Today, Glastonbury organiser Michael Eavis presented a £100,000 cheque for the Oxfam Sudan Emergency Appeal to Paul Sherlock, Oxfam's senior humanitarian representative, who has just returned from the country.
"I would like to say a big thank you to Michael for this fantastic amount, it will save thousands of lives" said Roger James of Oxfam, "The aid agencies need £27 million to meet the needs of families suffering in Darfur. This sum will make a real difference; even £5 enables Oxfam to provide a family shelter from the sun and the rain. £10 buys a water container and purification tablets, clean water for a family. £44 feeds a family of five for two months"
Michael Eavis said "There seems to be differences of opinion about the scale of the disaster in the Sudan but one sure thing is that these people need masses of help, and for that reason Glastonbury is giving an extra £100,000 above Oxfam's normal donation of £200,000"
Oxfam has had a long and productive partnership with Glastonbury Festival over the past 10 years. stewarding the festival and raising over £1 million for its work. Oxfam also campaigns at the festival, where tens of thousands of supporters have joined Oxfam, supporting its campaigns on aid, education, fairer trade, conflict and arms control
A million people are on the move in the Sudan/Chad region and conditions risk getting worse as the rainy season, which started earlier in the month, continues and delivery of aid gets more difficult. Last week Oxfam's sixth aid flight arrived bringing equipment needed to provide 1,000 toilets to help keep deadly diseases at bay. "Disease and diarrhea are serious problems and cholera could break out at any time," said Roger. The regular torrential rain washes the excrement into the camp and leads to dangerously unsanitary conditions. Water supplies and sanitation are at breaking point. Over the last three weeks the Kalma camp in Darfur has doubled in size from 30,000 to 60, 000 people. The camp infrastructure is unable to cope with such a boom in numbers. With only a handful of toilets people are forced to defecate elsewhere, the result is human waste is spread around the camp.
ENDS
For further information, TV Footage and pictures, contact:
Roger James, Oxfam SW
T el 0117 916 6473 / 0778 6660422
Email rjames@oxfam.org.uk
National Media Enquiries 01865 312498 or 07957 120 853