Famine Relief Fund
The African Hunger Crisis: An Urgent Appeal
Canada-Africa Development and Relief Agency (CADRA) joins other international assistance organizations in calling attention to the current hunger crisis in Africa.
It is estimated that more than 36 million people are currently at risk of death by starvation in southern, eastern, and western Africa.
We need urgent assistance from the donor community to prevent a further escalation of the crisis, and to avert widespread hunger and malnutrition, especially among children under the age of five.
CADRA would like to appeal to the Canadian government, citizens' groups, private voluntary organizations, religious institutions, and individual citizens to join in a massive and urgent response to the African hunger crisis.
Food Aid Alone is Not Enough
While Canada and other countries are providing significant food supplies to Africa, food aid alone is not the answer to Africa's persistent nutritional and health problems. Successive famines and the lack of clean water have left millions in a weakened state. This has resulted in heightened levels of diseases such as measles, malaria, diarrhea, and acute respiratory illnesses.
Africa's health system does not have the resources to effectively prevent or treat these diseases.
HIV/AIDS crisis
Also exacerbating Africa's susceptibility to famine is the HIV/AIDS crisis. African families' ability to secure food for themselves is hindered by the illness and death due to AIDS of those who are responsible for providing the household's resources.
Canada's Investment
For Africa to be free from the threat of recurring famines and epidemics, the Canadian community, in partnership with the African people, must invest in:
- water projects,
- agricultural research and production,
- improved medical services,
- rural roads, and
- soil conservation.
How is CADRA helping?
Food Rations
In response to this humanitarian crisis, CADRA is providing emergency food rations to thousands of the most drought-affected families in Africa.
Long Term Development
To address Africa's long-term development needs, CADRA is building roads to link farmers to markets and to make agricultural and health services available to isolated farmers.
Health Care
CADRA is implementing a program to vaccinate children and provide them with Vitamin A supplements. CADRA is helping to reduce diarrheal diseases through new potable water projects. Additionally, CADRA is addressing the HIV/AIDS crisis through HIV/AIDS prevention activities targeting women and high school students.
CADRA's New Program
CADRA will work closely with the governments and peoples of Africa, as well as other development partners, to design an integrated response to the food and health crises in other particularly hard-hit areas in Africa. A participatory planning process will result in a program that will mobilize local human and financial resources, which will be matched by additional resources secured by CADRA. This new program will address the complex, underlying causes of famine and poor health in Africa.
Make Your Donation Now!
You may donate to this fund by visiting our Donate Now page and selecting Famine Relief Fund.
Your gift will help support grassroots projects that are bringing self-sufficiency, improved health and better living conditions - and hope - to men, women and children in countries Africa-wide. Please give generously to CADRA.
Thank you!
