Pooja Gupta is interning with the ONE Global Policy Team this summer, and today writes about an exciting new tool to spur youth involvement in combating hunger.

The World Food Program (WFP) recently launched a web platform aimed to educate and inspire youth to get involved in the fight against global hunger which, according to WFP reports, has afflicted an additional 115 million people in the past two years alone. On their newly-updated website, WFP has created a section dedicated entirely to students and teachers that includes information and games for students, as well as ideas and activities for teachers. By designating a section entirely to education, WFP hopes to provide teachers with the tools necessary to fully integrate issues of global hunger into the everyday school curriculum, making it a staple in primary and secondary school education.

WFP notes that youth are deeply interested in the fight against global hunger. In their news release, WFP’s Director of Communications and Public Policy, Nancy Roman explained, “Today’s youth are hungry to know more about the problems which are causing food shortages across the globe — like conflict in Pakistan, high food prices, climate change and the global financial crisis.” To satisfy their curiosity, WFP offers a variety of web tools targeted at students and their teachers, hoping to engage both while inspiring them to take action on their own; the site even provides ideas for activities that students can host within their local communities. The hope is, with this education and awareness, participating youth will be poised to become future leaders in the fight against global hunger and poverty.

WFP hopes the site will be a “one-stop shop,” for students and their teachers. Notable educators around the world, including Cape Breton University, Auburn University, and 4-H Alabama, made contributions to the platform, which includes a blog, a list of resources and websites that educate about issues of hunger, classroom activities, and a section for interactive “fun and games.” The site also features WFP tools already popular, like numerous interactive games such as FreeRice.com and Food-Force.com. These games, in addition to entertaining, also educate students about the difficulties of providing hunger relief, as well as motivate them to take action themselves.

WFP’s “Students and Teachers,” platform hopes to enlist youth in the global campaign to end hunger by engaging them throughout their schooling. The “Students and Teachers,” site joins other successful, youth-oriented WFP initiatives such as the “Universities Fighting World Hunger,” and the “Really Good School Dinner” campaign, which promote youth engagement through awareness, education, and action. If you haven’t yet checked out the new site, you can do so here.

-Pooja Gupta