EUROPE/SPAIN - The Pontifical Mission Societies Office in Spain launches prayer and solidarity campaign for Sahel region of Africa where many of Spain’s missionaries are serving

Madrid (Fides Service) - Bishop Francisco Pérez national director of the PMS in Spain has launched a campaign in aid of people in the Sahel region of Africa afflicted by a critical food shortage, more than 5 million men, women and children in Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali. “Changed rainfall cycle, an invasion of locusts and consequent loss of almost 90% of harvests all over the region last year resulted in a serious food shortage, rocketing food prices, precipitating animal rearing and a terrible famine”. Moreover the arrival of torrential rains could make the situation worse increasing cases of malaria, cholera, diarrhoea and hepatitis the Bishop said adding that “as ever, children are the most vulnerable”.
Noting little reaction on the part of the international community “in the face of this expected tragedy” the PMS national director said he felt it was urgent to launch a “campaign of prayer and of solidarity, mobilisation consisting of distribution of food, help with farming, concern for malnutrition among children but also providing constant information and guaranteeing constant intervention in these impoverished areas through at least 150 Spanish missionaries working in Sahel”.
In this part of Africa not only at times of crisis like the present food emergency but all the year round, year in year out, Spanish missionaries run 112 dispensaries, hospitals, orphanages and feeding centres thanks to funds provided by the Pontifical Mission Societies. For more information on the situation in Niger see Fides 28/5/2005; 6/7/2005; 14/7/2005; 20/7/2005; 12/9/2005. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 23/9/2005, righe 23 parole 303)