A famine in southern Somalia that has killed more than 29,000 children under the age of five has a Warfield mother counting her blessings.
The United Nations has said that tens of thousands of people have died in the Horn of Africa’s drought and famine, but the U.S. recent estimate taken over the course of 90 days is the first precise death toll offered in the crisis.
Rachelle Freeman couldn’t stomach the news and has since planned a bake sale fundraiser for this Thursday’s Rossland Mountain Market with proceeds going to the famine.
“That just really hit home because we have four kids under the age of five,” said Freeman. “We started thinking of something we could do that would also involve our kids.”
Freeman and her children – five-year-olds Caitlyn and Hannah, Caleb, 3, and eight-month-old Bethany – did their part in making cookies Friday in preparation for the sale. Cracking the eggs, whisking the batter and adding the chocolate chips, kept the kids distracted in between tasting their fresh-baked treats.
Freeman has inspired other families to participate, too, and already has 10 other families chipping in and creating a dessert for the fundraiser bake sale to be held at the market put on by Rossland REAL Food from 3:00 -6:30 p.m.
Money from the by-donation bake sale will be sent through World Vision and matched by the Canadian government.
Out of a population of roughly 7.5 million, the U.N. says 3.2 million Somalis are in need of immediate life-saving assistance.
“We’re hoping it will raise some awareness, too,” said Freeman. “Just to imagine what it would be like to not be able to feed your kids is a really awful thought.”