Thursday July 7, 2022
Somali-Americans in Minneapolis, MN, are appealing to the community to donate to the famine relief fund. July 7, 2022. Photo/ Hiiraan
Minneapolis (HOL) - Community and religious groups in Minnesota are calling on the broader community to step up for Somalia's drought relief with a fundraising drive on Saturday at this year's Super-Eid' event held at the US Bank Stadium in downtown Minneapolis.
As many as 50,000 Muslim-Americans are expected to attend that family-friendly event. Still, organizers say they want to use the gathering to raise awareness and funds for the nearly 7 million people facing the humanitarian disaster.
After four failed rains, Somalia is currently facing the worst drought on record since the early 1980s. If the upcoming 'deyr' rainy season is below average as expected by the Famine Early Warning Systems Network, food insecurity may persist until mid-2023.
Despite recent mobilization efforts, there is still a massive funding shortfall. The Drought Response and Famine Prevention Plan, organized by humanitarian partners, requires $993.3 million but only $435.8 million has been collected thus far. This is comparable to the devastating famine in 2011, when funding was slow to come in until famine was formally declared.
Daud Mohamed, the chairperson for Somali Week, one of the community groups organizing the fundraising drive, said that inaction would result in death.
"We cannot afford to sit on our hands as Somalia's biting drought ravages our community. If the lessons of 2011 have taught has anything, it's that quick and decisive action can save hundreds of thousands of lives. We must act now. We cannot wait until the final alarm has been sounded."
He added, "We are all in this together. History will judge humanity as a whole by how well we took care of others during a time of crisis."
The US government, which has provided the most aid so far, has allocated $114 million to drought relief efforts.
Aid agencies say that the conflict between Russia and Ukraine - which has had a direct impact on the famine - has drawn millions of dollars away from other crises.
"Almost all of Somalia's grain needs are provided by imports from Russia and Ukraine. The naval blockade of Ukrainian ports has led to a 300% increase in the price of basic foodstuffs. The reality is that Ukrainian citizens will not be the only casualties of this conflict", Daud Mohamed said.
Minnesota is home to the largest Somali population in the United States and the largest Somali diaspora communities globally.
Go to www.SomaliWeek.org/FamineFund to donate.