THE ISSUES
The world is full of potential—but it’s not evenly managed.
Every day, families are forced to make impossible choices—between food and shelter, between safety and survival, between dreams and reality.
Extreme Poverty
Approximately 648 million people worldwide live in extreme poverty, surviving on less than $2.15 a day. This economic hardship severely limits access to basic necessities, including food, shelter, and healthcare.
Hunger and Malnutrition
The burden of malnutrition remains unacceptably high, with recent data suggesting that around 800 million people are undernourished globally. This issue is particularly severe in low-to-middle-income countries, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
Lack of Access to Clean Water and Sanitation
Globally, 703 million people lack access to clean drinking water, and 2.2 billion people do not have access to safely managed drinking water services. This scarcity leads to significant health risks, including waterborne diseases.
Environmental Degradation
Human-driven climate change has led to a significant increase in global dryness over the last 30 years, with 77.6% of land masses becoming drier. This aridification affects agriculture, water supplies, and contributes to the displacement of communities.
Maternal and Child Health
Despite progress, maternal and child mortality rates remain high in certain regions. For instance, in 2013, 6.3 million children under five died globally, highlighting the need for improved healthcare services.
These challenges aren’t isolated. They’re intertwined.
And they demand interconnected solutions.
Over 700 million people live in extreme poverty, surviving on less than $2.15 a day. 828 million people go to bed hungry every night. (World Bank, UN FAO) 1 in 4 people worldwide lacks access to safely managed drinking water. (WHO) 1 in 3 children worldwide lacks access to education. Indigenous languages are vanishing—1 language dies every 2 weeks. By 2050, the world’s population over 60 will double to 2.1 billion yet millions of seniors today face abandonment, loneliness, or inadequate care. (WHO) 244 million children and youth are out of school. (UNESCO) Over 80% in rural Sub-Saharan Africa rely on wood/charcoal, fueling deforestation and health risks. 733 million people lack access to electricity.
Every 2 minutes, a woman dies from preventable pregnancy-related causes. 2.4 million newborns die each year (WHO) 129 million girls are out of school, and 1 in 3 women face gender-based violence globally. (UN Women, UNESCO) Women and girls bear the brunt of poverty, climate change, and limited healthcare. 94% of all maternal deaths occur in low and lower-middle-income countries. 4.5 million newborns die within the first month of life each year, many from preventable causes. 218 million women worldwide want to avoid pregnancy but lack access to modern contraception. Only 50% of women in developing countries get adequate pregnancy care. Global maternal mortality ratio remains at 223 deaths per 100,000 live births—a figure far above global targets. Women in Sub-Saharan Africa face a 1 in 38 lifetime risk of maternal death. In high-income countries, it’s just 1 in 3,800. 10 million girls are married before age 18 each year-increasing maternal risks due to early pregnancy. Access to skilled birth attendants could prevent up to 75% of maternal deaths. Every $1 invested in maternal health yields up to $9 in social and economic returns.
Over 90% of natural disasters are climate-related. Over 11 million metric tons of plastic enter the ocean annually. By 2050, plastic could outweigh fish in the ocean. (UNEP, Ellen MacArthur Foundation) 34% of global fish stocks are overexploited. Over 3 billion people dependent on the oceans—now threatened by vanishing mangroves, coral reefs, and marine ecosystems. Climate change and conflict are displacing over 100 million people, severing cultural roots. Many coastal areas suffer disproportionately from pollution, overfishing, and rising sea levels
Why It Matters
If we don’t act now, we risk losing generations of potential—and the planet that sustains them.
The systems that should protect the most vulnerable are failing. And in their place, too many fall through the cracks—trapped by injustice, weighed down by inequality, and shut out of opportunity.
This isn’t just a humanitarian crisis. It’s a crisis of compassion.
At The Ark, we believe in more than statistics. We believe in people. In stories. In change.