Food security is particularly bleak in Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia. Prolonged droughts in Indonesia and Ethiopia are causing severe food shortages there as well.

The food crisis began in early 2016, when last year’s crops were unable to grow or mature due to unusual weather patterns caused by El Niño. A drought was followed by flooding and then a second drought. Food shortages are common even in a good growing season, so the impact of these lost crops was felt immediately.

Last year, World Renew responded in the worst hit areas in Malawi and Mozambique. This year, harvests are expected to be even worse, and many people will have exhausted their food supplies by January or February.

“The official government figures are that 6.5 million people will need support,” says Faye Yu, Malawi Program Consultant at World Renew. “We have not been able to secure funds for even half of the need. With the food prices increasing, many people are estimating that the number of people will continue to increase.”

“People are starving, and we had the benefit and privilege of being able to help earlier on in the crisis.”

It was this dire situation that prompted a caring group of congregants in Canada to get involved this year.

When Peter Timmerman, World Renew's Southern Africa Team Leader, approached his church, the New Life Christian Reformed Church in Guelph, about running a fundraising campaign for the needs in Southern Africa, the church sprung into action and launched the Help for Hunger campaign, in partnership with another local church, First CRC.

Anitra Hofstee and Rochelle Sypkes, the fundraiser organizers, set a goal of $10,000 with the hopes of providing World Renew with funding to bridge the gaps in some communities that were out options. Anitra and Rochelle found that the first step was to educate the congregation about the crisis, utilizing World Renew contacts to provide real-time updates.

“Main stream media won’t catch on to the crisis until it’s much too late to do something,” says Anitra. “People are starving, and we had the benefit and privilege of being able to help earlier on in the crisis.”

“Having direct information from Southern Africa was a big motivator for our congregation to give,” recalls Rochelle. “Another member of New Life travelled to Malawi and Mozambique in early March, and he came home sharing stories of incredible hardship. He was able to give a first-hand account of what he had observed and this was helpful in creating awareness.”

Team members on the ground in East and Southern Africa anticipate that people will not have enough food to eat until the next harvest season in April or May of next year, eight months from now. The funds raised from help for Hunger will help to fill this void until the next harvest.

The campaign has now raised nearly $16,000, well over their $10,000 goal; funds which will be matched four to one by the Canadian Food Grains Bank, bringing the total raised to more than $60,000.

"The money raised through Help for Hunger will mean that 187 families will have food for the next eight months.”

These dollars will go right to work in Africa to provide meals to families in need. “In Malawi, it costs about $40 (USD) to provide 50 percent rations to a household, says Faye. “So the money raised through Help for Hunger will mean that 187 families will have food for the next eight months.”

While the scope of the need can seem overwhelming – there are still millions of people who will not have enough food this year – the CRC communities in Guelph knew that standing on the sidelines was not an option. Investment from other sources will be necessary to alleviate the current crisis, but taking the step to make a difference is critical. Because of their courage and generosity, there are families who will now able to feed themselves and their children this year.

When considering the needs that remain, Faye says, “Pray for rain; that it comes early and falls consistently. Pray for no pests in the fields that could kill what was planted for next year’s harvest. Pray that the right people continue to step forward and support this project.”

Will you help make a difference in the lives of those facing drought? You can help change their story and provide enough food by clicking here.