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Community Corner

How To Help Victims of the East African Famine

Fairfax County residents reach out to help those facing extreme conditions brought on by historic famine in Africa

As the world watches the famine spread through eastern Africa, many in the DC area are wondering how they can help a region in desperate need of emergency aid.

Meanwhile, those in Northern Virginia's Somali community hold their breath, waiting for any news concerning family members who may be among the thousands of refugees. 

More than 13 million people, especially children, are in dire need of food, water and medicine, due to one of the worst droughts in 60 years, according to the World Food Programme.  The WFP estimates that 1,200 Somali refugees are pouring into Kenya each day, while another 200 desperate families are crossing the border into Ethiopia. 

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The Somali Family Care Network is a Fairfax-based non-profit that helps Somalis refugees settle into American society.

Farrah Hussein, SFCN Project Coordinator, says many in the local Somali community are doing their best to keep abreast of the unfolding situation on the ground, which remains fluid. 

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“Many are trying to communicate with whatever family members they can reach to obtain information on the whereabouts of others,” says Hussein.

Hussein says the Somali community is currently organizing several fundraisers to “raise money for Somali non-governmental organizations on the ground to alleviate the suffering and provide essential resources.”

President Barack Obama approved $105 million in famine aid for East Africa.  Meanwhile, the International Red Cross is asking donors for 86 million dollars to help the people of Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia, and the American Red Cross has pledged up to a million dollars.

And while governments and most well-known relief organizations are stepping up, so are many Fairfax County residents.

Cheryl Kravitz, with the American Red Cross National Capital Region, says they have already received calls from people who are searching for ways to help.  Kravitz says, in situations like this, the best thing you can do is donate. 

“It’s important that we have the financial ability to help people who are in dire emergencies down the street, across the country and around the world,” says Kravitz.  

Here are the easiest ways to donate to some of the major relief organizations with volunteers and staff already on the ground in Africa:

International Red Cross

  • Select Somalia and proceed to the online donation process 

American Red Cross

  • Donations can be directed to the area with the greatest need, such as Somalia.

World Food Programme

  • Donate $10 by texting the word AID to this number 27722
  • Charges will appear on your next bill
  • Go here for larger donations.

World Vision

  • Select your dollar amount and proceed to the online donation process.

Kravitz says it takes highly-trained people who are familiar with the region and culture to help in emergencies like this.  

Emergency teams from Fairfax County have often responded to disasters around the country and world.  A team was deployed to Haiti to assist after the 2010 earthquake.

She says the team sent to Haiti knew the Creole language, giving them another advantage when it came to assisting the thousands left homeless.

But you don’t have to speak another language to understand the sense of urgency in Africa right now.

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