East African Drought - Donations

Fanny Cradock

I'm surprised that more hasn't been made of this growing humanitarian disaster in East Africa (BBC video). Maybe I've just not been paying attention.

Anyway, it's clear that a combination of severe drought, food price inflation and conflict is driving this. While many of you might have already donated some cash, I though that this thread might serve as a resource for charities that are actively helping in alleviating suffering now and are taking a slightly longer view of aid projects.

As ever, I personally think that Tearfund do excellent work. Feel free to put your recommendations below.

(Let's also not forget about Pakistan and Haiti)

alex73

Thanks for sharing, a tragedy of our time that most of the world turns a blind eye to.

Manach

Donations are being taken at RCC Mass this w/e.

alex73

Manach wrote: »

Donations are being taken at RCC Mass this w/e.

Lets not forget, While the absolute terrible tragedy in Norway is top headline, That there are thousands of kids who will die if they don't get aid. The world needs to act. The UN needs to move into place to allow aid in. And we as Christians of whatever denomination need to give.

gimmebroadband

Shameful how in the 21st Century this is still happening, whilst billions are being spent on war!!

alex73

gimmebroadband wrote: »

Shameful how in the 21st Century this is still happening, whilst billions are being spent on war!!

gimmebroadband, Billions.... Hmmm I think you need to read more, its trillions.

The US has spent over 1.2 trillion dollars in Iraq and Afgan.

Aprox 800 billion in Iraq alone. Sad fact more have died in Iraq since 2001 than under Sadam... Not defending either side.

Somalia sadly has no strategic interests...

brentan

The Somali Islamic rulers won't let any new aid groups in. There are a few there already and they can stay. But it seems that Africans can be very cruel towards their own people. They claim foreign aid creates dependency. Save us from politics! But I often wonder are we feeding Africa while they spend their resources on weapons to kill each other?

alex73

brentan wrote: »

The Somali Islamic rulers won't let any new aid groups in. There are a few there already and they can stay. But it seems that Africans can be very cruel towards their own people. They claim foreign aid creates dependency. Save us from politics! But I often wonder are we feeding Africa while they spend their resources on weapons to kill each other?

That's why we need a un force. To avoid another ruanda

brentan

alex73 wrote: »

That's why we need a un force. To avoid another ruanda

Yes, Alex. But how long should non-Africans stop Africans killing each other?

They must regulate themselves.

I think wealthy Africans must support their poor fellow-countrymen but I sense the country is very fragmented and tribes are unwilling to help other tribes. I think they might kill them quicker than they would help them.

alex73

brentan wrote: »

Yes, Alex. But how long should non-Africans stop Africans killing each other?

They must regulate themselves.

I think wealthy Africans must support their poor fellow-countrymen but I sense the country is very fragmented and tribes are unwilling to help other tribes. I think they might kill them quicker than they would help them.

Having worked ther I call tell you what we need now is action to avoid death, the debate on politics can come later.

brentan

alex73 wrote: »

Having worked ther I call tell you what we need now is action to avoid death, the debate on politics can come later.

Hi Alex,

I see your point.

I just fear that if we always adopt that attitude, the Africans will never take responsibility for their own country.

alex73

brentan wrote: »

Hi Alex,

I see your point.

I just fear that if we always adopt that attitude, the Africans will never take responsibility for their own country.

What is happening in Somalia is Genocide, Islamic Rebels who blocked aid. (sadly religion is a factor...) Problem with Africa is that you have a very wealthy elite, and by wealthy i mean hundreds of Millions of dollars. Black Africans well educated in the west, who don't care about the poor and would prefer to let them live in extreme poverty and die.

The west conquered africa, divided it out, destroyed much of its natural resources and herded people into towns, now we expect them to sort out a mess we partly created.

Many factors are involved in the current state of Africa. But the right thing to do now,, in this moment.. is to help.

antiskeptic

gimmebroadband wrote: »

Shameful how in the 21st Century this is still happening, whilst billions are being spent on war!!

Shameful, but hardly surprising - given that the passing of centuries doesn't cause the fundamental nature of man to change.

Tim Robbins

Good on you Fanny. I'm a Goal man myself. Reason is Concern use chuggers and Goal don't. But I am open to suggestions if there are others...

brentan

This is an excerpt from today's Indo:

Somalians need food and water right now, but what they need in the long term is the same as the rest of us: functioning market economies based on democracy and the rule of law, where they have trade and industry rather than tents and food parcels. Oxfam Ireland will never understand that, because they come from a background which takes the efficacy of aid as a given, rather than merely one of a number of options. Interestingly, the Chinese, who have no residue of white colonial guilt about such matters, have moved strongly into Africa in recent years, treating the continent as another market for business rather than the home of powerless victims, building roads and dams and power stations, creating jobs, forging contacts. The communist east is effectively teaching its grandmother in the capitalist west how to suck eggs. If that isn't irony, what is?

http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/aid-is-not-only-answer-to-third-world-problems-2829831.html