Today is Blog Action Day 2011, a day when bloggers around the world are encouraged to blog about one particular theme. This year's theme is ‘food.’ For many reasons, this is a topic dear to our Red Cross heart and so we wanted to participate.
We talk a lot about food on this blog, particularly with our Food Friday posts. However, for today, we'd like to use this opportunity to remind our followers about the crisis in the Horn of Africa – and the lack of food there.
We've already blogged about this topic several times. The first time, we decided to forgo our Food Friday blog because of the situation. Then, just recently for Thanksgiving, we were reminded of the significance of food and our families gathering around it, and how truly thankful we are for what we have.
Sometimes it is almost unimaginable to think of 13 million people affected by this drought, and at risk of starvation.
When the media first started to report on the drought, we heard heart-breaking stories of families fleeing their homes to overcrowded camps in search of food, and mothers who had to leave their dying children behind.
Somalia has been hit hard, with the rate of malnutrition doubling in that country since March. It now has the highest levels of malnutrition in the world. In some parts of the country, nearly 11 per cent of children are suffering from malnutrition.
Although the media is not reporting on the situation as much these days, the crisis continues.
During a recent media briefing with our head of International Operations, Hossam Elsharkawi, said something that has stayed with me. To paraphrase, he said that we all have a humanitarian responsibility to respond to this crisis and that every life saved is worth our efforts.
In this situation it is indeed possible to save lives. Consider this: It costs just a few dollars to provide a person with a high-energy biscuit every day that will keep that person alive.
The Canadian Red Cross continues to accept funds to support the Horn of Africa. You can donate online at www.redcross.ca.
Not sure you understand why famines and food insecurities occur? Have a look at this video by our sister society, the British Red Cross.