103DEC Saturday 30 July AUDIO INTERVIEWS - originally posted 31.7.2011

Rev Andrew Barker used to work for and experienced drought & famine through relief work with Christian Aid in Burundi.

Rev Andrew Barker Sound bite
Rev Andrew Barker Interview 1
Rev Andrew Barker Interview 2

Phil Marshall has recently returned from working as a teacher with Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) in Ethiopia.

Phil Marshall Sound bite 
Phil Marshall Interview 

 

Mark Butler is Head of Tearfund's Disaster Management Unit & has extensive operational aid experience in the Horn of Africa and elsewhere across the world.

Mark Butler Sound bite
Mark Butler Interview 1
Mark Butler Interview 2
Mark Butler Interview 3 

 

Anthony Herbert has 20 years involvement in the development project, Send a Cow.  

Anthony Herbert Sound bite

Anthony Herbert Interview 1

Anthony Herbert Interview 2

 

Bishop Christopher Boyle is now based in Leicester. Previously he helped crisis-manage famine response in Malawi when he was Bishop in that country.

Bishop Christopher Boyle Soundbite

Bishop Christopher Boyle Interview 1 

Bishop Christopher Boyle Interview 2 

Marie Molloy is Diocesan Manager for CAFOD based in Nottingham but whose area also covers Leicestershire, Derbyshire & Lincolnshire.

Marie Molloy Sound bite
Marie Molloy Interview 1
Marie Molloy Interview 2

 

Matthew Wingate comes from Leicester and is Program Funding Director for Save the Children. He was previously Crisis Emergency Advisor for that organisation & has extensive experience in Somalia, Kenya & Ethiopia.

Matthew Wingate Soundbite

Matthew Wingate Interview 1
Matthew Wingate Interview 2

Sarah Wilson is a senior member of Christian Aid's Humanitarian Assessment Team. Sarah's expertise is water and she has just returned from assessing the drought & water provision in Kenya.

Sarah Wilson Soundbite

Sarah Wilson Interview 1

Sarah Wilson Interview 2

Originally posted 31.7.2011

The crisis continues but thank God for rain! - originally posted 1.11.2011

As rains begin to fall in southern and central Somalia, the long drought is at an end and aid agencies there are re-appraising the famine situation.

According to Andrew Harding, BBC Africa correspondent, the rain brings new risks, not least the fear of communicable diseases such as measles and cholera, which could so easily become rife in the crowded camps around Mogadishu.
So far the roads are surviving the rain and much needed food aid is continuing to be delivered to the hundreds of thousands who left their homes. 
For those who remained in rural areas the rain means it is time to plant. To do so requires both seed to plant and food aid to enable people to work.
The agency partners of the Disasters Emergency Committee & the World Food Programme are able to access and assist all but a few of the areas worst affected by the famine.
Due to the control of Somali Islamist militia, al-Shabaab, some areas remain inaccessible to all but ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross), which has already 'helped more than a million people and distributed 17,000 metric tons of food and seeds'. 
For the full story see Andrew Harding's article, courtesy of BBC.

For more stories about the DEC East Africa Crisis Appeal and the varied work of DEC partner agencies in the Horn of Africa, visit East Africa Crisis Appeal Updates.

The crisis is far from over! 

Please continue to DONATE!

Originally posted 1.11.2011 

Cholera & Abductions as the Crisis Continues - originally posted 16.11.2011

As the situation continues to deteriorate in the Horn of Africa, on 5 September we asked followers of 103DEC to suggest ways that 103DEC & 103 The Eye FM might do more to assist the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) & their East Africa Crisis Appeal.

As we stated then, the number of days & the effectiveness of special radio broadcasts are limited, so we require other, different, ideas on which to base future promotional activity. 

The good news is that having received many quality responses, 103DEC is considering your suggestions and we will report our findings & any future action very soon.

Many thanks indeed to everyone who took the trouble to get in touch: 103DEC & 103 The Eye FM can continue to assist the DEC only with the support & encouragement of our radio listeners. 

Originally posted 16.11.2011