Disasters Emergency Committee East Africa appeal reaches £30 million

Press release 22 March 2017

The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) appeal for East Africa has raised more than £30 million in its first week, with donations continuing to pour in from the UK public.

Prolonged drought and conflict have left 16 million people across East Africa on the brink of starvation.

Mothers are going without food as they give what little they have to their children, but with 800,000 children under five years old needing lifesaving treatment for acute malnutrition there just isn't enough food to go around.

Malnourishment among pregnant and lactating women is another serious concern, with some 339,000 estimated to be acutely malnourished in South Sudan. In Somalia, 1.2 million children and pregnant and lactating mothers require supplementary feeding.

Money raised by the DEC appeal will provide millions of people in desperate need with vital food, water and medical treatment.

DEC Chief Executive Saleh Saeed said: “We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the British public, trusts and companies for their generous support to the DEC East Africa Crisis Appeal which has now raised an incredible £30m; this will provide food, water and medical care to millions of people across East Africa.

“Our member charities are already on the ground providing life-saving aid to some of the worst affected people, but the crisis is far from over and there are so many more who need our help. Every donation makes a huge difference. We would like to ask those that haven’t had a chance to support please don’t delay, donate today.”

What your money could buy:

  • £25 could provide a month’s supply of life-saving peanut paste to a malnourished child.
  • £60 could provide clean drinking water for two families for a month
  • £100 could provide supplies to a clinic treating severely malnourished children for a week.

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Notes to editors:

Media enquiries please call 020 7387 0200 or 07930 999 014 (out of hours).

  • The DEC brings 13 leading UK aid charities together in times of crisis: ActionAid, Age International, British Red Cross, CAFOD, CARE International, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide, Islamic Relief, Oxfam, Plan International UK, Save the Children, Tearfund and World Vision; all collectively raising money to reach those in need quickly.
  • Matt Baker, Brenda Blethyn, Tamsin Greig, Bill Nighy and Eddie Redmayne have backed the DEC’s East Africa Crisis Appeal by recording calls for support from the public.
  • The UK Government is matching pound for pound the first £10 million donated by the public to the DEC East Africa Crisis Appeal through its Aid Match Fund.
  • Donations can be made at any high street bank and at Post Office counters. To make a postal donation make cheques payable to ‘DEC’ and mail to ‘PO Box 999, London, EC3A 3AA’.
  • To donate £5 by text send the word SUPPORT to 70000. The full £5 will go to the DEC East Africa Crisis Appeal. Donors must be 16 years or over and have bill payers’ permission. Texts are free and donations will be added to the bill.
  • DEC will be hosting Facebook live sessions during the week, featuring aid workers and journalists who will be discussing their experiences from recent visit to East Africa.