MANILA Filipino solidarity with victims of hunger and famine was on show today as Lifeline Foundation Support Team, Inc. joined the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to support hungry people affected by the triple threat of drought, high food prices and conflict in the Horn of Africa.
The one-year partnership was formally signed today and launched with an initial donation to WFP relief operations in the region – in Somalia, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya and Uganda. Lifeline Foundation raised funds through the Reebok Zigtech Run on August 7 and is now channeling this support to WFP.
“This donation demonstrates our solidarity as Filipinos with hard hit populations in Africa,” said Betty Romero, Deputy Director of Lifeline Foundation. “We believe that the Philippines should not only receive aid, but also give assistance where we can.”
“We are also organizing a special event called Rain4Africa: A ‘Lifeline to Africa’ Run on November 13 at Westgate Center, Filinvest Corporate City in Alabang, Muntinlupa City. One hundred percent of the proceeds from this run will go directly to WFP,” she said.
As part of the partnership, Lifeline Foundation will organize various fundraising activities throughout the year in coordination with the students of Lifeline Foundation South City Central School. One of these activities will be a ‘Casual Dress Day’ in which the students of pay the Philippine Peso equivalent of 50 US cents in order to wear casual clothes instead of their school uniform.
“Everyone knows school kids love a day out of uniform, but through this event they will also be supporting the most vulnerable people on our planet. Their 50 cents can feed a child or mother for a day through WFP,” said Romero.
WFP is currently running food operations in five countries in the Horn of Africa and currently reaches around 7.7 million drought-affected people. Drought in the whole region, coupled with conflict in Somalia, has affected over 13 million people.
“I am extremely proud to witness the start of this unique partnership in which a Filipino grass-roots organization is supporting the cause of hungry people half way around the world,” said Stephen Anderson, WFP Philippines Country Director. “The situation at the Horn of Africa remains critical and every cent counts.”
Lifeline Foundation is a non-profit, non-governmental organization based in Manila under the leadership of directors Jose Luis Gonzalez and Candace Schmidt Gonzalez, and is dedicated to assisting and empowering the poor.
