The East Africa drought crisis remains grave. The number of people needing humanitarian assistance across the hardest-hit areas in Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti is 13.3 million, up from 10 million in July.
Red Cross response
Red Cross is assisting communities in Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia and Djibouti with water, food and seeds to grow crops. Communities are also being assisted to get back on their feet with support for farmers and livelihoods.
Funds raised through the East Africa Drought Appeal 2011 will provide drought affected communities in Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia and Djibouti with emergency relief including food, water, health assistance and seeds to grow crops.
In Kenya and Somalia, Red Cross has provided water assistance to more than 771,000 people.
More than 128 tonnes of food, which includes protein and vitamin-enriched porridge, has been distributed to schools across Kenya, providing thousands of meals to children in need.
Feeding programs for malnourished children, older people and others in need as well as ensuring drinking water for hundreds of thousands of people are priorities for Red Cross.
Red Cross is building on the work it has been doing on the drought in Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia for more than a year.
Red Cross also has aid workers on the ground in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya, including some Australians, assisting with the drought response.
2011 has been classified as one of the driest years on record in the Eastern Horn of Africa, according to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Famine Early Warning System.
Hundreds of thousands of people displaced within Somalia are searching for shelter and food. Malnutrition rates are usually higher among displaced people than among the general population.
The ongoing armed conflict in Somalia, mainly in the capital Mogadishu and along the Kenyan and Ethiopian borders, prevents many of the displaced from returning to their home areas. Many people are crossing the borders every week.
In Somalia, seeds and tools, including more than 300 tonnes of assorted seeds like maize and sesame have also been distributed. Nearly 800 tonnes of fertilizer have been distributed as well as 90,000 farm tools like shovels, hoes and rakes to more than 95,000 people, enabling farmers to grow food crops.
In Kenya, seeds to grow crops have also been provided to more than 25,000 farmers.
You can help
Red Cross has launched the East Africa Drought Appeal 2011. You can assist people affected by the drought by making a donation.
The funds raised through this appeal will be used to:
- provide drought affected communities in Kenya & Somalia with emergency relief assistance
- assist health, food & nutrition, livelihood and water & sanitation initiatives in affected areas
- send specialist aid workers to assist the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement response
- support drought risk reduction and recovery activities in affected countries.
Please make a secure online donation, or make a donation via credit card by phoning 1800 811 700.
Australian Red Cross will not deduct more than 10% of any donation for the appeal to cover administration and appeal costs. Should the funds raised exceed the amount required to meet the immediate and longer term needs of the people in the affected areas, Australian Red Cross will direct the excess funds to other emergency preparedness and response initiatives in the East Africa region. Any interest earned on donations will be invested back into the appeal.
Fundraising in local communities
People are very welcome to fundraise in their local community and/or workplace for the appeal. Anyone planning on raising funds in their local community needs to obtain our Emergency Appeal Fundraising Guide (or call 1800 652 635). Please read it and understand the responsibilities as a fundraiser. The guide includes registration forms. Once completed and returned, we will assess fundraising proposals and issue an Authority to Fundraise.
Please make fundraising activities simple and easy to manage. Money collecting from the public, including through door knocks, street collections, tins on counters and phone collections, is not permitted due to security issues. Funds need to be raised and sent to Red Cross within three months of the appeal being launched.