World hunger is an issue that resonates emotionally, and it's Bettina Luescher's job to make sure it pulls on people's heart strings so much that it drives them to action.
As the chief spokesperson for the United Nations World Food Programme, Luescher simplifies a huge global problem. The World Food Programme feeds 90 million people per year and there are almost 1 billion people going hungry in the world, she said.
The message she preaches is that there is a small solution to the large problem. Luescher carries a red plastic cup wherever she goes. She placed on the podium when she addressed PRSA's audience, and on the table in front of her when we spoke.
For just 25 cents per day, she said, you can fill up the red cup and feed a child in school. For the price of a latte, just $5, you can feed a child for a month.
Luesher shared stories from Haiti, Darfur, and Afghanistan that I admit made me want to make a donation right there. While her job may seem easy, given the emotional pull, the problem is so large that driving people to action is a necessity.
Luescher told me that in order to drive people into action against a world issue as large as hunger, you need to provide a solution.
“People need to hear solutions, because they feel the issue is going to go on and on and never end," she said, "but if you show them there is a simple solution, they will act."