Today, millions of children face life-threatening hunger
Without urgent treatment, severe malnutrition can quickly become fatal for young children. In 2025, the world faced an unprecedented moment: two famines unfolding at the same time – in Sudan and the State of Palestine. Projections for 2026 show a continued or worsening situation, putting more children at risk.
Severe malnutrition remains one of the greatest threats to a child’s life. Combined with conflict, displacement, disease and climate disasters, it traps families in a dangerous cycle they cannot escape without support.
This is the difference 10 days of malnutrition treatment can make
Ten-month-old Oday lost his entire family in a bombing in Gaza. “His body was so weak, his eyes sunken,” his uncle recalls. Severely malnourished and dehydrated, Oday spent ten days in a stabilization centre receiving Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF).
![Awtad, visits the UNICEF-supported Alkarama clinic in Kassala state for health services. Hiba, her mother struggles to feed her children everyday as they remain displaced. Awtad has been unwell since the family left Khartoum. In Sennar, she received treatment but her health challenges remain. “Today the doctors gave us a meal [ready-to-use-therapeutic-food (RUTF)] and instructions on how and when she should eat it. We were also told that she needs to wash her hands before she eats the meal.”](/esaro/sites/esaro/files/styles/responsive_desktop/public/2025-11/UNICEF%20West%20and%20Central%20Africa%20-%20Help%20children%20like%20Awtad%20-%20UNI689261.jpg?itok=k8yoWmy5)
In Sudan, children like Awtad have been pushed to the brink of survival
With a lack of both food and safe drinking water, Awtad's mother is frightened for her child’s life. It’s only with urgent treatment and life-saving therapeutic food that Awtad can be protected from severe malnutrition.
Helping mothers like Hanadi
Hungry, thirsty, and weak, with each passing day, more families in Gaza are counting on us. UNICEF needs all the help it can get to keep reaching children and families in Gaza with life-saving therapeutic food, nutritional supplies, safe water, and other essential support.
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30 years ago, in 1996, Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) was developed – a simple, low-cost solution to treat severe child wasting. Since 2000, deaths of children under five from preventable causes have fallen by -50%, from nearly 10 million deaths a year to fewer than 5 million.
It doesn’t look like much at first glance. Just a small packet – a peanut-based paste children can eat straight from the sachet. But for a child weakened by severe malnutrition, this small packet can mean the difference between life and death.
Today, UNICEF delivers nearly 1 billion RUTF packets every year, reaching more than 9 million children worldwide. With this packet of hope, 9 out of 10 children treated with RUTF recover, often within just weeks.
UNICEF is 100% donor funded
That's why we need your help. Without donors like you, we cannot continue to reach every child who needs these life-saving packets.
Why monthly support makes the biggest impact
Why monthly support makes the biggest impact
The continuity of services is essential. Monthly donations are what allow us to continue our long-term programmes to help the most vulnerable children, as well as being our greatest help in emergencies, as they guarantee quick action to save lives.
Your monthly support helps us plan ahead, provide consistent care, and reach children in the DRC, Chad, Yemen, Sudan, Gaza, Ukraine, and beyond.
More than 90% of UNICEF spending goes directly to programmes for children, helping save lives, protect children and build a more resilient future.
Even a small monthly gift can help save lives – and you can cancel anytime.
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What impact will your donation make?
Life-saving nutritional supplies
Cash assistance to families in need
Emergency support and supplies
Safe water and hygiene kits
Your gift, no matter how big or small, can make the difference between life and death for children in need.
Got questions? We've got answers:
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UNICEF does not have access to your bank card details, we will only have access to the contact details you provide in the donation form: name, surname, e-mail and phone number.
You can securely make a one-time and/or a monthly donation, on this page, by clicking on the donation buttons. Please select the donation amount that you want to give, then continue with the next steps to finish your donation.
No donation is too small, and any donation can help save children's lives.
You choose for how long you wish to donate: monthly or only once. In order to contribute to a fundamental change in the lives of vulnerable children, the longer you choose to get involved, the more powerful your donation will be. Vulnerable children’s lives can improve if you are a part of and contribute to the work that we are doing, and to the solutions that we are providing. By donating, you become an active part of the solution and change process.
A monthly donation is a recurring gift of your chosen amount — and it creates even greater impact. By giving every month, you're helping vulnerable children not just once, but every single day.
Your ongoing support allows us to plan ahead, lower operational costs, and reach even more children in need with life-saving care. The support and generosity of monthly donors play a vital role in sustaining UNICEF’s work — ensuring we can respond swiftly and consistently wherever children need us most.
Your donation supports UNICEF programmes for children in greatest need, wherever the need is most urgent.
UNICEF encourages monthly donations to help us deliver sustainable, long-term solutions for children both in the region and globally.
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You can support our efforts in helping vulnerable children by donating online on this webpage and other official UNICEF pages.
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UNICEF does not offer sponsorship of individual children. Instead, your donation goes to help many more of the most vulnerable children. This may include public health emergencies, quality education, ending child poverty, protection against violence and providing safe, clean water.
You can reach out to us by sending an email to [email protected]. We are here to answer any questions or address any concerns you may ​have.
With your support, every donation brings life-saving care and protection to children in some of the world’s most vulnerable regions.