Why Düng was born

Growing up in the wilds of Newcastle we didn't have much other than love, friendship, and the wherewithal we were born with to carve a path that didn't involve prison, violence or worse.

I remember going to school hungry at times because we couldn't afford breakfast. My stomach rumbling audibly, I thought, and the shame that came with not wanting the other kids to find out.

On those days I couldn't concentrate properly and I'd find my mind wandering to when I'd next eat rather than being focussed on the task in hand or lesson content.

I'm sure some of the teachers sensed into this and I often wonder how difficult it must be for them seeing kids in poverty struggle with school while home life is so turbulent.

Back in 2021 the Joseph Rowntree Foundation reported that 3.9 million children in the UK were living in poverty. That's 27% of all kids. Before the pandemic this figure was even worse at 4.3 million children.

Action for Children attribute this reduction to a temporary £20 a week increase in Universal Credit, showing that change is possible.

There are now also food banks in some schools so that children don't have to go hungry, and people like Marcus Rashford have created incredible change for kids here in the UK.

Globally there are 150 million children around the world missing out on meals, essential health, and nutrition due to poverty and other global issues.

I started Düng with 2 goals: to create snacks that were actually healthy (with positive, functional benefits), and to help end child hunger with an aim to feed 1 million children a year.

We're at the very start of our journey and I'm not sure where that journey will lead but I'm excited to find out and I hope you can join us in some way.

Danny
Founder at Düng