Southern Africa Food Crisis

Note: The following appeal is now closed.  You can support our ongoing work by donating to the Canadian Red Cross

 

The southern Africa region is currently experiencing a serious drought. It is estimated that 10 million people are living on the brink of starvation in Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Swaziland Namibia and Mozambique. Crops have also failed.

The Red Cross will provide food, agricultural support and safe drinking water to people affected by this food crisis. The Red Cross aims to meet the immediate food needs of 1.5 million people until the harvest of 2006, as well as setting up food-for-work projects, restoring self-reliance in agriculture, ensuring access to safe water, and training Red Cross staff in each country to deliver programs.

An assessment by the International Federation in August 2005 found that people in southern Africa most vulnerable to food shortages are people living with HIV and AIDS, households with orphans, female-headed households, people with disabilities and households headed by older people.