AMWT starts fund raising drive for East Africa

One Pakistan News 08 August 2011 Monday

LAHORE, Al Mustafa Welfare Trust (AMWT) has started fund raising campaign for the help of drought victims of East Africa.

The organization will collect funds to providing the food items, shelters, medicines, milk and cloths for the affected people. Chairman AMWT Abdul Razzaq Sajid said that a major food crisis triggered by severe drought and high prices threatens the livelihoods of over 12 million people in East Africa. The most drought hit countries were including Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti and Uganda. He said according to the United Nation reports the region is suffering from worst in 60 years with severe food crisis and high malnutrition rates. Some experts have expressed concern that current drought is heading toward swear famine in the region, Sajid added. He said Somalia is one of the most affected countries in the region, with deaths reported in some areas amid alarming malnutrition levels. It has also been reported that there is high mortality rates among children, the elderly and pregnant mothers. The food is beyond the affordability of poor. Experts are also warning that the situation could get worse in coming days if there is food delay.

He said according to our volunteers working in affected areas, the severe drought in East Africa could kill millions of men, women and children if humanitarian aid not to be reached at emergency grounds. Mr Sajid further said that In Ethiopia it has been estimated that 3.2 million people and Kenya at least 3.2 million people are in need of emergency food and medical assistance. Furthermore due to the shortfall of food supply, rising inflation rates have also adversely affected poor householdsI ability to buy food. There is a need to import maize and distribute food and water to the hardest hit areas. Chairman Al Mustafa said experts agree that the current humanitarian disaster facing the East African region is so severe that without the urgent delivery of food, water and other non-food assistance, their is a fear that death rates will increase rapidly and the disaster could spiral out of control leading towards the world's worst disaster ever seen on the planet.He also mentioned that Al-Mustafa will soon set up a relief camp in Somalia and Kenya where free shelters and food will be provided among 50,000 drought affected people. Al Mustafa is targeting to distribute 5,000 food packets everyday among drought victims in East Africa.