103DEC East Africa Crisis Appeal

Christmas Update

2011-12-25T19:11:00.000Z

It's Christmas Day. It's quiet, mild for the time of year, and raining. I'm just home from presenting my Christmas radio show on 103FM.

As a chicken roasts in the oven and I'm about to tuck into a snack of cheese, biscuits and strawberries, I reflect how lucky and thankful I am to have a roof over my head and plenty to eat.

For one reason or another many people around the world have been deprived of life's essentials this year, none more so than in Somalia and the neighbouring drought-hit countries of East Africa.

Of all my activities in the past 12 months I'm proudest of what my broadcaster colleagues and I achieved on 30 July during our day-long transmission to raise awareness of the famine in the Horn of Africa, a campaign linking 103FM with the Disasters Emergency Committee, which we called 103DEC.

It was no easy matter persuading either the radio station managers or the Disasters Emergency Committee that local radio had the reach and audience to raise funds, which we as a station weren't able to take on directly. But our enthusiasm and the obvious need couldn't in the end be denied and on the day itself everyone associated with 103 was firmly on board.

We'll never know how much money our day's broadcasting raised although our listener numbers, phone calls, emails and Internet take-up were all substantially increased from usual Saturday figures and we can only hope that those who committed to give money to the DEC East Africa Crisis Appeal actually did so.

It's quite something that a small radio station, albeit with a substantial geographical reach and listenership, is willing to donate an entire day's output for the greater good of an emergency taking place not just beyond our own East Midlands region but outwith the UK.

It proves that local radio, so often accused of leaving larger issues to terrestrial broadcasters, is able to construct high quality, meaningful content that reflects the concerns of its audience even when those concerns are bigger, international, humanitarian issues.

I believe that's something in which everyone involved can be justifiably proud.

Wishing you good things this Christmas and always.

For the full 103DEC story visit www.103dec.blogspot.com
Up to date images from East Africa by the BBC available here.

Cholera & Abductions as the Crisis Continues

2011-11-16T12:56:00.001Z

Cholera has broken out in Kenya's largest refugee camp, Dadaab, home to 400,000 people.

The famine in the Horn of Africa is now the worst for 60 years. Somalia is worst effected but as people seek to escape the area they continue to make their way over the borders into Kenya and Ethiopia.

When the rains began three weeks ago, aid agencies expressed concern that communicable diseases were all too likely to take hold among the people who have sought relief from the famine in the camps established to provide aid.

Over recent years some half million people from Somalia have arrived in Dadaab alone where UNHCR says, "Rains and flooding had affected the trucking of water to parts of the camps and we fear some refugees resorted to using unsafe water from flooded areas".

Cholera treatment centres have been set up as has a fifth refugee camp, in Ethiopia. Some 8,000 newly-arrived Somalian people are currently being cared for in a transit centre. Islamic Relief reports that across the area, one child dies every six seconds.

Due to the recent abduction of aid workers and others by the Somali Islamist militants, al-Shabab, the relief effort in Dadaab was scaled down in October and insecurity now hampers the relief efforts of some aid agencies.

PLEASE CONTINUE TO DONATE! THANK YOU.

For the full story see: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-15742664

See also 'The crisis without end" : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-15550741
Updated DEC activity: http://www.dec.org.uk/appeals/east-africa-crisis-appeal

The crisis continues but thank God for rain!

2011-11-01T13:23:00.000Z

As rains begin to fall in southern and central Somalia, the long drought is at an end and aid agencies there are re-appraising the famine situation.

According to Andrew Harding, BBC Africa correspondent, the rain brings new risks, not least the fear of communicable diseases such as measles and cholera, which could so easily become rife in the crowded camps around Mogadishu.
So far the roads are surviving the rain and much needed food aid is continuing to be delivered to the hundreds of thousands who left their homes.
For those who remained in rural areas the rain means it is time to plant. To do so requires both seed to plant and food aid to enable people to work.
The agency partners of the Disasters Emergency Committee & the World Food Programme are able to access and assist all but a few of the areas worst affected by the famine.
Due to the control of Somali Islamist militia, al-Shabaab, some areas remain inaccessible to all but ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross), which has already 'helped more than a million people and distributed 17,000 metric tons of food and seeds'.
For the full story see Andrew Harding's article, courtesy of BBC.

For more stories about the DEC East Africa Crisis Appeal and the varied work of DEC partner agencies in the Horn of Africa, visit East Africa Crisis Appeal Updates.

The crisis is far from over!

Please continue to DONATE!

Thanks from 103DEC for your DEC ideas

2011-09-13T14:40:00.001+01:00

As the situation continues to deteriorate in the Horn of Africa, on 5 September we asked followers of 103DEC to suggest ways that 103DEC & 103 The Eye FM might do more to assist the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) & their East Africa Crisis Appeal.

