Clover Moore’s East Africa Food Crisis Appeal

The Lord Mayor’s East Africa Food Crisis Appeal has received generous donations by Sydneysiders to help the struggling nations of East Africa fight the worst drought experienced in six decades.

In just one month, the City of Sydney and its New Years Eve charity partner, CARE Australia, have helped to raise almost $250,000 for the food crisis in East Africa.

CARE Australia is the leading provider of food and water in the largest refugee camp in Dadaab, Kenya. The refuge provides help for more than 460,000 people with over 1000 new refugees arriving every day.

Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, said malnutrition rates have sky-rocketed due to food and water shortages, poor hygiene and sanitation, and limited access to healthcare.

“Women and girls are disproportionately affected by the drought, with 80 per cent of new arrivals at the world’s largest refugee camp – Dadaab – being women and children without food, money or clothing,” she said.

The Lord Mayor launched the appeal in November last year after more than 750,000 people from Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya and Dijbouti were declared at risk of dying from starvation over the Christmas-New Year period.

 “For an East African family, a donation of $91 is enough to feed them for a week and a corporate donation of as little as $450 will truck in enough water to sustain 50 refugees for a month,” Ms Moore said.

People who attended Sydney’s New Year’s Eve celebrations were able to donate on the spot, over the phone or via the CARE Australia website.

The funds raised were initiated by the City of Sydney with a $100,000 donation which was then matched by the Federal Government for every dollar received before November 30.

Australian’s have always dug deep to help those in need and I urge all Sydneysiders to do so now,” Ms Moore said.

“The City invest hundreds of millions of dollars to make Sydney one of the leading cities in the world. We are in a fortunate position and with that comes responsibility to help others who are not as fortunate.”