"UCC Launches Eastern Horn of Africa Drought and Famine Appeal"
Thursday, July 28, 2011
From United Church News:
The United Church of Christ has issued a $250,000 emergency relief appeal for drought- and famine-impacted communities in the Eastern Horn of Africa.
One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) emergency relief grants have been shared with Church World Service (CWS) and Action by Churches Together (ACT) to support immediate emergency food relief in Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia. The UCC is a member communion of Church World Service and an affiliate of the ACT Alliance.As part of Our Church’s Wider Mission, OGHS is one of the UCC’s four special mission offerings.
This year marks the driest period in the Eastern Horn of Africa region since 1995, with the lowest level of rainfall in more than 50 years. More than 10 million people are affected by the drought. In Somalia, some 3.7 million people face a crisis, while in Kenya the estimate is up to 3.5 million people.
The United Nations has declared that famine exists in two areas of southern Somalia, southern Bakool and Lower Shabelle.