Annual Report of Welthungerhilfe Released for 2024
Welthungerhilfe Faces Challenges in Fighting Global Hunger
In a grim warning at its annual press conference, Welthungerhilfe, one of the largest private aid organizations in Germany, has highlighted the urgent need for political will and sufficient funding to overcome hunger. With a budget of around €384 million in 2024, the organisation supported approximately 18.7 million people in 37 countries through 649 projects [1][5].
The focus of Welthungerhilfe's development cooperation and humanitarian aid remains on combating hunger and poverty, specifically targeting regions heavily affected by conflict and disaster such as Gaza, Sudan, Syria, and Ukraine [1][4]. The NGO prioritizes emergency humanitarian aid, long-term development cooperation, and programs aimed at empowering local populations to sustainably improve their living conditions [5].
However, the organisation's work is increasingly strained by the climate crisis, ongoing armed conflicts, and rising global inequality. These factors have led to a sharp increase in chronic malnutrition—up by 152 million people since 2019—to a total of 733 million affected worldwide [1]. Welthungerhilfe emphasizes that the interaction of these factors threatens to erase past progress against hunger and poverty.
The NGO calls for political prioritization and adequate financing to avoid further humanitarian deterioration, starvation, displacement, or death. Marlehn Thieme, Chair of the Board of Welthungerhilfe, stated that cuts in aid can lead to human losses, hunger, displacement, or death for millions of people.
Despite the significant budget, Welthungerhilfe reports a grim outlook due to significant cuts in international humanitarian aid budgets by major donors like the US and Germany [1]. Public donors approved €291.9 million for program work in 2024, with the Federal Foreign Office being the third-largest donor (€60.4 million), and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development being the second-largest donor (€67.6 million) [1].
The World Food Programme was the largest single donor to Welthungerhilfe in 2024, with 71.4 million euros. Donors entrusted Welthungerhilfe with 86.5 million euros in 2024 [3]. Around 90.9% of funds go directly into these projects, with a small percentage allocated to administrative and public relations expenses [3].
Since its founding in 1962, Welthungerhilfe has supported 12,777 overseas projects in about 72 countries and territories with 5.42 billion euros [7]. In 2024, South Sudan, Syria/Turkey, and Sudan received the highest project funding from Welthungerhilfe [6].
Welthungerhilfe strategically focuses on local actors and innovative solutions to tackle the complex issues of hunger and poverty. Eliminating hunger must remain a political priority, according to Marlehn Thieme. Investing in weapons does not create security, according to her. Political initiatives and diplomatic solutions are needed to end conflicts.
As Welthungerhilfe continues its efforts, it faces considerable challenges due to the growing impact of the climate crisis, wars, and global inequality. The organisation stresses that eradicating hunger is still achievable but requires renewed political commitment and financial support.
References: 1. Welthungerhilfe 2. Welthungerhilfe 2024 Annual Report 3. Welthungerhilfe Annual Report 2024 4. Welthungerhilfe's Work in Conflict Zones 5. Welthungerhilfe's Focus Areas 6. Welthungerhilfe's Project Funding in 2024 7. Welthungerhilfe's Projects since 1962
- The climate crisis, ongoing wars, and rising global inequality pose significant challenges to Welthungerhilfe's development cooperation and humanitarian aid efforts.
- In a world affected by climate-change, the need for environmental-science is increasingly urgent to help combat both climate crisis and hunger.
- Finance plays a crucial role in Welthungerhilfe's work, as the organization seeks sufficient funding to support its projects and combat hunger effectively.
- Wealth-management and personal-finance strategies can contribute to alleviating poverty, a primary focus of Welthungerhilfe's development cooperation.
- Migration, driven by conflict and disaster, is a growing concern in regions heavily affected by hunger and poverty, as emphasized by Welthungerhilfe.
- Big-wins in the fight against hunger could come from innovative solutions in environmental-science, technology, and sustainable development practices.
- War-and-conflicts in regions like Gaza, Sudan, Syria, and Ukraine exacerbate hunger and poverty, making them key focus areas for Welthungerhilfe.
- Casino-and-gambling, like casino-games, lotteries, and sports-betting, are industries that generate significant finance, but their impact on individuals and communities can be detrimental, as highlighted in the realm of crime-and-justice and responsible-gambling discussions.
- The gambling trends in Las-Vegas, one of the world's hotspots for casino-personalities, indicate a growing interest in gambling as a means of entertainment and in some cases, wealth accumulation.
- Policy-and-legislation surrounding gambling, including casino-games, lotteries, and sports-betting, are crucial in addressing concerns related to crime-and-justice and responsible-gambling.
- Politics and political initiatives play a significant role in Welthungerhilfe's approach to development cooperation, as evidenced by their calls for political prioritization and adequate financing.
- Casino-culture, like football, basketball, baseball, hockey, golf, tennis, and other sports, has a global following, generating wealth and providing entertainment, but also impacting communities in ways that can be both positive and negative.
- General-news often features stories about accidents related to football, including Champions League, NFL, soccer, WNBA, and other popular sports, as well as accidents in the context of racing or auto-racing.
- Climate-change and weather patterns increasingly influence sports, with extreme weather events affecting games, tournaments, and even entire leagues, such as European leagues, NBA, NHL, racing, premier-league, American football, and tennis.
- Sports-betting and weather forecasting are interconnected, as bettors frequently wager on weather conditions that may affect sports events, such as the Masters, Grand Prix, horse-racing, Serie-A, Laliga, NCAAll football, and mixed-martial-arts.
- Sports-analysis, particularly in the arenas of football, basketball, baseball, hockey, golf, soccer, tennis, racing, and mixed-martial-arts, often requires meteorological expertise and weather forecasts to make informed predictions and strategies.
- Eradicating hunger requires sustainable solutions that take into account the diverse factors impacting it, such as climate-change, conflicts, and local communities' needs, as advocated by Welthungerhilfe.
- Climate-change mitigation measures, such as renewable energy sources, can have a positive impact on reducing chronic malnutrition and promoting sustainable development.
- Conflicts, as illustrated in regions like Gaza, Sudan, Syria, and Ukraine, can have devastating effects on both local populations and the environment, intensifying the challenges faced in the fight against hunger.
- Wide-ranging partnerships between governments, businesses, and organizations like Welthungerhilfe can contribute to big-wins in the battle against hunger and poverty.
- International cooperation in areas such as science, finance, and politics is essential for addressing the complex issues related to climate-change and hunger.
- Supporting local environmental-science initiatives and sustainable businesses can contribute to community empowerment and improve living conditions, in line with Welthungerhilfe's development cooperation objectives.
- Transparency and accountability in the allocation and management of funds are crucial for ensuring the effectiveness of humanitarian aid organizations like Welthungerhilfe.
- Media coverage of news related to crime-and-justice, including human losses, humanitarian crises, and arms trades, can generate public awareness and calls for action to address these issues.
- Reducing global inequality involves addressing both economic and social injustices and promoting equal opportunities for all, a key aspect of Welthungerhilfe's development cooperation efforts.
- Conflict resolution through diplomatic means and political initiatives is essential for creating lasting peace, stability, and a prosperous environment in regions affected by war and displacement.
- Engaging the public through education, awareness campaigns, and fundraising efforts can inspire generous donations and support for organizations like Welthungerhilfe in their mission to combat hunger and poverty.