FIFA donates US$1m to assist Somali drought victims

Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) - World soccer's governing body FIFA has announced its decision to donate US$1 million in emergency aid for the humanitarian crisis currently afflicting Somalia, according to a statement posted to the federation's website late Thursday.

It said the funds would be given directly to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in support of its programmes to help the people affected by the drought and the conflict in the country.

''The ICRC will use FIFA’s donation specifically to implement their strategy of providing life-saving emergency aid, complemented by projects designed to revive or boost the livelihoods of the worst-off communities in a sustainable manner.

''Approximately one-third of the donation will be used to finance the purchase and transportation of food, representing standard food rations for 25,000 families or 150,000 people over a period of one month, and the remaining two-thirds will support all ICRC activities in the country.

''The ICRC expects to help more than one million people over the coming months with programmes focused in southern and central Somalia in order to respond to the current nutritional and food crises in the area,'' the statement said.

The initiative by FIFA is part of the world football’s governing body’s solidarity programmes, which in recent years have allowed support to be provided to the people of countries such as Japan, Haiti, Pakistan, China, Chile and the countries of south-east Asia affected by the tsunami in December 2004.
-0- PANA SEG 12Aug2011