Plan Australia has launched an appeal to raise urgently needed funds to help feed thousands of children and their families who face starvation in famine-affected Niger, West Africa.

Plan Australia National Executive Director Ian Wishart says donations are needed to assist Plan Niger increase emergency food supplies to help feed an estimated 800,000 severely malnourished children.

"For the next three months bags of rice will be distributed by Plan throughout 66 villages in the Tillaberi area where the situation is described as critical. Tillaberi is also part of Plan's current area of operation, which means it is able to respond more rapidly to assist children and communities in greatest need," Mr Wishart says.

"Currently, in some other areas of the country there is absolutely no food brought on by drought and a massive locust invasion early this year, which has also affected neighbouring Mali, Mauritania and Burkina Faso. The food shortage is reported to be growing everyday."

Plan is an international child centred development organisation that works in 46 developing countries in Africa, Asia and South/Central America assisting children, their families and communities escape poverty and reach their potential.

Mr Wishart says the intensification of Plan's work in Niger will seek to target some 10,170 families a total population of some 81,354 people in the Tillaberi region. "This will help maintain communities until the harvest season starts in October."

"In order to ensure the most effective response, Plan has been coordinating its efforts, together with the government in Niger, and will continue to form partnerships with other development agencies . such as Catholic Relief Services and Islamic Relief - to maintain a rapid response," Mr Wishart says.

---

Pamela Sutton
Plan Australia Marketing & Communications Director
Phone: 03 9672 3651
Mobile: 0412 366 425

Ian Wishart
National Executive Director
Phone: 03 9672 3612
Mobile: 0411 595 573