Canadians are being reminded to open their wallets to the Horn of Africa famine relief fund before the federal government's 10-week donation-matching program comes to an end on Friday.
International Co-operation Minister Bev Oda made the appeal on CTV's Power Play. She said an estimated $35.8 million has been raised since the dollar-matching program began on July 6 but asked Canadians to give more.
"This is a demonstration of a true humanitarian crisis," Oda, who is also the representative of the Humanitarian Coalition, said.
Friday is the final day of the federal government's aid program in which individual, private donations to aid agencies working in Somalia and its neigbouring countries are being matched dollar-for-dollar.
The East Africa Drought Relief Fund is similar to a program the government ran in response to the earthquake in Haiti and is in addition to the $72 million in funding that Canada has already pledged to the famine-stricken region that includes Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia.
Oda assured Canadians that any donations made to eligible, registered Canadian charities are reaching the millions in need and are not falling into the hands of Muslim militant groups such as El-Shabab.
"Because we know who we're giving the money to. We also know how they're distributing their aid and where they're working, what they're providing," Oda said.
Oda also spoke of her visit to the Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya during the summer. She said the individual stories she heard were "overwhelming."
The minister said that despite the continuing support Canadians are providing, the frustration is "that we cannot get access to everyone in need."
The United Nations said it faces a $1-billion shortfall in addressing the worst famine in Somalia in 60 years, which has affected 13 million people, and left untold thousands dead in recent months.
Donations to the Humanitarian Coalition can be made online at:
