Today Malteser International in cooperation with local helpers is distributing 285 bags of maize corn (100 kg per bag) to 1,500 families in the region Tilabery, located 70 km northwest of the capital Niamey. Each family receives 20 kg.After the next harvest, each family pays back 10 kg to the village cereal bank. Malteser International and the village elders of the eleven villages established administrative committees to organize the distribution and repayment of the maize.
Malteser International and OHFOM (Oeuvres Hospitalieres Française de l’Ordre de Malte), the relief service of the French association of the Order of Malta are working together in Niger. Since several years OHFOM has already been supporting projects to offer health care in Niger and continuously supplies health centres in these eleven villages with pharmaceuticals. Further remedial measures within the health range are in progress.
The rain season increases the risk of diseases: diarrhoea, respiratory diseases, malaria and hepatitis can have deadly consequences especially for the acutely malnourished children, whose immune system is weakened.
In Mali, Malteser International supports the national security stock (SNS) of the government with 200.000 Euro. 17 cereal banks were stocked with 520 tons cereal to support 60.000 people in the region Mopti located 640 km northeast of the capital Bamako to support longer term support as well.
In order to continue the help for the starving population in Niger and Mali, Malteser International is asking for help. Please donate to:
Name of bank: Bank für Sozialwirtschaft
Sort Code: 370 205 00
Account N°: 10 20 30
BIC BFSWDE31XXX
IBAN: DE 49 3702 0500 0001 0258 01
Reference: Food Crisis West Africa
Malteser International is the Order of Malta’s international relief organisation for medical and humanitarian aid. Its worldwide operations include emergency medical interventions, long term reconstruction and development programmes. Malteser International currently runs missions in 35 countries. It has its headquarters in Cologne, Germany.
For more information:
www.malteser-international.org