As we stated then, the number of days & the effectiveness of special radio broadcasts are limited, so we require other, different, ideas on which to base future promotional activity.

The good news is that having received many quality responses, 103DEC is considering your suggestions and we will report our findings & any future action very soon.

Many thanks indeed to everyone who took the trouble to get in touch: 103DEC & 103 The Eye FM can continue to assist the DEC only with the support & encouragement of our radio listeners.

QUESTION: Can 103 The Eye FM do more to help as the situation in East Africa worsens?

2011-09-05T23:07:00.005+01:00

In light of the worsening situation in East Africa announced today, perhaps 103 The Eye and its generous workforce of presenters & volunteers could do something more to assist the DEC Crisis Appeal?

With 103DEC on 30 July, 103 The Eye did something unique and the DEC told us at the time it wished other radio stations would do something similar.

There's a limit to the number of days & of the effectiveness of special broadcasts we can manage locally, so your ideas about how 103 might possibly continue to help, perhaps via other radio stations, or perhaps via other means, will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your continuing support!

UN warns Somalia drought worse: 750,000 could die as 12million people need food aid

2011-09-05T21:26:00.004+01:00

As many as 750,000 people could die as Somalia's drought worsens in the coming months, the UN has warned, declaring a famine in a new area.

The UN says tens of thousands of people have died after what is said to be East Africa's worst drought for 60 years.

Bay becomes the sixth area to be officially declared a famine zone - mostly in parts of southern Somalia controlled by the Islamist al-Shabab.

Some 12 million people across the region need food aid, the UN says.

The situation in the Bay region was worse than anything previously recorded, said senior UN's technical adviser Grainne Moloney.

"The rate of malnutrition [among children] in Bay region is 58%. This is a record rate of acute malnutrition," she told journalists in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.

This is almost double the rate at which a famine is declared.

"In total, 4 million people are in crisis in Somalia, with 750,000 people at risk of death in the coming four months in the absence of adequate response," the UN's Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit (FSNAU) says.

Half of those who have already died are children, it says.

Neighbouring Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda have also been affected by the severe lack of rain.

For full story see BBC News.

SOMALIA: First UNHCR airlift into Mogadishu

2011-08-08T19:13:00.002+01:00

The UN refugee agency has flown aid to famine victims in Somalia's capital - its first airlift to war-torn Mogadishu for five years.

Some 100,000 people have arrived in the city in the last two months in search of food.

Insecurity makes it difficult for aid agencies to distribute materials.

The Islamist al-Shabab group was reported to have pulled out of the city on Saturday but its fighters can still be seen patrolling some areas.

While the government has been celebrating what it called its "victory" over al-Shabab, BBC East Africa correspondent Will Ross says few people expect Mogadishu to be peaceful.

For the aid agencies, the city remains an environment full of challenges, he says.

For full story see BBC News.

Melton Times 103DEC cutting

2011-08-04T19:47:00.008+01:00

Melton Times 4 August 2011
(Click image to enlarge)

Thanks to 103DEC interviewees & Leicester Mercury feature

2011-08-04T13:24:00.001+01:00

Many thanks to all the 103DEC interviewees, who have responded to our thanks & feedback by saying if there's anything else they can do to help us...
Only wish 103 The Eye & other local radio stations could do more to help those in so much need in East Africa.

Leicester Mercury 4 August 2011

Some of the 103 The Eye PRESENTERS responsible for the 103DEC all-day broadcast on Saturday 30 July

2011-08-01T00:35:00.008+01:00

L-R: Mitch de Faria (103DEC), Liz Hewitt (photos), Christine Slomkowska (103 Director)

Photo: Patrick McCracken

BR L-R: Mitch de Faria, Christine Slomkowska, Patrick McCracken

FR L-R: Billy Ray, Sharon Love

Photo: Liz Hewitt

L-R: Mark Henshaw, Ben Atkinson

Photo: Courtesy of The Melton Times

L-R: Patrick McCracken, Mitch de Faria, Christine Slomkowska

Photo: Liz Hewitt

L-R: Mitch de Faria, Christine Slomkowska

Photo: Liz Hewitt

103DEC Saturday 30 July AUDIO INTERVIEWS

2011-07-31T19:46:00.014+01:00

Rev Andrew Barker used to work for and experienced drought &amp; famine through relief work with Christian Aid in Burundi.

Rev Andrew Barker Sound bite
Rev Andrew Barker Interview 1
Rev Andrew Barker Interview 2

Phil Marshall has recently returned from working as a teacher with Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) in Ethiopia.

