Food Aid: Feeding the Most Vulnerable in France and Africa
Every month, our volunteers distribute food parcels to around a hundred families in Clermont-Ferrand. This adds up to more than 35 tonnes of food distributed each year.
Since 2006, the association has funded grain banks and a grain mill in Burkina Faso.
It has also mobilized to send aid in emergency situations (earthquakes, war).
Food, a fundamental right
Access to safe, sufficient and nutritious food is an essential human right, yet millions of people in France and Africa are still deprived of it. Whether due to poverty, economic crises, conflict or natural disasters, food insecurity affects families, children, older people and entire communities.
In France, despite abundance, more than 5.5 million people rely on food aid every year (source: Banque Alimentaire, 2025). In Africa, the figures are even more alarming: 282 million people suffer from hunger (FAO, 2026), and climate crises are making the situation worse.
Why Act Now?
In France:
- 1 person in 10 lives below the poverty line.
- Food banks, solidarity grocery stores and associations are struggling to keep up with growing demand.
- The price of basic food staples keeps rising, making access to food even harder for low-income households.
In Africa:
- 1 person in 5 suffers from hunger (FAO).
- Droughts, conflicts and population displacement, worsened by climate change, destroy harvests and leave communities starving.
- Children are the most vulnerable: 45% of deaths among children under 5 are linked to malnutrition (UNICEF).
How We Take Action
Food Aid
The association helps around a hundred families in Clermont-Ferrand by distributing food parcels once a month. These parcels are equivalent to about two weeks’ worth of groceries. The food itself is supplied by the Banque Alimentaire d’Auvergne (Auvergne Food Bank). Families are referred by the city’s social services.
Grain Banks and Grain Mill
The association has funded or taken part in building several grain banks in Burkina Faso. These keep grain safe from rodents and help communities get through the lean season, a difficult period when food prices often rise sharply.
It has also funded the construction of a grain mill in the village of Nobsin.
Market Gardening
The association has helped fund several boreholes and water towers for schools. By providing access to water, these have made it possible to develop market gardening activities for the benefit of the children.
Emergency Aid
The association has also responded to emergency situations by sending food aid during crises: the earthquake in Haiti, the war in Ukraine
Our Projects
Every Les Eaux Vives project is born from a need identified on the ground. Working together with local stakeholders, we mobilize the resources needed to provide useful, appropriate and lasting solutions.
Help us act now: every donation counts to transform lives.
By supporting Les Eaux Vives, you help fund concrete actions for food, health, education and access to water.
Whatever its amount, your donation strengthens our ability to act alongside our partners and the communities we support, in France and internationally.