A photo of a dying child and stories of people starving in Africa have provoked a Wanganui woman into action.
Shirley Spooner said she had been profoundly moved by a gruesome photo of an emaciated child lying face down in the dust, while a vulture sat nearby.
The picture was taken by
South African photojournalist Kevin Carter during a famine in Sudan in 1993. It won the Pulitzer Prize for feature photography in 1994. "When I saw that photo, I promised myself that if it happened again I would do something about it," Mrs Spooner said.
So when she read stories about millions of people facing starvation due to drought and war in Ethiopia and Somalia - an area known as the Horn of Africa - Mrs Spooner knew she had to act. Driven out by the worst drought in 60 years, and by civil war in Somalia, millions of people from Ethiopia and Somalia are walking long distances in the hope of reaching overflowing refugee camps in Kenya.
Aid agencies operating in the area warn of a widespread famine that could affect up to 10 million people.
"I couldn't sit there and think, 'Oh, those poor people,' and do nothing about it."
So she took a proposal to the Wanganui Christian Leaders group, asking them to be part of a citywide appeal. Her own church, Equippers, has responded with several ideas and other churches have shown interest. Now Mrs Spooner is calling on Wanganui businesses and individuals to get creative in organising their own fundraiser. "It might be a quiz night, a sausage sizzle, a raffle, an art auction, or anything else.
"My hope is that people won't just donate money - although that would be great - they will become actively involved.
Mrs Spooner's dream is for Wanganui to raise $100,000 for the Horn of Africa, all of which would go to aid agency TEAR Fund.
"Wanganui isn't prosperous, but it is a very generous city," Mrs Spooner said.
While she acknowledges there are many other worthy causes, she said the looming famine was of a scale that was hard to imagine.
"This is so big. I felt I had to intervene in my own small way - and I hope others will feel as passionately about it as I do."
If you would like to help, a message can be left for Mrs Spooner at Equippers Church, by phoning 345 2051.
A photo of a dying child and stories of people starving in Africa have provoked a Wanganui woman into action.
Shirley Spooner said she had been profoundly moved by a gruesome photo of an emaciated child lying face down in the dust, while a vulture sat nearby.
The picture was taken by
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