ReliefWeb

The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) appeal for the crisis in East Africa has raised £17.6 million since it launched on Wednesday, with donations continuing to flood in from the UK public.

Drought and conflict have left 16 million people on the brink of starvation and in urgent need of food, water and medical treatment.

People are already dying in South Sudan and Somalia. In Kenya, the government has declared a national emergency and Ethiopia is battling a new wave of drought following the strongest El Niño on record.

DEC member charities are already providing help to people across the four countries with lifesaving aid, such as food, treatment for malnutrition and cash, but much more needs to be done to reach those in desperate need.

DEC Chief Executive Saleh Saeed said:

“It is fantastic that in just two days the DEC East Africa Food Crisis Appeal has reached £17 million. People in the UK have once again risen to the occasion and shown their huge generosity, and for that we are incredibly grateful. My heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you who has supported the appeal.

“This humanitarian crisis has reached critical levels and we would urge people to continue giving to save lives and reduce suffering. Please don’t delay, donate.”

The £17.6 million funds raised is made up of £12.6 million given by the UK public by text, phone and online, and £5 million from the UK Government through the Aid Match Fund.

What your money could buy:

• £25 could provide a month’s supply of life-saving peanut paste to a malnourished child
• £60 could provide clean drinking water for two families for a month
• £100 could provide supplies to a clinic treating severely malnourished children for a week.

To make a donation to the DEC East Africa Crisis Appeal visit: www.dec.org.uk, call the 24-hour hotline on , donate over the counter at any high street bank or post office, or send a cheque. You can also donate £5 by texting the word SUPPORT to 70000.

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