Providing Hunger Relief in Africa: Status Report by Lion Hemant Patel

Oak Brook, Illinois, USA. Lions Clubs International Foundation is supporting Lions in Africa in providing famine relief through an emergency grant for US$75,000 to help support refugee camps. These camps deliver humanitarian aid directly to those in need, including vulnerable children and women. LCIF had previously granted US$15,000 to help with the procurement and distribution of food and other necessities. Lions have provided more than eight tons of relief supplies.

Lions in neighboring countries are quickly responding by providing aid. Lions have formed a Lions Relief Team to coordinate emergency relief efforts and are collaborating with the Red Cross, UNICEF and other relief agencies in Kenya. Lions are also beginning to work with organizations in Ethiopia.

"The week of August 22, 2011, Lions of Kenya went to the affected areas to distribute our second emergency relief supplies. Lions from Nairobi and other volunteers went into the far North Eastern Regions and also managed to go into Somalia under Military escort to give out food relief and drinking water. It took our Lions, under the dynamic Leadership of Lion Irshad Sumra two days to get there and spent two days giving out vital supplies," said Past International Director Manoj Shah from Kenya. "We have finalized our next relief activity with UNICEF, which is targeted at providing for the special needs of more than 6,000 affected mothers and children at the Dadaab refugee camp on the border of Kenya and Somalia. Fourteen Lions will travel to this area and carry out this relief activity hands on."

Lions are helping the most vulnerable, who are children in the area of Northern Kenya and Dadaab, which is the largest refugee camp for the Somalia victims. Lions from Ethiopia are also assisting in the relief efforts. Dadaab, a camp designed for 90,000 people, now houses around 440,000 refugees, and approximately 1,000 more are arriving each day.

Somalia is experiencing the worst drought in 60 years, resulting in dehydration and famine. According to the United Nations, 3.2 million of the 7.5 million people in Somalia are in need of immediate lifesaving assistance. Already more than 29,000 children under the age of five have died.

Lions around the world are helping, and LCIF has established a designated fund, Aid for Africa 2011, for Lions wishing to support these efforts. 

Some examples of Lions generous giving to LCIF in support of this effort include:

• Lions in Kenya have raised an additional US$10,000
• One Lions club in Germany has pledged US$7,100
• Swedish Lions are donating US$143,000 from their Swedish Lions Catastrophe Fund. Lions in Sweden are mobilizing, raising funds on the streets. Lions also worked with the largest evening newspaper in the country, Aftonbladet, for a free ad and mention among organizations helping in Africa.