This is Niger's worst food crisis since
1984 and children are now dying every day in south Niger.Much of
the country lies in the Sahara desert and has suffered severe drought
over the past years. More recently locust have attacked what little
vegetation was left. Starving livestock, on which people in this
region depend on, are now dying in large numbers. Niger's neighbour
Mali has also suffered severe drought and locust invasions.
The Niger government says that at least
3.5 million people are suffering from food shortages and 150,000 children
are severely malnourished in the regions of Tahoua, Maradi and Zinder.
Experienced Emergency Response Teams from Muslim Hands Sudan (Darfur) and Muslim Hands Gambia are working with local partners to establish feeding centres in southern Niger and Mali and to immediately drill water boreholes.
Muslim Hands has already allocated =A3100,000 to the crisis and funding of food distribution began this week, but much more is needed. Please donate generously.
For more information about Muslim Hands in general or to donate on line, visit our website: www.muslimhands.org