(Photo from ABC News: Esteban Biba)
Decreased income has affected the ability of families to purchase what they need. Food insecurity is among the top concerns for families during this crisis and leaves them vulnerable. Common Hope wants to provide food resources to families for as long as needed to aid in the effort to prevent even great food instability and hunger.
Hunger. Stomach rumbling. No work. No income. Restrictions on travel. These mean there is not enough food on the table for everyone. Families are making difficult choices about who will be able to eat and who will go without. This is the current reality in households across Guatemala. COVID-19 restrictions in Guatemala have inevitably caused an increase in acute malnutrition, and food insecurity has risen as one of the top concerns for families during the pandemic especially amongst already vulnerable populations.
The White Flag. There is a reason that hunger is sometimes referred to as the “silent killer.” Ask yourself, if you and your family were experiencing hunger, what would you do? Would you have the courage to tell your neighbor or friend you were struggling? Would you ask for assistance? White flags signaling hunger began to appear on the streets and in communities of Guatemala in early April and have since become common site across the country. They hang in windows or on roofs, have been painted on the sides of homes, and are held in the hands of families afraid that they will go to sleep hungry. These white flags ask, “please, can you help?”
Community. There is a strong sense of community in Guatemala––of neighbors watching out for each other and supporting one another in times of need. Common Hope social workers have seen this firsthand in the communities where we work. Families who have hung white flags have experienced the kindness and selflessness of neighbors who, though they have little to spare, answer the call for help by giving what they can spare.
Hope. There are Common Hope families who have hung white flags. Until those white flags are gone for good, our staff will continue to work tirelessly to eliminate hunger and provide families with the food they need.
But we can’t do this without you. You provide the critical funding Common Hope needs to pull down every white flag amongst the families we serve. Watch the video below to learn what has been done so far to address food insecurity and what comes next in the fight against hunger.