Stouffville, ON, July 15, 2011 - Two seasons of drought have left more than 11 million people in the Horn of Africa on the brink of disaster.
cbm’s partners in Kenya and Ethiopia are working diligently to get life-saving food and water to the most vulnerable people.
“As in any emergency, cbm wants to ensure the most vulnerable people, especially persons with disabilities, are included in relief distributions of food, water and health care,” says Ed Epp, Executive Director of cbm Canada.
cbm’s action plan
Thanks to the generosity of Canadian donors who gave to cbm’s May appeal for emergency funding, cbm Canada can respond immediately to the needs of those affected by the drought – including those with disabilities or at immediate risk of disability as a result of malnutrition.
cbm’s three step action plan is to: 1) save lives by distributing water and food; 2) prevent as many disabilities as possible; and 3) provide longer-term food security for people with disabilities and their families.
Who’s affected?
The UN estimates more than 11 million people are in urgent need of life-saving food assistance and water. According to UNICEF, more than two million children in the Horn of Africa are malnourished - half a million of whom are in a life-threatening condition.
High food prices and the worst drought in the past 60 years are pushing many poor families in Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti and Uganda into desperate need.
Thousands of Somalis are fleeing the ongoing military conflict in their country. Every day over 2,000 Somalis, mostly women and children, arrive in the crowded refugee camps on the border countries of Kenya and Ethiopia. As the families walk two or three weeks to reach their destination, many emaciated children are dying of malnutrition along the way or after arriving in the refugee camps.
How can Canadians help?
“We need the help of Canadians to meet the immediate and long term needs of these desperate people who are affected by this drought,” says Epp.
Canadians can help the desperate people in the Horn of Africa, by calling 1-800-567-2264 or visit our website www.cbmcanada.org.
cbm Canada is a non-profit international Christian development organization, committed to improving the quality of life of persons with disabilities in the poorest countries of the world.
cbm (formerly known as Christian Blind Mission) is active in over 700 projects in 89 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East, and currently serves 25 million people.
[Source: cbm Canada]
