A small community of musicians in Hartland, WI came together in 2011 to advance the agenda of good in the world. "Time Hop" to 3 years later, we continue to be astonished by the compounding and grave needs in the world, and challenged by the chance any small group of people equal to or greater than one that can do something, anything, to help. 

Much has improved in the urgency of the situation, but there are lasting effects from the displacement of people and the ever tentative food security. Articles describing the 2011 Drought in the Horn of Africa:
http://reliefweb.int/disaster/dr-2011-000029-ken
https://www.wfp.org/crisis/horn-of-africa
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_East_Africa_drought

This study, a collaboration between FEWS NET and FSNAU (Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit - Somalia), summarizes that the actual number of people lost in the 2011-2012 drought was higher than the 1992 drought & famine in the region. That being said the 1992 famine is considered more sever because a larger percentage of the population died.  

To oversimplify? To me, this means that in the last 20 years - no matter how challenging and complicated the circumstances have become - we've:
1. learned from the past
2. embraced our world neighbors in a more significant way

I'm so glad we came together to do a little something about it!

May 2013 update in the region...
Famine Early Warning Systems Network

12.9 million people remain in Stressed, Crisis and Emergency areas as determined by FEWS NET.  
Improvement from December 2012 estimated 14.9 million.
The link above has more detail.  

Thank you everyone who stopped by at the West Bend Farmer's Market to help drought relief in the Horn of Africa.  Yesterday we raised $328!  The situation is still terribly fragile.  Food security levels in Eastern Africa remain at crisis and emergency levels.  

"The communities we work with in the Horn of Africa region are still very vulnerable," says CARE's East and Central Africa Regional Director Emma Naylor-Ngugi. 

from UN Office of Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

the continuing crisis ~ outlook for rainfall even this season  is bleak

http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/Full_Report_3791.pdf

World Water Day March 22, 2012!

http://www.unwater.org/worldwaterday/index.html

Ways to help:

• follow a healthier, sustainable diet
• consume less water-intensive products
• reduce the scandalous food wastage: 30% of the food produced worldwide is never eaten and the water used to produce it is definitively lost
• produce more food, of better quality, with less water

Still 10.4 million people in need

The situation in Ethiopia and Kenya is stabilizing, but across the Horn of Africa, there remain 10.4 million people in need.

http://one.org/blog/2012/02/17/famine-declared-over-but-lets-not-lose-sight-of-whats-at-stake/

KANGA COFFEE in Merton!

Definitely worth the visit, they have great coffee, a beautifully renovated and relaxing space, and they're selling "There's a Drought" cds!


http://kangacoffee.com/

UN declares end to famine but warns the international community not to be complacent

Rains + foreign aid = fragile and temporary improvement 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/africa/un-declares-end-to-somalia-famine-but-warns-crisis-not-over/2012/02/03/gIQAAQxFnQ_story.html

2011 Brief Summary of Drought

The New Year finds the situation still quite complex and catastrophic. Rains have come cutting off some displaced drought survivors from help,  there is increased insecurity in the region, and relief efforts in Somalia are limited by the militia.  We'll continue to pray, continue to sell cd's and shirts, and continue to share the story of the suffering in the Horn of Africa.

http://yubanet.com/world/Horn-Eastern-Africa-Drought-highlights-in-2011.php#.TwsrwJgqOS4

GIFT giving helps drought victims

$30 includes t-shirt (specify size), cd, and 12oz Kenya Whole Bean Coffee!  The perfect gift for a coffee/music/world loving person on your list!  And it's already wrapped :) Email requests to theresadrought.relief@gmail.com

USAID: Rains hinder humanitarian response...

DROUGHT FACT SHEET #10 "The ongoing October-to-December heavy rains across southern Somalia, northern Kenya, and the Somali Region of Ethiopia continue to hinder humanitarian response activities in drought- and conflict-affected communities. During the week of November 28, the U.N. Humanitarian Air Service cancelled nearly all flights to the Dollo Ado refugee camps—where more than 138,400 refugees resided as of December 7—due to flooding at the airstrip. In addition, several roads to Dollo Ado remain impassable, delaying the delivery of humanitarian supplies..."

Africa's Drought Disaster

Melissa Doyle  visits sponsored child in Kenya - and shares this video report about the fight for survival .. "...it's difficult to understand how desperate the situation really is."

http://au.tv.yahoo.com/sunrise/video/-/watch/26351754/africas-drought-disaster/

UNICEF EMERGENCY SUPPLY FLIGHT

"This is not a famine crisis, a drought crisis... this is a child survival crisis." UNICEF President and CEO, Caryl Stern. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge helped pack a shipment of emergency medial supplies at a UNICEF emergency supply center in Copenhagen to help "...perhaps put the light back on this crisis."  Despite having so little the people here celebrate what they do have... 

http://fieldnotes.unicefusa.org/2011/11/nightline.html

There's a Drought: Helping Africa One Song at a Time

_________________TONIGHT__________________

Somalia's Agony Tests Limits of Aid

“Americans are incredibly generous when they understand that children are in desperate need,” said Carolyn Miles, president of Save the Children. “If they knew millions of children were facing death in East Africa, I believe they would give. But I don't think Americans understand the scale of this disaster.”
NEW YORK TIMES Nov 1, 2011

Rains usher in "critical" period in Somalia's areas of famine

A key goal of the aid effort is to keep people in their homes. If they move to camps for more than six months, they are statistically very unlikely ever to return to their communities. That makes this planting season enormously important. Read more at...
Andrew Harting BBC News Oct 31, 2011

allAfrica.com: "Massive response showing some positive results but much more needs to be done..."

"We need to go the extra mile to reach all children and their families who need our help. The crisis is far from over, and will definitely continue well into 2012," said Elhadj As Sy, who is the UNICEF Global Emergency Coordinator for the Horn of Africa crisis.

COMMEMORATING WORLD FOOD DAY

http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/site/entry/world_food_day_2011_usaid

"Every year on October 16, we have the opportunity to reflect on the devastating and persisting realities of hunger and undernutrition in our global community. Although it is a single day, World Food Day represents our year-round efforts to end hunger, alleviate suffering, and expand opportunity across the world..."

ANGELINA JOLIE speaks at the UN Oct 5

"How we continue to respond to this period of malnutrition and famine
is going to define the work of NGOs, governments and international organizations working in the Horn of Africa," said Jolie. "It will quite 
starkly determine whether a huge number of people live or die."  
Angelina Jolie
http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/entertainment&id=8379830

YouTube: stories from September

Fatumo Farah is the director of the Netherlands-based development organisation HIRDA. She returns to Somalia to assess the situation of drought victims in the southern central part of the country.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSiD-ghlCAg