Niger Famine

August 10, 2005

UNICEF and the UN World Food Program have compiled important information on the Niger famine, including audio and video presentations. Although Niger is not the only African country facing widespread starvation this year, as the 2nd poorest nation on earth its population, particularly its children, are among the must vulnerable.

UNICEF reports it has provided 41 tons of therapeutic milk, 6.7 tons of food and 190 tons of UNIMIX – a life-saving porridge easy for undernourished children to digest. These items have been distributed across Niger to help children in 10 fixed therapeutic feeding centers and 21 outreach therapeutic centers.

Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières, is currently operating six intensive nutritional rehabilitation centers and 33 outpatient therapeutic feeding programs in this country, where they treat children suffering from severe malnutrition.

Information on the estimated cost to avert catastrophe in this country, and how to donate funds for this project, can be found on the World Food Program web site.