Eight of the world’s leading U.S.-based international relief organizations are coming together for the first time to launch a joint fundraising appeal, the Hunger Relief Fund, to the American public to respond to an unprecedented hunger crisis and to save millions of lives. The Global Emergency Response Coalition was formed in response to starvation threatening more than 20 million people in Nigeria, Yemen, South Sudan, Somalia and neighboring countries.
The Global Emergency Response Coalition is comprised of CARE, International Medical Corps, International Rescue Committee, Mercy Corps, Oxfam, Plan International, Save the Children and World Vision. Companies including PepsiCo and PepsiCo Foundation, Google and Twitter are participating to amplify and support the appeal.
More than 20 million people are facing the threat of starvation in the coming months and nearly 1.4 million children are severely malnourished and at risk of death without immediate help. In 2011, during a similar multi-country food shortage crisis, the international community failed to act in time and 258,000 people died in Somalia alone. More than half were children. We cannot let this happen again. Although there has been some media coverage, public awareness of this global crisis is low and there is simply not enough funding to meet the level of urgent need our organizations are facing on the ground. We are counting on the American public to take action and respond with urgency.
I was able to do an interview to learn more.
What led to this coalition?
The current hunger crisis is worse than any we have seen before due to multiple conflicts, drought, and disease outbreaks happening at the same time in several countries. Without immediate help, 1.4 million severely malnourished children will die.
In 2011, during a multi-country food shortage crisis, the international community failed to act in time and 258,000 people died in Somalia alone. More than half were children. We cannot let this happen again.
Unfortunately, public awareness of the current crisis is low and there is simply not enough funding to meet the level of urgent need our organizations are facing on the ground.
A crisis of this magnitude demands coordinated and urgent action. Eight of the largest U.S.-based international relief organizations joined forces for the first time in the US to try to raise greater awareness and funds for the crisis.
What are the advantages of these organizations working together?
The coalition is comprised of organizations positioned to fight hunger in the most impacted areas. By combining our resources, we can raise more awareness and funds for a greater impact.
Together, our organizations are working in 106 countries to reach millions of the world’s most vulnerable people with urgent assistance such as food, water, shelter, education and medical care, as well as resources to build resilience to future food crises.
Our private sector partners - including PepsiCo, Google, Twitter, and BlackRock – are also raising awareness. PepsiCo Foundation and BlackRock are each matching donations up to $1 million.
Why is extreme hunger such a big issue?
In Yemen, a child under five dies every 10 minutes because of the lack of food and basic resources. In South Sudan, families have been forced to flee their homes and are surviving on water lilies alone while hiding in swamps. In Somalia, teenagers walk for hours just to get enough water to last their families one day. In Nigeria, there have been reports of people eating sand to ward off starvation. Families are dying not only from hunger, but also from diseases such as cholera and measles because they lack clean water and sanitation.
How can people get involved?
The appeal lasts through July 28, 2017 and donations to the Hunger Relief Fund can be made at www.globalemergencyresponse.org. Every dollar you give today will be matched, dollar for dollar, up to a total of $2 million.
We also encourage people to share the appeal with their friends, families, colleagues and through their social media networks. Follow the coalition on the following media channels for the latest updates:
Twitter: @GlobalResponse
Facebook: GlobalEmergencyResponseCoalition
Instagram: GlobalEmergencyResponse
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