News
July 29, 2011: The Horn of Africa is currently suffering from a terrible drought, the worst for several decades. This environmental crisis has now turned into a humanitarian crisis. The situation is particularly dramatic in war-torn Somalia (indeed, the UN has officially declared a state of famine in two areas of southern Somalia) and in Kenya, to which thousands of refugees are fleeing.
According to the UN, more than twelve million Africans in Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Sudan and Uganda are suffering from or are threatened by famine.
In response to this situation, Total has decided to make a donation of 1 million dollars to two organisations: 500,000 dollars will go to AMREF for its programme based in Kenya, and 500,000 dollars will be given to the French Red Cross for the programmes in the region.
AMREF is the leading medical NGO in Africa. It is currently rolling out an emergency programme in Kenya, to help refugees fleeing from the famine. It will focus primarily on supplying water and food, and on the prevention of illnesses such as cholera and diarrhoea.
Total is one of the first companies to respond to the international appeal for aid for the victims of the famine in East Africa. This donation will help finance, to a large extent, the emergency programmes being carried out by these two organisations.
For more information:
On the activities of AMREF
On the activities of the Red Cross