ELCA Responds to Tanzania Appeal

ELCA RESPONDS TO TANZANIA APPEAL

More than half a million people face acute food shortages due to severe =
drought in Tanzania.  According to Action by Churches Together (ACT), no =
loss of human life has been reported, but livestock and wildlife have died
=
and *the situation is getting worse day by day.*  ACT is a worldwide =
network of churches, including the Lutheran World Federation, meeting =
human need through coordinated emergency response.  ACT has issued an =
appeal for =242,682,000 to provide assistance in Tanzania.  The
Evangelical=
 Lutheran Church in America has allocated =2420,000 to send to Tanzania =
via ACT.  ACT calls drought *a creeping disaster* that takes time to cause
=
damage.  Like other Southern Sub-Saharan African countries, Tanzania faces
=
serious drought conditions that began in 1990 when the rains began to =
stray from a traditional pattern.  According to ACT, 1997 has brought a =
complete failure of short rains and delay of  the long rains.  In this =
prolonged drought cycle people have shifted their crop and planting =
patterns, ACT says.  Purchasing power is low and external aid is erratic.
=
Malnutrition among children under five is severe and older children have =
collapsed in classrooms as a result of hunger, ACT reports.  Communities =
who depend on the sale of livestock, milk and meat products are affected =
regardless of age, gender or occupation. In farming communities it is the =
poor who depend on annual and perennial crops who are severely affected.  =
Water sources have dried up as a result of large herds of cattle, goats =
and sheep migrating to them.  People are looking for water in the same =
places.  Consequently, springs and wells have been overdrawn and the =
environment damaged, ACT reports.  The Lutheran World Federation is a =
worldwide communion of 124 member churches, including the Evangelical =
Lutheran Church in America. =20

For information contact:=20
Ann Hafften, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS=40ELCA.ORG
http://www.elca.org/co/news/current.html