A 6-year-old girl in the Democratic Republic of Congo has died out of hunger.
Marie is said to have gone days without food and at a point fed on sand to fight hunger; she died a few weeks after.
The UN Children agency, UNICEF in the Democratic Republic of Congo announced this and said “One million children are at risk of severe acute malnutrition in DR Congo and need urgent assistance”.
It added that “Tragically for six-year-old Marie, help came too late. The little girl started to eat sand because she was so hungry and died a few weeks later.”
One million children are at risk of severe acute malnutrition in DR #Congo and need urgent assistance.
Tragically for six-year-old Marie, help came too late. The little girl started to eat sand because she was so hungry and died a few weeks later. pic.twitter.com/AdSXNF7SLb
— UNICEF en RDC (@UNICEFDRC) January 5, 2020
The news has angered some citizens who are reacting harshly on the government via social media.
Gytha Ntikala said “During this time, the President’s offers 30 cows to one of the assassins of the Congolese people. We really have leaders we deserve”.
Another, Serge Kambele said “During this time, the authorities are driving $60,000, leading bourgeois life … are they really aware of the weight on their shoulders? We should not see this kind of scene at home. This child ended up eating sand.”
Others are also blaming the parents of the child and accusing them of laziness.
“This woman is also lazy. She can’t have a little garden where she can sow vegetables to feed her daughter to make up for the food deficit” Wilfred Kabwangala wrote on twitter.
Sad….shocking and disgustly too common because most of people rather close their eyes on helping than accumulating money
— Fabiola ngongo (@FabiolaNgongo) January 6, 2020
Humanitarian budget cuts is said to be one of the reasons making it difficult for aid workers to extend help to the country.
According to reports, many of the children facing malnutrition are either living with host families or living in camps without enough food after losing their parents.
Many more also live in remote conflict Zones.
Source: Africafeeds.com
