GABM donates $2 million to the Somalian Famine Crisis
By: Nancy Pollard - July 26, 2011
Global Association of Billionaires and Millionaires (GABM) has responded to a request from the United Nations and donated $2 million towards the relief efforts of the Somali famine victims.
The United Nations has recently formally declared the center region of Somalia as a famine stricken area after experiencing an extensive period of drought and civil war.
According to official records more than 170 000 Somali refugees have already fled to the neighboring countries of Ethiopia and Kenya. At present about 1300 Somalis arrive at Kenyan refugee camps daily and about 1700 in Ethiopia, after walking for days without food and water leaving scores of dying family members along the way.
The drought has resulted in the worst humanitarian crisis in the region since the 1992 famine which killed hundreds of thousands of people, and it is now feared that an entire generation may be lost as a direct result.
Relief efforts are further made even worst by the rebel movement Al-Shabab who refuses any foreign aid agencies from distributing food and medical supplies in large parts of Somalia under their control.
According to the United Nations about 3.2 million people in Somalia now needs immediate lifesaving assistance and GABM calls on the international corporate community to display good corporate citizenship and to likewise follow suit and donate to this absolute terrible humanitarian crisis.
The United Nations currently needs more than a billion dollar to finance a feeding scheme and medical supplies as well as more than 13 000 additional tents to cope with the current influx of refugees, but says donations and support from donors are still extremely slow even after several requests over the past few months.
How does GABM allocate funds to natural and humanitarian disasters?
How does GABM allocate funds to natural and humanitarian disasters?
GABM’s equity grants towards global natural and humanitarian disasters are funded from the funds generated by the annual GABM associate membership fees.
By making these donations GABM also believe it will serve as an encouragement to other like-minded and prominent organizations to become good corporate citizens, as well as to support our ‘Let’s Do More Initiative’.
Depending on the nature and the geographical region of a natural or humanitarian disaster, GABM will donate funds to organizations like the Red Cross, United Nations and others to support large scale relief efforts. GABM also in certain cases allocate bank debit cards to victims directly to enable them to acquire emergency food, fresh water, blankets and tent shelters.
By making these donations GABM also believe it will serve as an encouragement to other like-minded and prominent organizations to become good corporate citizens, as well as to support our ‘Let’s Do More Initiative’.
Depending on the nature and the geographical region of a natural or humanitarian disaster, GABM will donate funds to organizations like the Red Cross, United Nations and others to support large scale relief efforts. GABM also in certain cases allocate bank debit cards to victims directly to enable them to acquire emergency food, fresh water, blankets and tent shelters.
