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Monday 15 December 2008

SWAZILAND HUNGER CRISIS ON TV

Readers of this blog who live in the United Kingdom (and I have more readers in the UK than in Swaziland – you figure it out) might like to know that a documentary about Swaziland’s food crisis will be shown on television tomorrow (Tuesday 16 December 2008).


The Hunger Season follows two years in the lives of rural people in Swaziland. According to the documentary makers there is an ‘unfolding humanitarian crisis’ in the kingdom. It asks the question ‘why, in spite of our incredible agricultural productivity, in spite of the Millennium Goals and a massive UN food aid programme, are we failing to solve the problem of hunger?’


In the past year about 60 per cent of Swaziland’s one million population relied on international food aid to avoid starvation.


The film tells the story of a young teacher called Justice and the children in his care living in the heart of rural Swaziland as they struggle to survive a year of drought and diminishing food handouts. The film connects their story to the Swazi Government, to the UN agencies and ultimately Western governments, unravelling the forces at work in one crisis, charting the players and decision makers who actions will determine the fate of one small community.


The documentary will be shown on the Freeview satellite channel More 4 at 10pm.


To read more about the Hunger Season and to see a short promo film click here.



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