Scottish Catholic Observer

The Scottish Government has announced a substantial donation to the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF)’s work in Africa as part of a £2.2 million grant to Scottish international development agencies.

Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs, announced the package of funding today to assist the work of SCIAF and other agencies who are helping some of the world’s poorest people.

Almost £700,000 has been made available for the humanitarian relief efforts in drought-stricken East Africa. In addition, a total of £1,500,000 has been allocated from the Scottish Government’s International Development Fund to support existing projects in Rwanda, Tanzania, Zambia and the Darfur region of Sudan under the Sub-Saharan Africa Programme.

Ms Hyslop made the announcement during a visit to the headquarters of the SCIAF in Glasgow this morning. SCIAF is receiving £100,000 in humanitarian aid to help save lives and support the livelihoods of 18,000 drought-affected households in Kenya. SCIAF will also receive over £430,000 from the International Development Fund for their project in Zambia that is supporting improved food security and household incomes by promoting sustainable agriculture practices that adapt to climate change.

While at SCIAF the cabinet secretary viewed a photographic exhibition of SCIAF projects in the areas to be funded before taking part in a teleconference with Rosemary Heenan, a representative currently working in Nairobi. Ms Heenan spoke to Ms Hyslop on the situation on the ground in Kenya, thanking her for the Scottish Government’s money, which she said will be particularly useful in helping tackle the increasing rates of child malnutrition.

Afterwards Ms Hyslop said she believed Scotland had a duty to back organisations like SCIAF.

“It is vitally important that as the news headlines change and the images of drought-stricken East Africa become less visible, we do all we can to help those still suffering in the region,” she said. “While other countries have slashed their aid budget, we have protected spending on international development. By providing aid directly to organisations working on the ground, we are making a real difference to some of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people.”

Lorraine Currie, SCIAF’s head of international programmes, said every penny donated by the Scottish government and the Scottish people could help.

“SCIAF is working to help many of the most vulnerable people in Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia,” she said. “The money received today from the Scottish Government will help to save lives and increase people’s resilience against future droughts.  Around 108,000 people in Kenya will receive direct help. Emergency food and cash distribution will target those in most acute need. Livestock unlikely to survive will be bought from poor farmers to provide them with money to buy essentials.”