Students Helping the Horn of Africa

 

 

 

You’ve likely seen the story of Andrew Adensi-Donnah. This spirited eleven-year-old from Ghana – a country where the average person lives off of $7 a day – designed his own bright orange “Save Somalia” tee-shirt and dedicated his summer to going door-to-door fundraising for the famine.  A few months, $500 raised, and an interview with BBC later, and he says he’s just getting started.

 

Inspired?  Andrew’s story is just one example of how students across the globe are dedicating their trademark energy to raising funds and awareness for the 13 million people in need in the Horn of Africa. This is where you come in. As severe hunger persists across the Horn, we’re calling on your continued passion. Tap into your network and creativity: you can truly make a difference.

 

Let’s take a step back and look at what’s going on in the region.  

After a season of poor rains created one of the driest seasons on record in the region, WFP named the crisis in the Horn of Africa its global humanitarian priority. On July 19th, the United Nations declared that there was a famine in two regions of southern Somalia. WFP now aims to feed over 11 million people and is rapidly moving lifesaving food into the region.

 

How to Help

One way to help: Using your social network to make a difference online

 

TwitterSocial media tools mean it’s easier than ever to get involved and broaden your impact. Call on your friends to help with your Facebook status and use the hashtag #HoACrisis to tweet about what’s going on in the Horn. Twitter is also a great place to get fresh information by following our Public Information officers tweeting from the frontlines of the crisis @challiss, @natscript, @kidogosteph, @susannahnicol, and @rose_ogola.

 

 

Some example tweets:

  1. Thank you to all those who have helped so far, but officials believe the #HoACrisis is yet to reach its peak http://bit.ly/qhaziY
  2. The #HoACrisis leaves more than 13 mill ppl in need of emergency help. For more on what u can do go to http://bit.ly/qCjVQo

 

 

Calling on your creativity

 

Selling three dozen cookies at US$0.50 a piece at a school bake sale would feed 36 kids for a day in the Horn. Clearly, there are hundreds of ordinary things you can do to help our operations in the Horn. Plan a change drive, make art, hand out leaflets at your school - you get the idea! Click here for more inspiration.

 

 

Become a School in Action

 

Schools in Action

Download our Schools in Action pack and learn how your school can join the network and start making a difference in the world. Visit our Schools in Action page to see what schools from all over the world have been up to and learn about the impact they've made.

 

Schools Helping the Horn of Africa

Bladins International School

 

On September 20, 2011, students from Bladins International School in Malmö, Sweden, gave one hour of their day to fundraise – and run – for the Horn of Africa. Together, 380 children between the ages of 5 and 16 ran an astonishing 1802 kilometers and raised almost 1800 USD through sponsorships from family and friends. The funds will go to support the WFP’s work in Somalia, Kenya, Djibouti and Ethiopia and help children who are suffering from hunger and malnutrition in the region.

Read more

 

 

 

 

Coogee Boys' Preparatory School

 

Coogee Boys Prep School in Randwick Sydney decided to Walk for Africa as part of their desire to do something for School children affected by the famine in East Africa. A Walkathon was decided upon as a great and fun way of raising funds. The boys designed posters to put up around the school to promote the event and designed an obstacle course that each boy had to walk around for a certain time depending on his age. The youngest walkers were 5 years old and the oldest 12 years old. The boys also organised a drinks stand and donated drinks were sold to contribute to the funds raised. A target of $3000 dollars was set which meant each boy had a target of $20 to reach. Thanks to the hard work of the boys raising sponsorship money and their determination to walk - $5000 was raised - well above their target. The boys decided that the School Meals program was the one they wanted to support as it is was the one sclosest to their hearts.

 

 

Email us at WFP.Youth@wfp.org and let us know what your school did to make a difference!

 

 

Pinpointing the Horn

 

When we talk about the Horn of Africa we’re referring to the region of Eastern Africa that juts out of the continent like – you guessed it – a horn. It’s made up of five countries: Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, and Kenya. Due to conflict and frequent drought, the region is what we call food insecure – meaning it often struggles to feed all of its people.

 

How well do you know the situation in the Horn? Test your knowledge with our online quiz.

 

Need a refresher? Here's a one-minute video explainer.

 

Or check out this interactive map that shows you exactly where the hungry are and what WFP is doing to help.

 

 HoA Interactive Map

From the Ground

 

Many of those affected by the crisis traveled to refugee camps in Kenya and Ethiopia for food and basic supplies. Originally intended to house 90,000 people, Dadaab Refugee Camp in Kenya now houses more than 400,000 people and is the largest refugee camp in the world.

 

What is it like to be at a refugee camp during a crisis? Our web editor, Martin, recently spent a week at Dadaab. Check out his story.

 

 

 

Hunger Crisis in Horn of Africa