Here's a Way to Get Involved in Somali Famine Relief Efforts
Members of the Somali diaspora in New York have started a fundraising initiative to help support famine relief efforts in their home country.
Members of New York's Somali community have teamed up to help provide relief for their brothers and sisters on the ground who are currently at risk of widespread famine.
"What we are hearing from friends on the ground in Somalia is distressing - women and children walk for weeks in search of food and water. They have lost their livestock, water sources have dried up and they have nothing left to survive on. Current indicators mirror the tragic picture of 2011 when Somalia last suffered a famine," the group says in a statement.
It's being estimated that 6.2 million people in Somalia are in need of humanitarian assistance. Through ongoing efforts, the group hopes to raise $50,000 to send directly to those affected. "It is easy to feel helpless and overwhelmed by seeing images of suffering. However, we realized that there is agency in mobilizing community. It is in that spirit that we decided to do this," Idil Ibrahim, one of the mission's organizers, says. "Every bit helps."
Watch the video below for more information. If you'd like to donate to the initiative, you can do so through their Gofundme page.