(ANS – Madrid) – On 16 and 17 October, two important international days are observed: World Food Day and the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, respectively. Both occasions highlight two closely related issues. A lack of income prevents access to adequate food, whilst hunger and malnutrition affect health, hinder learning and reduce the chances of finding decent work.
The latest United Nations report on food security and nutrition shows some progress. In 2025, around 645 million people – almost 8 per cent of the world’s population – were suffering from hunger, nearly 14 million fewer than the previous year. However, progress remains uneven and is insufficient to achieve the ‘Zero Hunger’ target by 2030.
Hunger is merely the most visible manifestation of a much broader problem. Around 2,100 million people live in conditions of moderate or severe food insecurity. This means they do not have regular access to sufficient food or are forced to reduce the quantity and quality of what they eat.
Hunger is declining, but a healthy diet remains out of reach for millions of people
Furthermore, nearly 2,700 million people – around one third of the world’s population – cannot afford a healthy diet. Armed conflicts, forced displacement, extreme weather events, rising prices and economic inequalities continue to affect access to safe, varied and nutritious food.
In addition to these figures, around 2,200 million people worldwide lack access to safe drinking water; 4,200 million do not have access to safe sanitation facilities; and 3,000 million do not even have basic facilities for handwashing.
Poverty, too, continues to reach enormous proportions. The World Bank estimates that in 2025, some 831 million people were living on less than three dollars a day: the new international benchmark used to measure extreme poverty. The situation is particularly severe in sub-Saharan Africa and in countries affected by conflict, institutional fragility or protracted crises.
Economic poverty is compounded by other deprivations. The Multidimensional Poverty Index highlights that 1,100 million people are simultaneously deprived of essential rights and services relating to health, education and living conditions. Furthermore, nearly 80 per cent live in regions exposed to drought, flooding, high temperatures or other climate-related risks.
Education and training: key elements in ensuring that stories of poverty have a different ending
Manikkam, for example, grew up in a poor family in a tribal community in Kerala, India, and was barely able to attend the Salesian school. After years of precarious work, she received training in beekeeping, entrepreneurship and basic bookkeeping. Today she owns 20 beehives and combines her work as a kitchen assistant with the income from her small honey-producing business. The training has enabled her to strengthen her family’s finances and regain the dignity that comes with being an entrepreneur.
In Colombia, Diane found a career path and a life project through the “Circo Social” course run by the “Juan Bosco Obrero” Salesian organisation. In Africa, Sylvie and Christopher travelled from Rwanda and Uganda to Ghana to specialise in solar energy. Their technical training will enable them to return to their communities with skills relevant to employment and sustainable development.
Behind these figures are people who struggle every day to feed their families and gain access to new opportunities. Education alone does not solve all the causes of poverty, but it provides knowledge, autonomy and skills to find employment, start a business, understand one’s rights and participate in community development.
These are just a few examples of how Salesian education can transform immediate aid into lasting opportunities. “Together with the Salesian missionaries, we operate in 138 countries across five continents, running schools, youth centres, shelters and vocational training centres, with a particular focus on children and young people in the most vulnerable situations,” explain representatives from Misiones Salesianas, the Salesian Mission Office in Madrid.
Combating hunger means ensuring food today, but also providing the tools for tomorrow. A school, vocational training or support to set up a small business can enable a person to earn a stable income, improve their family’s diet and break the vicious cycle of poverty which, all too often, is passed down from generation to generation.
Fuente: Misiones Salesianas