It’s time for Africa to help Africa

“South Africa is a caring nation and always has been. We will and could never turn our backs from the worst humanitarian disaster on the planet today.” So said Lehlohonolo Chabeli, National Director and CEO of World Vision South Africa (WVSA) when we launched the South African leg of our global fundraising campaign to bring relief to the deepening famine situation in the Horn of Africa (Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia the worst hit by the drought).

Recently, African Union High Representative for Somalia, Jerry John Rawlings said that Africa is not incapable of supporting its own. He referred to Africa’s moral mandate and asked that the continent rise to support the millions of people who are facing severe famine in the devastated Horn of Africa region.

Supporting Rawlings’ appeal, Chabeli said: “We are known for our sense of compassion – and irrespective of our own problems, I believe that South Africans have the desire to contribute to the 13 million people who are at risk of starvation as a result of the region’s worst drought in 60 years.”

The famine is a growing tragedy. The immense size of it is getting worse every day. Nearly two million children under the age of five are now at risk of death and disease because of the deadly combination of drought, conflict and escalating food prices. It is the slow nature of the disaster – as opposed to the immediate drama of an earthquake or tsunami – that makes it harder for the world to fully comprehend the scale of the Horn of Africa famine. Insufficient rains have created drought conditions throughout the Horn of Africa, destroying crops and killing livestock. Malnutrition and disease are on the rise as families travel long distances in search of food.

World Vision is aiming to raise USD $100 million to fund our Horn of Africa-wide response that targets 2.5 million of those most affected. So far, $36 million has been committed to this emergency appeal. Currently, World Vision is responding to the immediate needs of communities and those displaced by drought and conflict in Puntland, Somalia. Programmes include providing nutrition supplementary feeding for malnourished children, providing emergency medical care, water and sanitation needs, providing drugs for livestock, seeds and root tubers for planting, dealing with water trucking (to communities and schools), de-silting shallow wells, and addressing protection issues for displaced children and women. More than 250 000 people are already benefiting from these interventions.

In addition to our Horn of Africa emergency response, we are also working to secure long-term funding. This is in recognition of the fact that short-term emergency relief work has to be backed up with longer-term strategies to enable people in these regions to cope with shocks such as drought and failed harvests. These include disaster risk mitigation and reduction, drought resilience and livelihood support.

Anyone wishing to support this campaign may consider cash donations or gifts-in-kind. While cash donations are preferred due to the high cost implications and complexities in transporting movable products, people can also donate non-perishable food, blankets and other items such as tents and cooking utensils – provided that these items are in accordance with humanitarian standards.

Cash donations can be considered along the guidelines of (1) R450 for one month’s supply of a hygiene kit for a family of four, (2) R250 for treated mosquito nets, and/or (3) R200 for blankets. These will then be purchased and assembled locally in Kenya in order to cut on shipping and import duty costs from South Africa.

Enquiries by members of the public, schools, industry, churches and advocacy networks about the campaign can be directed to Stanley Maphosa, Leader: Humanitarian Emergency Affairs, Tel: 011-671-1419, Cell: 073-825-4188 or e-mail: [email protected] or Thabang Mpotoane, Manager: Donor Relations, Tel: 0861-101-888 or e-mail: [email protected]

World Vision South Africa’s banking details are: First National Bank (FNB) Florida; Account number 5123 1026 802; Branch Code 25-01-41. Reference: Horn Of Africa (HOA).