Horn of Africa: Irish official aid and private donations total €20m

Monday, 29 August 2011 11:02

Written by Niamh Griffin

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Donations of close to twelve million euro have been collected in Ireland for the famine-stricken Horn of Africa according to aid-workers in addition to more than seven million pledged in state aid.

Director of Dóchas, an umbrella organisation of more than 40 Irish aid agencies and development organisations, Mr Hans Zomer said the public money had been collected through sponsored walks and other activities in the last six weeks.

“It is wonderful of the Irish people to come and give aid to people who are suffering. It is a phenomenally positive response,” he said.

“The important message is that the needs of the people there are very great, and they are likely to grow. The next harvest will be in November, and until then people will have to depend on food aid.”

Mr Zomer stressed how grateful the charities are for the large amount of money already raised. He said the organisation has a website howyoucanhelp.ie to guide people in donating effectively.

Saying people should avoid sending food packages, he explained: “Nothing is as flexible as cash. It makes little sense to collect food in Europe and ship it at great cost. There is food in the region, the problem is that it’s not affordable or accessible.”

According to Mr Zomer the member groups in Dóchas work with local groups in each affected country – Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia - and aid distribution is coordinated through the UN.

State Aid from Ireland

Meanwhile the Irish government recently pledged to increase state aid to the region by €500,000 bringing the total amount to 7.7 million euros according to Irish Aid at the Department of Foreign Affairs.

The Minister for Development, Jan O’ Sullivan said: “The funding that I am announcing today will enable Oxfam and Christian Aid to scale up their efforts to provide safe, clean water and critical health services to families. They will focus particularly on nomadic farmers who have been severely affected.”

Other Irish NGOs receiving funds are Concern, Trócaire and Goal as well as UN agencies. Included in the final tally is an extra €400,000 drawn down by Concern and Trócaire in early August from the Irish Aid Emergency Response Fund.

This brings the total amount pledged or collected by Ireland to almost twenty million euros by the end of August 2011.

Over twelve million people are threatened by famine in the region according to Dóchas.

Regional director for Concern, Ms Angela O Neill said the charity has recorded a 62 per cent rise in the number of children seeking treatment in urban centres in Kenya as a result of the drought.

And Ms Isabella Rae, senior Programmes Manger with Irish charity Gorta, echoed Mr Zomer’s fears for the future, saying it is vital to invest in agriculture by aiding small farmers and their families. Ms Rae attended a special meeting of the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) on August 18th in Rome looking at how aid programmes to the stricken region can be developed.

Gorta say food security could deteriorate if rainfall does not increase in the next rainy season, leading to further increases in food prices and loss of livestock according to a spokeswoman.

World Humanitarian Day

Dóchas and other charities recently celebrated World Humanitarian Day. Mr Zomer said the profession is often a dangerous one, and people may not realise how many local aid staff also work in areas like Kenya or Somalia.

He said the day’s celebrations also focused on the professionalism of the industry saying: “The days when aid work was about muddling along are over, we have international regulations now. We encourage people (donors) to check the organisation adheres to international standards. People have the right to demand quality.”

And he said donors should ask “what help do people need?” before making donations.

Irish President Mary McAleese welcomed the celebrations saying in a statement: “Ireland has a long and proud tradition of dedicated humanitarian workers who devote themselves to those who most need help. Throughout the world Irish humanitarian workers can be found offering support to people faced with the enormous challenges posed by hunger, poverty, disease, conflict or natural disaster.”

Emergency state funding pledged for the Horn of Africa Crisis (to mid-August 2011)

Sources: Depart for International Development, UK; Federalis Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany; USAid, America; Dept of Foreign Affairs, Australia; Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, France; Irish Aid, Dept of Foreign Affairs.