{About}   {Our Mission}   {News & Events}   {Contact}   {Members}   Poverty and Hunger Traditionally defined as lack of income, poverty also means lack of access to healthcare, nutrition, education, and employment. It is perpetuated by hunger. People without enough food to eat are unlikely to have the strength to educate themselves, learn marketable skills, or find and keep a job. The United Nations Development Program points out: Nearly 1.3 billion people — more than one-fifth of the world's population — live in extreme poverty on little more than US$1 a day. Some 840 million people — one out of every seven worldwide — are malnourished. Although the world produces plenty of food, it is not getting to those who need it most. When the health and productivity of a nation declines, it is vulnerable to economic and social hardship and political instability.   Children at Risk For decades, and especially in recent years, Rotarians have been focusing their attention and resources on vulnerable and troubled children. From "adopting" homeless children to serving meals to schoolchildren from low-income families, Rotary clubs worldwide are working to provide education, housing, and a safe, secure environment for needy children. The plight of children at risk merits every effort. According to United Nations agencies, an astounding number of children worldwide are l iving under extremely difficult conditions: Some 40 million children ages 14 and younger suffer abuse and neglect. An estimated 250 million children ages 5-14 are working. More than 100 million children live on the streets, vulnerable to exploitation, drugs, and crime. Nearly 12 million children under age five die every year from preventable childhood diseases and malnutrition. Some 130 million children of primary school age, mostly girls, do not attend school, contributing to shorter life spans and greater susceptibility to poverty and illness.