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Relief Shipments Underway as Drought and Famine Worsens in East Africa

by AmeriCares | AmeriCares
Wednesday, 20 July 2011 15:20 GMT

* Any views expressed in this article are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters Foundation.

AmeriCares is sending critical aid shipments to drought-ravaged East Africa to help families struggling to survive a humanitarian crisis of historic proportions. The worst drought in 60 years has decimated livestock and crops, resulting in famine that has forced tens of thousands to flee their homes in Somalia to find food and water. U.N. officials estimate that more than 10 million people are in need of emergency aid. Help AmeriCares continue to deliver lifesaving humanitarian aid to the people of East Africa. In response to requests from our partner and an appeal from the Ministry of Health of Somalia, AmeriCares is building shipments of targeted medicines and medical supplies which will depart from our warehouses in Amsterdam, Netherlands and Stamford, CT for delivery by air to Mogadishu. The shipment of basic medicines and medical supplies will help mobile medical teams serving a rapidly expanding flow of refugees pouring into the capital city. Since 1985, when severe famine claimed one million lives in Ethiopia, AmeriCares has worked to help African men, women and children in crisis. During the height of Rwanda's civil war and violent strife in 1994, AmeriCares set up a field hospital to help children and families in desperate need.  Previous aid to Somalia includes more than ${esc.dollar}3 million in medicines, nutritional supplements, and vitamins during the height of the drought and war-stricken nation's food crisis of 2008-09.
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