Ongoing
Seven Million people across the Horn of Africa were stricken with intense famine in late spring of 2006. For two consecutive years the areas surrounding Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia received seriously inadequate rainfall which resulted in death-like drought conditions. The poor harvests of 2004 and 2005 had already compounded the existing huger situation causing people to become desperate in their foraging for food.
Over 100 million people were directly affected by the devastation that swept the landscape. 11 million people were so heavily affected that death seemed immanent for all of them by the end of May, 2006. The problem of intense poverty was so severe that beyond the ecological threat, the economy of the situation was also to blame as Louis Michel, European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid said, “The problem is not the lack of food. It’s just that many farmers face losing their cattle and are just too poor to buy the food that is available.”
The problems of drought are caused by a climate shift resulting from four years of reduced rainfall and more than 1/3 of the population had no access to clean drinking water. Many villagers in the Horn of Africa must travel over nine miles to get water; since children are fed during school by nonprofit organizations, they are the only ones with enough energy and strength to travel this distance each day.
Zakat Foundation Response to the Need
Parched land stretches out as far as the eye can see in many areas across Somalia, but now the barren land is dotted with fountains of hope as wells provide the basis for life on Earth across Somalia. The dire need in the Horn of Africa this summer was answered by many relief organizations including The Zakat Foundation of America.
The Zakat Foundation provided a massive food distribution program which provided essential supplies for approximately 6,000 people in multiple villages across the Middle and Lower Shabelle regions. Food distribution was only the beginning as our work with a local partner organization brought six wells to the drought-stricken region. Many villages had gone 16 years without clean water, leading to several illnesses and a high infant mortality rate.
Donate now to help the Somali people survive! For only $3,000 a well can be dug in seemingly barren land. For a donation of $100, we can provide food aid for a family of 10 for a month. For $25, essential medicines can be delivered to those who need it most. Don’t delay; every day another child is closer to death’s door for lack of food and water.
