Generous Britons give £40million for starving Africans in just 22 days

EVER generous in the face of suffering abroad, Britons have contributed an extraordinary £40million to the disaster fund to support east Africa in just 22 days.

It means seven million people across the region will be given food, water and medical care in a two-year programme.

The Government has added another £10million in contributions, taking the total raised so far to £50million. Saleh Saeed, chief executive of the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), said: ‘We are so incredibly grateful to all who have supported the appeal for their kindness and for their generosity to people who are thousands of miles away.

‘The UK government and the British public have been at the forefront of this. Sadly, this crisis is worsening and we must do more.’ Although charities were already working in east Africa before the appeal began, the contributions have allowed operations to be scaled up enormously, Mr Saeed added.

Famine has already been declared in parts of South Sudan, with people facing starvation in Somalia, parts of north-east Nigeria and Yemen. In all, about 20million people are affected.

The appeal by aid agencies was launched by celebrities including Bill Nighy, Sir Mo Farah, Eddie Redmayne and Brenda Blethyn on March 15, with extensive television coverage by broadcasters including the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and Sky.

The DEC, which involves 13 of the UK’s leading charities, is concentrating its efforts in South Sudan and Somalia, as well as the self-declared autonomous states of Puntland and Somaliland.

‘We have reports about aid delivery making an immediate difference to the lives of affected communities,’ said Mr Saeed.

‘For example, Concern Worldwide is supporting children at the Weydow nutrition centre just outside Mogadishu in Somalia; Save the Children is

‘Time for others to step up’

supplying food, water and medical care to 40 of the most drought-affected communities in Ethiopia and Somalia; Oxfam is providing water and sanitation to hundreds of thousands of people in Kenya; and British Red Cross has delivered emergency food supplies to thousands of people in South Sudan.’

Priti Patel, the International Development Secretary, said: ‘The great British public has acted without hesitation to stop people dying of famine and hunger.

‘Now it’s time for the international community to step up and follow Britain’s lead before it’s too late.’