Earlier this summer, many of us first heard news of a severe drought in the Horn of Africa that led to food shortages. With millions at risk of malnutrition and starvation (many of them children), the United Nations declared the crisis in Somalia a famine.
Fast forward to September and the situation is still dire. More than 12.5 million have been affected by the drought. Of those, 4 million are in Somalia, which now has the highest levels of malnutrition in the world. Children have been especially affected and, in some parts of Somalia, nearly 11 per cent of them are suffering from malnutrition.
The Red Cross continues to work diligently on the ground. Just recently the Somali Red Crescent opened four new feeding centres, which means there are now feeding programs available across the country.
While the Red Cross is trying to respond to the immediate needs of food aid and medicine, efforts are also being focused on helping local farmers put long-term plans in place that will help them overcome future droughts.
Pam Aung Thin, director of Public Affairs for the Canadian Red Cross, was in Kenya last week to see how these programs are working. The idea, she says, is to help traditionally nomadic farmers set up plots alongside a river where they have access to water. The Red Cross is helping the farmers establish co-ops so they can lease land and share costly irrigation tools. The program has already proven a success with farmers growing steady cash crops such as bananas, mangoes, corn – all crops which will have several yields throughout the year.
Twenty per cent of all donations to the Canadian Red Cross will support long-term sustainable recovery programs, such as this farming initiative.
Canadians have been extremely generous in supporting the Red Cross efforts in Africa. Still, the needs are enormous.
If you make a donation before Sept. 16, the Canadian government will match your gift. That means when you donate $5, you actually donate $10. The matching program ends this week so if you have been thinking about making a donation, now is the time.
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. It’s that easy to save a life and make a difference.
Donations to the Canadian Red Cross can be at www.redcross.ca/africa, call 1-800-418-1111 or by contacting your local Canadian Red Cross office. You can donate $5 by texting AFRICA to 30333.
Look below for photos from Pam's mission to Kenya.