NEW YORK (JTA) — An Israeli aid group and Canadian Jewish federations are teaming to help ease the famine in Somalia.
IsrAID is partnering with the Canadian Jewish organizations UJA Federation of Greater Toronto and UIA Canada to bring food and water to suffering populations in Africa. The relief efforts are targeting Somalians who are crossing the border into Ethiopia and Kenya in order to escape the famine.
IsrAID is communicating with the United Nations and government officials to determine distribution logistics and the types of food that are needed.
The United Nations has declared a state of famine in several regions of Somalia; some expect the entire Somali South to be similarly declared in two months.
Droughts, rising food prices, conflict and other factors and have left approximately 11 million in need of assistance in Somalia and neighboring countries. Large numbers of Somalians — approximately 2,000 a day — are fleeing to Kenya seeking food and aid.
IsrAID also has funded refugee camps in Kenya to house approximately 40,000.
The UJA Foundation of Greater Toronto said it is providing $25,000 to the Somali relief effort. The foundation has been a strong supporter of IsrAID, raising at least $2 million to provide relief in areas of natural disaster such as Japan, Haiti and New Orleans.
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