FC Barcelona Foundation supports Save The Children in its campaign against hunger on World Children's Day

On occasion of World Children's Day this November 20, the FC Barcelona Foundation is supporting one of Save The Children's biggest ever fundraising campaigns to combat world hunger, especially among children.

The FC Barcelona Foundation has joined the 'Rompe con el Hambre ('Break Hunger') campaign with the support of first team stars Ousmane Dembélé and Héctor Bellerín, and women's team players Ana Maria Crnogorcevic and Jana Fernández, who appear in a video urging members of the public and governments to take measures against a situation that nobody should consider acceptable. Holding up a fork, which symbolises a break from indifference, they are encouraging fans to donate to help end the world hunger crisis.

In 2022, 222 million people are facing severe hunger, the highest figure ever recorded. Two years ago, 45 million people were suffering from severe malnutrition, and by the end of this year the number is expected to have risen to 59 million.

Prolonged droughts, the Covid pandemic, climate change and the escalating prices of grain and fertilisers due to the war in Ukraine have led to a crisis unlike anything witnessed since the 1980s. Every four seconds, a child somewhere in the world dies of hunger.

It is children that are suffering most. Prolonged malnutrition leads to stunted growth, hinders mental and physical development, increases the risk of catching fatal illnesses, and ultimately death. Hunger remains the principal cause of death among children under the age of five, taking millions of infant lives every year.

Women and children make up 70% of the people suffering from famine in the world, and when food is scarce, they tend to be the last to eat and the ones who eat the least.

Save the Children and the FC Barcelona Foundation

The two organisations have been partnering since 2022, with a number of education, protection and health programmes in Colombia (Arauca, Tumaco and Buenaventura) and the Dominican Republic (Capotillo, Santo Domingo) that have generated opportunities for inclusion through sport from children and young adults in socially unstable communities. These programmes also offer comprehensive support to foster safe environments and equal rights for all.

Statement by Marta Segú, director general of FC Barcelona Foundation

“Perhaps we're tired of so much bad news and sometimes we don't want to accept the truth, but we cannot turn our backs on such a terrible situation in the world. Unfortunately famine is still one of the biggest problems faced by humankind right now and we need to do something to curb it.”