(News of The South) – One of Namibia`s top musicians, Shishani, is urging her fellow countrymen to get together and assist children who have been affected by the serious drought which has recently raised fears of a nutritional and health crisis in the driest country in sub-Saharan Africa.
The Namibian Annual Music Awards (NAMA) winner believes giving aid will be a way of expressing love and affection to the affected.
“Namibia is on a record drought in 25 years, people are starving, and babies are dying.”
Let’s get together and see what we can do, we have mouths, so we can speak; love is the movement, so let’s take action, please,” she said
UNICEF says although the emergency is in the early stages, it is expected to deteriorate and urgent assistance is needed to support affected populations particularly women and children.
Says Patrick McCormick, Spokesperson for UNICEF: “We will be focusing on the prevention and treatment of malnutrition and disease, and protection risks and supporting children’s access to education.”
“In Namibia, there are more than 778,000 people affected including 109,000 children under five at risk of malnutrition after almost three decades of low seasonal rainfall and a second year of failed rains in some locations.”
Cereal production for 2013 is expected to be down by an estimated 42 percent compared to 2012, according to a government forecast.
Pastures for grazing have also been severely affected in six regions where many households rely on livestock production, with 4,000 livestock deaths already recorded.
Shishani`s sentiments come barely 4 months after President Hifikepunye Pohamba declared the drought a national emergency on 17 May 2013.
The Namibian, a local newspaper, recently reported that cows were selling for 260 Namibian dollars (US$27) in the northwestern Kunene, compared to 2,500 Namibian dollars ($255) per animal a year ago.
The government has released a total of 200 million Namibian dollars (US$20.4 million) for responding to the drought crisis and is already distributing food aid and drilling additional boreholes in some regions. – News Of The South
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