Mags Gargan
The current scale of humanitarian need is “unprecedented” warned Trócaire, as it launched Ireland’s largest annual fundraising campaign this week.
The bishops’ overseas aid agency is targeting humanitarian relief for up to one million people with its Lenten campaign, which will see schools, communities and parishes coming together over the next six weeks to pledge their support for the poorest people in the world.
“Hundreds of millions of people around the world have been lifted out of poverty by Irish people’s generosity over the last 44 years,” said Trócaire Executive Director, Éamonn Meehan, adding that the current scale of humanitarian need in the world is “unprecedented”.
“The situation in South Sudan is dire and set to worsen significantly over the coming months. Over 4.5 million people do not have enough food to eat and there is no prospect of that improving until August at the earliest. Over one million children are at immediate risk of death unless they receive urgent food aid.”
The family pictured on this year’s Trócaire box is from a village in Honduras that faces regular flooding from storms and rising sea levels. Trócaire provides for safe evacuation while campaigning for access to safer homes.
For more information about Trócaire’s Lenten campaign, visit trocaire.org/lent.