With over 11 million people in Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia and Djibouti in need of life saving assistance, IDRF responded immediately by providing food and water and also launched a fundraising appeal.

Thanks to your very generous response, IDRF was able to expand our humanitarian efforts and due to the extent of the disaster are supporting a number of initiatives in various parts of the Horn of Africa. We are implementing projects with several partners in different regions in the area. We are working in Kenya as well as in Somalia, which was most affected by the famine and which many outside agencies found difficult to access. For IDRF access was not a problem as we have local partners.

As usually happens in such situations, women and children are disproportionately affected by the crisis, and therefore our programming has explicitly targeted these demographics. For example, where necessary, the food programs are augmented by other items such as mosquito nets, sanitary towels, and floor mats.

Whenever possible, our rehabilitation projects are also helping support any existing education initiatives. For example, in one project the fees of schoolgirls are subsidized so their parents will not resort to keeping girls out of school in order to free up money from their school fees for the family to make necessity purchases. Bearing in mind the importance of sanitation, some projects include digging of pit latrines for men and women.

The prolonged drought was followed by heavy rains in certain regions which choked out vegetation and new cropping, exacerbating pre-existing crisis conditions. In response to this new challenge, IDRF is working closely with partners on the ground to develop rehabilitation initiatives that will help vulnerable populations mitigate the effects of this drastic shift in precipitation.

Conflicts and insecurity are major concerns so IDRF is closely monitoring the situation as security, of both our partners and our beneficiaries, is of primary importance.

IDRF has supported several thousand famine affected families through our comprehensive and diversified food support since September, and with your continued interest and support will carry on work in the region in close communication with local partners, addressing needs and challenges as they arise, and developing programming with the direct input of the people we intend to assist.

Click read more for a current list of Projects & Partners in the Horn of Africa.

[Photo Sources: Allison Dempster/CBC & ADRIAN WYLD/CP]

The housing crisis in Attawapiskat has compelled the local government to declare a state of emergency in the community. The crisis is extreme and families have had to take shelter in tents and shacks where there is no running water, heating, plumbing and access to proper toilets. With temperatures dropping further every day, the situation is becoming even more severe and health officials have warned of infections and epidemics if living conditions remain the same.

To address this predicament IDRF has mobilized funding and is extending immediate support to help ease the plight of the families in Attawapiskat. Our donations will be used for immediate relief aid such as winter clothing, heaters, generators, sleeping bags, fire extinguishers and smoke detectors.

“The plight of small children suffering through squalid conditions is an unacceptable situation and as fellow Canadians it is our responsibility to assist less fortunate communities and ensure that immediate humanitarian assistance reaches the suffering individuals,” said IDRF Chair Winston Kassim.

It is noteworthy that this is not the first time that IDRF has worked with projects for First Nations. In the past we carried out Breakfast Programs at a school in Eel Ground, New Brunswick, which provided healthy food to First Nations’ school children, as it is well known that children are better able to concentrate on learning if they are not hungry. We also supported a Teen Multi-Media Club at the same school that not only provided a free and safe haven for youth after school hours but also engaged the youth in multi-media activities which increased their skills and their confidence.

IDRF plans to continue partnering with First Nations communities and engage them in helping us determine what their needs are and then we will work with them to fulfill those needs.

Please join IDRF to implement sustainable development projects, including literacy and healthcare, for First Nations. Your generous contribution in supporting this endeavor will help alleviate the sufferings of Canadians in need.

Call IDRF Toll Free at 1-866-497-IDRF or CLICK HERE to make a secure online donation marked "FIRST NATIONS". Donations to IDRF are eligible for tax receipts.

We are delighted to announce that Mr. Khalid Usman is being honoured with the Medal for Good Citizenship by the Govt. of Ontario.

The Honourable David C. Onley, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, in his remarks, said “ These individuals are shining examples of citizenship in action. Throughout their lives they have consistently made outstanding contributions to their community and to this province…..."

http://news.ontario.ca/mci/en/2011/12/ontarians-honoured-with-medal-for-good-citizenship.html

IDRF is fortunate to be amongst the organizations that Khalid Usman serves as a volunteer. He is well known to IDRF supporters as someone who has been dedicated to IDRF for years. Not only has he served as a Chair of the Board in the past, and is current Member of the Advisory Council, but whenever a major disaster strikes anywhere in the world, Khalid is invariably among the first to mobilize the community in the Greater Toronto Area and to raise significant funds to help the survivors.

Winston Kassim, C.M., Chair of IDRF Board, said “Khalid Usman is most deserving and we thank him for his ongoing dedication to various communities throughout Ontario, Canada and the world at large. He is just a great inspiration for all of us.”

Congratulations Khalid!

At an Eid Bazaar held at the Islamic Society of York Region on Sat. Oct.29, 2011, a group of school children held a cupcake sale. Encouraged and supported by their parents, the children decided to hold a bake sale in order to raise funds to help children who were poor and in need; they chose Somalia, since their parents had told them of the famine there.

Monsoon rains have once again devastated large swathes in Pakistan, specifically the southern province of Sindh where 80 people have already died and 4 million have been displaced. As several UN agencies prepare to visit the region over the next few days to survey the damage and conduct a needs assessment the government of Pakistan has asked UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon to launch an international appeal to assist the people in the flooded areas.

IDRF’s response once again has been immediate and we are already in touch with our local partners in Pakistan and are preparing emergency relief measures that will focus on the distribution of essential items such as clean water, hygiene kits and medicine.

For the devastating floods of August 2010 which ravaged more than half of Pakistan, IDRF received a tremendous outpouring of support from its donors. The survivors there have not fully recovered yet with their crops and livelihood destroyed. With this new calamity yet again upon them, we once again urge everyone to assist the people who are on the brink of another humanitarian crisis.

Call IDRF at 416-497-0818 or Toll Free: 1-866-497-IDRF or CLICK HERE to make a secure online donation marked
“IDRF 2011 PAKISTAN FLOOD RELIEF”. Donations to IDRF are eligible for tax receipts.

For more information about a 2011 Pakistan Flood Project,
click on the organization name below.