Hiiraan Online
Saturday March 18, 2017
London (HOL) - Movie stars, professional athletes, and youtube celebrities have all joined the fight against hunger in Somalia under the banner - The Love Army for Somalia - with a plea for $1 million dollars on GoFundMe to assist drought victims in the Horn of Africa.
Colin Kaepernick (QB - NFL - 49ers), Youtube Star Jerome Jarre, and Hollywood actor Ben Stiller are among the few big names involved in the social media campaign to raise awareness for the worsening drought in Somalia.
The campaign began with a youtube appeal by Jerome Jarre also posted a Twitter video explaining how a conversation with an aid worker in Somalia inspired him to do something.
Ben Stiller called on Turkish Airlines to fill a plane with food and water to deliver to the areas most affected.
Turkish Airlines heeded the celebrities call to action and announced on twitter that the airline will fly to Somalia on humanitarian missions after the hashtag #TurkishAirlinesHelpSomalia went viral.
Kaepernick responded to the appeal with hours and delved into the factors that are contributing to the drought.
"People are dying in Somalia right now that need our help. There’s an impending famine because of drought, politics, inaction in NGOs and lack of media attention. This famine will affect 6.2 million people (according to the World Health Organization) and 2.9 million people are in need of immediate assistance. We can’t let this happen. We have to help these people. We’re asking Turkish Airlines to allow us to use a plane to fly food, water, and aid to these people. You can help us accomplish this goal by creating a video just like this and using the #TurkishAirlinesHelpSomalia. We can help create the change. We can help be the change. Let’s make this happen. Let’s help save these lives. We can do this."
The outspoken NFL quarterback has been at the forefront of social issues. Earlier this season he refused to stand for the national anthem before games, opting to kneel, to protest the treatment of African Americans and other minorities in the United States.
At the time of writing, nearly $970,000 of their $1M target had been raised in a mere 21 hours.
Jarre wrote that the food aid will be bought from Istanbul on the first trip to thank the Turkey for their support but after that, they will buy from business in Somalia to support the local economy.
The Love Army has announced that it will partner with the American Refugee Committee (ARC) to deliver the aid on the ground in Somalia.
Failed rains for consecutive years in Somalia have placed nearly half the population in need of food aid. As conditions worsen, aid groups warn that Somalia risks facing it’s third famine in 25 years if immediate action is not taken.