D&P extends African aid
July 19, 2012
The Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace is expanding its commitment to 18 million west Africans in the Sahel region threatened with starvation.
The Catholic aid and development agency is working with Caritas Internationalis to launch food and seed distribution projects in Mauritania, Chad and Senegal to reach 300,000 people. The new projects are in addition to programs for 19,500 households in Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso. D&P is funding the Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso program along with Canadian Foodgrains Bank.
The Foodgrains Bank has committed $9.7 million to get 257,000 west Africans through to the fall harvest. Outright drought and late rains have crippled harvests in the region, Foodgrains Bank executive director Jim Cornelius reported from a recent visit.
Canadian bishops are encouraging parishes to collect money now in support of the D&P's west African famine relief.