Press Release           

July 20, 2011,

 Famine in the Horn of Africa

Stunned by the critical humanitarian disaster afflicting East African countries such as Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya, Somali Canadian Education and Rural Development Organization (SCERDO) is taking action and appealing to different levels of government, private companies, local and international Canadian NGO’s, citizens and individuals to help and provide humanitarian assistance to needy people of Somalia. Today, UN has declared that southern Somalia particularly Bakool and Lower Jubba regions is suffering from famine and tens of thousands of Somalis have died in the worst hunger emergency in a generation.

Somalia has been hit by the worst drought in 60 years and UN officials based in East African countries have declared it “the worst humanitarian crisis” in the world today. Approximately 50,000 refugees cross into neighboring Kenya and Ethiopia each month while hundred of thousands are displaced inside Somalia. According to the recent reports aired by national and international media, women, children and elderly people are dying everyday on their way to the refugee camps in Kenya and Ethiopia.

Somalia has not had a stable and functional government since 1991. This has resulted in the Somali people who live inside the country to have no voice at all. Please note that SCERDO organization is among one of the view Somali Canadian organizations that has a charity registered status and a long-standing partnership with CIDA. Therefore, SCERDO is appealing to the different levels of the Canadian government, Federal MPs, local MLAs, citizens, charity organizations, and Somali communities in Canada to respond our request and take immediate action to help the suffering Somali people, not only those living within the country’s borders but also those who are suffering in the refugee camps in Kenya and Ethiopia. Although immediate relief is the priority, SCERDO’s acknowledges that the real solution is in providing long term, sustainable solutions.

This is a critical time for Canadian people to positively and urgently respond to this catastrophic humanitarian crisis occurring in Somalia. SCERDO has already an operational office in Nairobi, Kenya and with help of Canadian government and Canadian people are willing to help those starving people by delivering food, water, and clothing. More important, Alberta government has promised to match every dollar that SCERDO will raise from the public and private sectors for famine crisis in Somalia. We are assuring you that your donation will never be diverted to other channels. Moreover, SCERDO will issue tax exception receipts to those who make donation.

Thank you very much for your help and assistance in this regard.

    Bashir Ahmed

    Executive Director & CEO