Millions of people at risk of starvation in parts of Africa and the Middle East.
The UN has declared a famine in South Sudan, calling it the largest humanitarian crisis since 1945. As of April 2017, the Extreme Hunger Appeal has raised over $37,000 for long-term Mission & Service partners working on the ground in Africa and the Middle East.
The United Church of Canada is launching an Extreme Hunger Appeal as the humanitarian crisis in Kenya, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen reaches grave levels.
Starvation and extreme hunger are rapidly reaching a scale the world has not seen before in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen. There is also extreme hunger, malnutrition, and starvation in Kenya. Vulnerable people are most impacted, including children.
Small-scale farmers supply the majority of food in Africa. But climate change has created a devastating and prolonged drought, resulting in both water and food shortages. Farmers are unable to grow crops and their livestock have died. Ongoing conflict is also contributing to the crisis as many families are forced to flee their homes, farms, and livelihoods.
The people of Nigeria, South Sudan, Somalia, Yemen, and Kenya urgently need your help. All donations raised for this appeal will go to our long-term Mission & Service partners, including ACT Alliance, which is saving lives in the region.This Extreme Hunger Appeal follows the Drought Appeal for Africa that the United Church launched last April. Many United Church members have also generously given to the Canada Food Grains Bank, which is providing emergency food relief.
Please give now and invite members of your congregation to join this Extreme Hunger Appeal.
Donate Now
Online via our secure donation page.
Phone 416-231-5931 or toll-free 1-800-268-3781 ext. 2738 and use your Visa or MasterCard.
Send a cheque, money order, or Visa or MasterCard information with donation amount to:
Note: As part of the United Church’s Emergency Response Fund, 100% of your donation goes directly to emergency relief with 85% of your donation responding to this designated emergency and 15% responding to future emergencies that do not receive intense media coverage. Donations to Mission & Service enable the United Church to cover all of the costs of emergency response work without deducting any fees from your donation.
Pray
Pray for the millions of people in Kenya, Nigeria, South Sudan, Somalia, and Yemen facing extreme drought, food insecurity, malnutrition, and conflict, and for our Mission & Service partners working on the ground to meet the needs of those affected. Pray this prayer:
Life giving and loving God,
We bring to you our love, our concern and our prayers for the millions of people facing hunger and starvation in the region around the Horn of Africa.
We remember particularly those in South Sudan, Somalia, Nigeria, Kenya, and Yemen facing the combined forces of drought, violence and climate change.
We confess that our failure to care for creation continues to cause pain and suffering beyond imagining;
The world’s indifference and inability to address hatred, conflict and oppression threatens the well-being of millions.
We mourn that in many parts of Africa
lush lands are becoming barren;
water is becoming scarce;
people are displaced from their homes
and people are in hunger.
lush lands are becoming barren;
water is becoming scarce;
people are displaced from their homes
and people are in hunger.
We lament that hunger and starvation is the world’s failure to give priority to the well-being of all people.
We pray that we remain aware during this unfolding tragedy.
that wisdom be our support and;
compassion and love our purpose.
that wisdom be our support and;
compassion and love our purpose.
We pray that we will not ignore those in need but hold out our hands in love, friendship and support.
We give thanks to our Mission & Service partners, including ACT Alliance working in this region to address hunger each and every day.
And we give thanks for the work of the United Nations World Food Programme and the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, which provides sustenance to people and communities in Africa facing extreme hunger.
Creator, help us to remember that our actions, no matter the size, matter. That each response is an answer to your call to care for those in need.
May our prayers and deeds bring about abundant life for all.
Amen.
