After two failed rainy seasons the UN has declared two parts of Southern Somalia to be experiencing a famine for the first time in decades. “Famine” is not a word that is used loosely. The UN uses three benchmarks to define a famine:

1. At least 20% of the population has access to fewer than 2,100 kilocalories of food a day
2. Acute malnutrition in more than 30% of children
3. Two deaths per 10,000 people, or four child deaths per 10,000 children every day

(http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-14199080)

These are the conditions that more than half of the Somali population is now faced with.

Although Word & Deed does not have any partners on the ground in this part of Africa our sister organization, Word & Deed Holland, does.

Emergency relief efforts are being made in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya in partnership with ZOA (refugee care), Red een Kind (Save a Child) and Dorcas. The assistance that Word & Deed Holland will be providing consists primarily of food, medicine and providing the basic necessities of life. Simultaneously, they will be working with local partners to develop structural solutions to the problem of drought in East Africa.

Word & Deed will be supporting Word & Deed Holland in their efforts and is accepting donations for this cause.

In Canada, all donations to Word & Deed will be matched by the Canadian government in accordance with the below wording:

For every dollar an individual Canadian donates over a 10-week period (retroactive to July 6, 2011, and ending September 16, 2011) to an eligible registered Canadian charity responding to the drought in East Africa, the Government will contribute an equivalent amount to the East Africa Drought Relief Fund. The Government of Canada will administer the relief fund separately, disbursing funds to organizations best suited to make an effective and real difference in the lives of people affected by the drought.

(These photos, depicting the landscape and people of Eastern Africa, were taken from Word & Deed Holland's website: www.woordendaad.nl)