Out of Africa

The Horn of Africa is facing its worst drought in 60 years, with an estimated 11.6 million people needing urgent humanitarian aid. Over 2.3 million children are estimated to be malnourished , with over half a million severely malnourished children at imminent risk of death. Tens of thousands of people have died and many more lives are at risk.

And a relief convoy just passed through the region without stopping, on its way to bring aid to Gaza.

From CNN

A humanitarian land convoy heading to Gaza from South Africa reached Port Sudan, Sudan on the Red Sea Wednesday and is destined to become the first relief mission to Gaza from Africa.
"I was inspired last year by the convoys that went to Gaza from Europe, so we asked ourselves; why not from Africa?" said Sheikh Walid al-Saadi of the South African Relief Agency (SARA).

Why not Africa? This is why:

From the CIA Factbook on Somalia:
Infant mortality in Somalia total: 105.56 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy in Somalia total population: 50.4 years

From the CIA factbook on Gaza
Infant mortality total: 17.12 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy total population: 73.92 years

Child in East Africa

Child in Gaza

The ten trucks, explained al-Saadi, left Durban, South Africa on June 26 and has passed through seven countries including Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia and Sudan

In a bringing coal to Newcastle moment, this convoy is rolling past the truly needy in Africa, to Gaza, a region with an obesity rate, according to UNRWA of 30-40%. A region where luxury hotels, malls and cinemas have just been built. This is an unconscionable evil, orchestrated by the South African Relief Agency (SARA), and enabled by the selfish and narcissistic regime in Gaza. Visit the SARA facebook page. Let them know how you feel about this. www.facebook.com/africa.to.gaza.aid.convoy

NY Times has provided a list for Helping Victims of the East Africa Famine. And do not allow the Palestinians' well oiled PR machine to distance and distract you from the real need in this world.

UPDATE

From Ma'an

A solidarity group from South Africa arrived in Gaza Thursday evening, for a four-day visit they have called "Freedom for detainees."

The group brought 10 trucks of medical and humanitarian supplies, entering through the southern Rafah crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt.

With all the publicity regarding the utter hypocrisy of taking aid out of Africa, the group has kept their arrival in Gaza fairly low key. Publicity stunt fail