By Dan Robinson

In a world grappling with unprecedented challenges, the convergence of minds at the World Vision ENOUGH Campaign kickoff event was a significant and hopeful development, symbolizing the collective resolve to combat child hunger and malnutrition. The event was marked by the presence of distinguished speakers including President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera of Malawi, Guatemalan Minister of Foreign Affairs Mario Búcaro, and World Food Programme Executive Director Cindy McCain. The kickoff event’s various presenters and other participants highlighted the urgent need to act against the rising tide of malnutrition and hunger affecting millions globally, especially children.

The Challenge
The event painted a vivid picture of the significant health problems caused by hunger and malnutrition in children, such as stunted growth and increased vulnerability to illnesses. President Chakwera emphasized the progress made by countries like Malawi in improving nutrition outcomes but also noted the high rates of stunting and undernourishment that continue to impact children under five. The global food crisis, exacerbated by climate change, rising food and fertilizer prices, a debt crisis, and escalating inequality, is having catastrophic effects on children’s nutrition and future.

The Campaign & The Path Forward

The ENOUGH Campaign, launched by World Vision International, is a three-year initiative aimed at addressing these pressing global issues. The campaign emphasizes collaboration and collective action, bringing together various stakeholders, including faith leaders and the private sector, to work together and bring their unique perspectives to address hunger and malnutrition. The ENOUGH Campaign aligns with the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement, recognizing the importance of multi-sectoral programming and addressing the underlying systemic and root causes of hunger and malnutrition.

The ENOUGH Campaign launch event underscored the critical and urgent need to address child hunger and malnutrition, with speakers sharing personal stories and showcasing national commitments and collaborative efforts. The launch event featured a collective call for immediate action, strategic partnerships, and impactful policies to ensure the availability of nutritious food and end child hunger and malnutrition globally. The speakers emphasized moving from awareness to action, with various countries and organizations pledging their commitments and support to the cause.

Youth advocates from Ghana, Tanzania, and Bangladesh joined the illustrious list of speakers at the ENOUGH kickoff event to bring their fresh perspectives and emphasize the importance of including the voices of those most affected by the issues discussed. The young participants discussed important challenges including ending child marriage and child labor, and they called for a coordinated response bridging interconnected aspects of the hunger and malnutrition crisis such as conflict, climate change, and high prices.

As part of the launch event, celebrity chef Lorna Maseko demonstrated ways to cook nutritious and tasty dishes using local and sustainable ingredients like beans, sorghum, and indigenous spinach. Chef Maseko emphasized the importance of changing people’s perceptions about food. Her culinary demonstration not only added a unique flavor to the event but also served as a practical example of how nutritious and sustainable cooking can be integrated into everyday life.

Takeaways and Next Steps
The World Vision Kickoff Event was a blend of serious discussions, personal experiences, culinary demonstrations, and cultural exchanges showcasing a holistic and engaging approach to addressing the serious issue of child hunger and malnutrition. The involvement of young advocates and the emphasis on sustainable practices and cultural exchange enriched the discourse, fostering understanding and appreciation of diverse culinary traditions and sustainable practices.
The event concluded with a strong commitment to action, emphasizing the urgency of addressing child malnutrition and the importance of working together with a unified and powerful voice that demands action from leaders to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

I4DI’s Support of the ENOUGH Campaign
I4DI is honored to have been entrusted by World Vision to enhance the ENOUGH campaign’s Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) systems, ensuring the campaign’s important impacts are effectively measured and understood.
Guided by the campaign’s learning agenda, I4DI will embark on a journey to answer pivotal questions related to advocacy, programming, and fundraising. From establishing baseline data values to providing a foundation for activity learning questions, our partnership in the campaign will offer a comprehensive view of the campaign’s impacts, challenges, and successes in World Vision Field Offices.
The I4DI team and our World Vision partners are committed to ensuring our collaboration translates into actionable insights, fostering transformative change for children globally.