking scenes of starvation she has encountered in places such as Somalia, South Sudan, North Korea and the Sahel, including the life-long affliction of childhood malnutrition.
UK Secretary of State for International Development, Andrew Mitchell recounts his recent trips to places such as Afghanistan and Karamoja where he saw first hand the work WFP is doing to help people pull themselves out of poverty.
UN Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Response Coordinator Valerie Amos calls hunger one of the greatest crimes in our world today.
Microsoft founder and international philanthropist Bill Gates explains how ensuring that people have enough food to eat is the single most basic thing we can do to improve people's lives and make the world a better place.
In the first episode of the 50 Takes On Hunger series, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon recalls his own experience with hunger as a child in war-torn Korea.