BOXER Carl Frampton has spoken of the heartbreaking scenes he witnessed during a charity fundraising trip to Kenya where children as young as three begged for food.
The world championship fighter from north Belfast and his wife Christine travelled with Trócaire to the east African country as part of the Irish charity's annual Christmas appeal.
The father-of-two recalled the plight of one malnourished child he met at a centre for young mothers and babies receiving emergency food.
"One thing I will never forget was when a doctor was explaining about how this small gel-like package (which is just mushed up oils and nuts) is very good for the children … this toddler, about 3 years of age, came up to him begging for it. I'd never seen anything like it," he said.
"So, right away, we were hit in the face by the reality of the problems and how the support Trócaire brings to the community can quite literally be the difference between life and death."
Hitting the pads with head coach Eric in the Mukuru slum pic.twitter.com/Wch7tJRgPq — Carl Frampton MBE (@RealCFrampton) November 30, 2017
The Tiger's Bay fighter also met young boxers at Mukuru slum in Nairobi, one of Africa's largest slums where poverty, disease and violence are rife.
"The suffering, the squalor and poverty that so many are enduring is heartbreaking, but then on the other side, there is the great work that is being done," he said.
"It's massively important to support the Trócaire Christmas appeal. People back home are very charitable, but seeing it first hand, I don't think you could prepare yourself for something like this."
To donate to the appeal, go to trocaire.org or call 0800 912 1200.
