Displaying items by tag: emergency aid

Thursday, 09 December 2021 20:30

Horn of Africa: hunger

The Horn of Africa has experienced prolonged drought, rapidly increasing food prices, and escalating armed conflict. A nutrition crisis is exacerbated by climate change and Covid-19. Families are fleeing their homes in search of safety and arable land. In 2011 they experienced the worst drought in sixty years, and are still reeling from the effects. Somalia is experiencing full-on famine. Drought conditions in northern Kenya, much of Somalia, and southern Ethiopia are predicted to persist until at least mid-2022, putting lives at risk. The situation is already so bad that wild animals are dying in their hundreds and herders are reporting losses of up to 70% of their livestock. Kenya is home to vulnerable and endangered species which include lions, giraffes and the world's only two surviving northern white rhinos. The coast is also a transit route for migratory whales, dolphins and endangered turtles. The biggest-ever animal census was recently carried out from the marine parks and forest reserves of coastal Kenya.

Published in Worldwide

As if Haiti doesn’t have enough to deal with, gang activity is now complicating earthquake relief efforts. The earthquake death toll stands at 2,200 with at least 340 still missing. Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) is conducting emergency medical flights and flying in aid. But since the roads aren’t a great option for transporting relief, the need is overwhelming. MAF’s Dave McCleery says, ‘Gang activity has affected Port-au-Prince for a long time. They have taken control of and closed the main roads into the southern peninsula where the earthquake took place. This is a real concern because of the large quantity of aid that’s needed. We can certainly fly in and deliver it, but it’s much more expensive and takes a lot longer than if it’s delivered by road.’

Published in Worldwide
Thursday, 25 April 2019 21:58

Mozambique: amphibious aid delivery vehicles

On 3 April the World Food Programme (WFP) began deploying two Sherps, all-terrain amphibious vehicles with a capacity of 1,000 kilos of cargo, in Mozambique, delivering food aid to areas unreachable by other means. It said that by 8 April it had reached 717,000 people with aid assistance, out of the 1.8 million Mozambicans affected by Cyclone Idai. The WFP intends to assist 1.7 million who need emergency food assistance. Many have lost everything: homes, belongings, crops and livelihoods. Needs assessments will determine who to prioritise. The BBC World Service radio reported on 22 April that aid is also now being delivered to inaccessible places by drones. Please continue to pray for the thousands of desperate families in remote locations, still existing solely on the provision of aid from abroad.

Published in Worldwide