Hope shines despite West Africa’s food crisis

Monday, July 16, 2012

There is hope for West Africa as it battles a massive food crisis, but the region can’t be left to fight alone, said World Vision Australia chief executive Tim Costello.

Mr Costello has just returned from Niger where he saw the impact of drought and food shortages, and witnessed the difference early intervention and international aid is making.

“I have been inspired by the tremendous examples of resilience and determination in some of the most desolate places I have ever seen,” Mr Costello said. “Fathers risking their lives in a disused goldmine to try to feed their families, or mothers determined to get treatment for malnourished children despite the obstacles they face shows the tenacity of the human spirit.”

More than 18 million people have been affected by the food crisis in West Africa, all of them trying to battle the consequences of unrelenting drought, locusts, regional instability and the displacement of whole communities.

Mr Costello said the work being done by World Vision and other aid agencies means the devastating numbers of deaths seen in East Africa last year can be avoided. But he warned the work of World Vision is being hindered by a lack of donations to the crisis.

The United Nations says it will cost about $1.6 billion to deal with the crisis in West Africa, but so far only 49 per cent of that has been raised. Globally, World Vision is aiming to raise $62 million to help 1.1 million people.

“There is still so much to be done to ease the human suffering there,” Mr Costello said.

World Vision has already built a bore well and installed taps at Mangaize refugee camp, which shelters more than 4000 people and where temperatures hover around 40C.

World Vision also wants to set up child friendly spaces and provide educational material to children so they can eventually return to school when they leave the camp.

Sponsorship makes a difference - World Vision works with sponsored children and their communities on long-term development projects to protect them from the worst effects of drought and food shortage.

Media Releases, Poverty, Famine, Africa, Africa, Disaster relief, Famine, Humanitarian, Tim Costello, United Nations, West Africa Food Crises

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