Jesuit Mission and JRS Australia have pledged their support to an urgent appeal by the Jesuit Province of East Africa and JRS East Africa. Funds are desperately needed to help victims of a severe famine that has been triggered by the worst drought in half a century in the Horn of Africa.
In their appeal letter, the Provincial of East Africa, Fr Agbonkhianmeghe E. Orobator SJ and the Director of JRS East Africa, Fr FridoPflüger SJ, said the famine threatens the lives of close to 10 million people, calling it “a humanitarian crisis of catastrophic proportion”.
The famine has triggered a mass movement of people, especially from Somalia to Kenya and Ethiopia.
Years of conflict and sporadic droughts have displaced nearly two million Somalis and the figures are rising quickly. By 20 July, this year, more than 120,000 Somalis had fled into Kenya and Ethiopia. This month as many as 3,000 have been arriving daily into the two countries. Some 11 million people are believed to have been affected by the worst drought in over half a century.
Read about JRS plans to assist.
To make a donation internationally, click here.
Read Jesuit Mission’s appeal letter and donate in Australia.