Help for Somalia

Habib Malik, head of Albert Drive’s Islamic Relief, is participating in the mission to Somalia to help victims of the drought that has left millions of people starving.

He is part of the disasters and emergency committee that has raised more than £44million to help the people of Somalia.

Habib said: “My Islamic Relief team are already there working day and night to make sure we help as many people as we can.

“Yes we are facing a lot of financial difficulties and it is recession period but I urge everyone to follow their most human instincts and help in any way possible.

“I am leaving the UK for East Africa with great hope, prayers and expectations the people of Scotland and the rest of Britain will carry on donating for the crisis”.

More than 10 million people in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and the newly-formed Republic of South Sudan have been left in need of food, water and emergency healthcare.

After years of civil war, the Horn of Africa has been victim to one of the worst droughts in 60 years.

Hundreds of thousands of people have fled Somalia due to the drought and conflict and parts of the country are now afflicted by famine.

These people are in need of urgent aid with 1.5million been displaced from their homes.

Islamic Relief has an advantage over other aid organisations working in Somalia because it has a history of working in the region.

It is also likely to be regarded more favourably by the extremist militants fighting in the country, who distrust other aid organisations.

Brendan Gormley, chief executive of DEC, praised the generosity of the British public.

He said: “To raise this amount in just over three weeks is a fantastic achievement. The outpouring of support and concern for those suffering in this crisis is truly inspiring.

“One anonymous benefactor has offered several thousand pounds that he had been saving for a dream holiday to Disneyland and Graceland.

“In the accompanying note he said ‘I am by no means rich but sometimes you have to think of others and get things in the right perspective. People should not starve, especially children’. It was a wonderful gesture”.

To donate visit www.islamic-relief.org.uk or www.dec.co.uk.