It's nearly lunch time and I have a choice of all sorts of goodies in the kitchen from which to choose. A salad stuffed sarnie, or maybe an omelette. If I wanted to be quick then a bowl of cereal would be satisfying and I can choose from six different boxes with fresh milk in the fridge. Or maybe I can slit open a fresh and ripe avocado, pop out the stone and crunch a little sea salt and a squeeze of fresh lemon and eat as it is with a teaspoon. If it was the old days in an office, I'd have eaten a bag of maltesers for mid-morning and be heading out to the shops for more indulgences.
The Aid agencies have now admitted they did not respond sooner to the latest crisis. This time in Niger. It is supposed to be the second poorest nation in the world and on top of droughts, a plague of locusts have damaged the crop. BBC news item
This is a hunger map from the world food programme. Currently Niger has 150,000 malnourished children close to death. There are almost eight million people in West Africa at risk of severe hunger unless they receive urgent aid.
Before our next meal today we can at least give some money to help the food aid:
- www.dec.org.uk who are co-ordinating the UK aid appeal for a number of organisations
- British Red Cross
- World Food Programme
- Medecins Sans Frontieres
We know that many of these countries have been blighted by dictators and warring factions. Money spent on weapons rather than on food and developing self-sufficiency. Now is not the time to go on about that. Help is needed now (before our next mouthful?) and in the long term.
Note: If you are struggling financially yourself then do not feel obliged. There are plenty of people like us who, although not wealthy, are able to pick and choose; and then plenty more who have money to spend on the latest this or that and then throw it away when the desire has passed. We and they are the ones who should dig deep. But we all have a responsibility to be aware.
Original Comments:
We've just given some money. I forgot to say, if you are a UK tax payer then the donation is worth more if give as Gift Aid:
UK taxpayers: I want DEC Niger Crisis Appeal to reclaim the tax I have paid on my donation(s). I have paid an amount of income or capital gains tax at least equal to the tax that DEC will reclaim (currently 28p for every £1 donated).
Tuesday, August 02, 2005 12:14:00 PM
BTW - I'm putting my blog through Battle of the Blogs today - I don't care against whom - in the hope that at least some people stop and take notice of the Niger appeal!
Tuesday, August 02, 2005 1:04:00 PM
I've made my donation.. it's true.. there is to much hunger in this world... I often think about it when I look into the fridge and see something that's been in there for too long so I have to throw it away.. shame on me! I try to not waste food, but sometimes it just happens...
Tuesday, August 02, 2005 1:07:00 PM
That's great about the donation Thaleia.
I know what you mean about the waste at home. We can only try and we won't always get it right. Especially us in the West with our psychological hang-ups or weight problems. We are taught not to finish off food just because it is there and that it is better to throw it away. And we can't force the food on our kids in case we set up problems with food issues later in their lives.
Tuesday, August 02, 2005 1:16:00 PM
As usual your blog has inspired me. I'll be making a donation to the local food bank. On the check I am going to note: Gran's On Bran.
Tuesday, August 02, 2005 1:38:00 PM
Nice one Pookie65 :-)
Tuesday, August 02, 2005 1:53:00 PM
Hunger and famine have been with us since the dawn of time. We have no excuse to say that we are unaware of it. If we do it is because we have buried our heads in the mounds of food we consume.
Tuesday, August 02, 2005 9:57:00 PM
My hat off to you. I am currently raising money for The Children's Society and greatly admire anybody who goes out of their way to improve the quality of life for other people. The world would benefit greatly from more people like yourself.
Wednesday, August 03, 2005 1:49:00 AM
I regualarly make donations to and support UNICEF, they are helping the problems in Niger and so I will be making my donation through them. I think it is great that you are using your blog to raise awareness of the Niger Appeal!
Wednesday, August 03, 2005 7:35:00 AM
Alexander & Sarah - The way I see it, I enjoy doing the Piffle and Spice on my blog but think it is also good to be rounded. I couldn't not mention this appeal - I really didn't eat yesterday until we had given some money. There are other times I don't want to mention stuff on the news - almost specifically, because this is my blog and I can choose - but this is just too important and we can make a difference.
Mama Mouse - sadly, very true.
Wednesday, August 03, 2005 8:16:00 AM
Good causes there, I actually donate to California's Marine Mammal Institute every year. They rescue marine life and return them to the wild.
Thanx for stopping by my blog via Michele.
Wednesday, August 03, 2005 9:52:00 AM
Excellent, excellet post. I spent some of last year working in a village in Tanzania with people living in the most abject poverty.
When I got back to the UK, I found it impossible to go into a supermarket - the sight of all that food that we simply don't need made me feel guilty to my core, when I knew that the people I'd shared my life with over the past months may not have eaten a good meal that week.
Wednesday, August 03, 2005 10:05:00 AM
He he, we are doing blog rocket at the same time....
Wednesday, August 03, 2005 4:31:00 PM
Eek just reading over my last post, I didnt mean it to sound so crass on such a serious matter, I just got all excited when I saw your blog ahead of me on blogrocket and had to call you!
So sorry bout that.
Wednesday, August 03, 2005 11:38:00 PM
Hey! It's fine.... it is quite funny, speaking like an old hand, and reminds me of the first time I saw Cheryl of Mad Baggage on the Blog Rocket and thought it was something special and didn't realise anyone could do it!!!
I love your latest pics - fantastic :-)
Wednesday, August 03, 2005 11:42:00 PM
Well done on the Battle - I voted for you! :o)
Thursday, August 04, 2005 12:13:00 AM
Thanks Ghone! Sorry I didn't see yours up as well as I accepted the challenge and then toddled off to bed. But as teenage daughter has decided to pop out with a friend - just after midnight - I somehow can't sleep so am up again.
Thursday, August 04, 2005 1:07:00 AM
Thank you so much for the comment! To answer, no, she had no intention of telling me. She's been selling fan-made stuff for years, and has taken great pains to hide her auctions from the owners of her material, and will never entertain thoughts of ceasing her activities. I know this because as her friend, I was privy to quite a few of her actions. All I can do is appeal on a public forum that I know she reads, and hope that she will take note, or bow to public pressure. But I doubt the latter will happen, this woman has a severe inability to understand anyone else's point of view but her own.
Thursday, August 04, 2005 5:47:00 AM
you got my vote. TWICE!
Thursday, August 04, 2005 7:10:00 AM
Well done Doris - it needs bringing to everyone's attention! I don't ever really remember going to bed hungry and too many children out there do that every night! Donation on the way!
Jo
:o)
Thursday, August 04, 2005 4:42:00 PM