This weekend, WiserEarth is participating in 48-Hour Fundraiser hosted by environmental websites and nonprofit organizations to benefit the 12 million people struggling for survival in the East African countries of Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya and Djibouti. Join WiserEarth in becoming part of the solution!

Last week, the United Nations announced famine — already declared in two districts — is likely to spread throughout southern Somalia. This week, the UN issued a warning that food insecurity in northern Uganda is sufficiently alarming to raise the possibility that the country might become the fifth nation impacted by the worst drought in the Horn of Africa in sixty years.

Also participating in this weekend of action are 350.org , Oxfam International , Enough Project, Daily Kos, tcktcktck , DeSmogBlog , MIT Climate CoLab , BPI Campus , Climate Change: The Next Generation, RedGreenAndBlue.org , Cool HIVE , and MedicMobile .

Over the course of the weekend, experts in the field of humanitarian assistance will join environmental writers to outline the history of the region and detail how geopolitics, colonialism, ongoing civil wars, climate change and geographic vulnerabilities have combined to create the perfect storm now ravaging East Africa. Each participating organization is choosing its particular group for donated funds. WiserEarth, along with Daily Kos, are directing the donations to Oxfam.

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CLICK THE BELOW LINK TO MAKE A DONATION

Remember to add $.01 to your donation so it ends up being $5.01, $20.01, $50.01, $100.01, and so on. This will enable Oxfam to keep track of all Daily Kos donations.

Please read this if you live outside the United States – to make a donation, [click this link http://www.oxfam.org/en/emergencies/east-africa-food-crisis] and scroll down a bit to find your country. If not listed, please Google Oxfam in your country.

Every month Oxfam distributes the following food per person:
• 10.35kg Maize
• 1.8kg Yellow split peas
• 1.2kg corn/soya blend (to make porridge)
• 0.6 liter vegetable oil

NB: Children receive the same amount of food as adults.

Horn of Africa Drought Facts (combined sources from DailyKos)

• More than 12 million people are affected in Somalia, Kenya, Djibouti, Sudan and Uganda
• Nearly half of Somalia’s population is facing a humanitarian crisis – almost 3.7 million people
• Over 2 million children under the age of five who are suffering from malnutrition; 480,000 are severely malnourished
• UN declares famine in two districts- Bakool and Lower Shabelle – in southern Somalia; anticipates spread of famine throughout the entire southern Somalia region.
• Women are disproportionally affected by the drought as they are the last to eat when food is limited.
• Aid response nearly $1 billion short of what is needed
• Immunizations have begun in Daab Refugee camp, where medical teams are in serious need of additional supplies.
• Over $1bn has been committed but a further $1bn is still required to save thousands of lives

Participants Action (will be updated throughout the weekend)

Follow the action at the project homebase East Africa Food Crisis: 48 Hours of Action. Use the hashtag #48forEastAfrica.

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