Phil Marshall Sound bite
Phil Marshall Interview

Mark Butler is Head of Tearfund's Disaster Management Unit &amp; has extensive operational aid experience in the Horn of Africa and elsewhere across the world.

Mark Butler Sound bite
Mark Butler Interview 1
Mark Butler Interview 2
Mark Butler Interview 3

Anthony Herbert has 20 years involvement in the development project, Send a Cow.

Anthony Herbert Sound bite

Anthony Herbert Interview 1

Anthony Herbert Interview 2

Bishop Christopher Boyle is now based in Leicester. Previously he helped crisis-manage famine response in Malawi when he was Bishop in that country.

Bishop Christopher Boyle Soundbite

Bishop Christopher Boyle Interview 1

Bishop Christopher Boyle Interview 2

Marie Molloy is Diocesan Manager for CAFOD based in Nottingham but whose area also covers Leicestershire, Derbyshire &amp; Lincolnshire.

Marie Molloy Sound bite
Marie Molloy Interview 1
Marie Molloy Interview 2

Matthew Wingate comes from Leicester and is Program Funding Director for Save the Children. He was previously Crisis Emergency Advisor for that organisation &amp; has extensive experience in Somalia, Kenya &amp; Ethiopia.

Matthew Wingate Soundbite

Matthew Wingate Interview 1
Matthew Wingate Interview 2

Sarah Wilson is a senior member of Christian Aid's Humanitarian Assessment Team. Sarah's expertise is water and she has just returned from assessing the drought &amp; water provision in Kenya.

Sarah Wilson Soundbite

Sarah Wilson Interview 1

Sarah Wilson Interview 2

Thanks to everyone for 103 The Eye's all-day 103DEC Appeal broadcast

2011-07-31T12:17:00.000+01:00

So proud of 103 The Eye, directors, presenters & listeners for supporting the DEC East Africa Crisis Appeal all-day broadcast yesterday. Thank you all for your phone calls, email & text messages and for your donations direct to the DEC.

We'd also like to thank our interviewees for their enthusiasm and willingness to be involved in the 103DEC project.

All the interviews featured during yesterday's broadcast will be posted here and on YouTube shortly.

Thanks too to the DEC for supporting the 103DEC broadcast initiative. We hope other local radio stations will follow 103's lead and dedicate broadcasting to the very real need to raise awareness of the millions living on the edge or survival in the Horn of Africa.

THANK YOU ALL! & PLEASE CONTINUE TO DONATE!

Listen to 103DEC supporting the DEC East Africa Crisis Appeal. RIGHT HERE! NOW!

2011-07-30T12:51:00.002+01:00

Listen to 103 The Eye's DEC East Africa Crisis Appeal all day broadcast, live, here.

RIGHT HERE! RIGHT NOW! And through to 8pm tonight.

DON'T WAIT TO DONATE:

Call the DEC 24 hour hotline 0370 60 60 900
Donate over the counter at any high street bank or post office
Send £5 by texting CRISIS to 70000
Send a cheque to DEC Secretariat, 1st Floor, 43 Chalton Street, London NW1 1DU

LISTENER MUSIC TRACKS on 103DEC - 8AM-8PM on 103 THE EYE

2011-07-30T00:01:00.010+01:00

In just a few hours, at 8am, 103 The Eye will be kicking off its all-day broadcast dedicated to raising awareness of the drought & famine and the desperate need for help for millions of men, women & children in the Horn of Africa, through the DEC East Africa Crisis Appeal.

DON'T WAIT TO DONATE: get on the phone and help the millions of people on the very edge of survival in East Africa.

The great thing about radio is that it brings people together, so we'll be bringing you interviews from people with hands-on experience of providing emergency aid in Africa.

The great thing about music is that it links people by experience & emotion, whatever the language barrier. So throughout our 12-hour broadcast we'll be featuring LIFE TRACKS to enable our listeners to share the music that has played to the story of their lives.

Simply phone or email the stories that accompany your favourite music to

Tel 01664 481103 or

Email studio@103theeye.co.uk

and your story could be played on air during 103DEC TODAY!

LIFE TRACKS:

Abba	Dancing Queen
ACDC	Stiff upper lip
Adele	Someone like you
Amy Winehouse	Rehab
Beach Boys	Good vibrations
Beatles	A day in the life
Beyonce	Halo
Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes	(I've had) The time of my life
Black Eyed Peas	Where is the love
Blue Man Group	I feel love
Blur	Beetlebum
Bob Dylan	Don't think twice
Brad Paisley	I’m gonna miss her
Britney Spears	Stronger
Buddy Holly	What to do
Buzzcocks	Ever fallen in love with someone
Carpenters	You
Cars	Drive
Charles Trenet	La mer
Cindy Lauper	Girls just want to have fun
Darude	Sandstorm
Del Amitri	Nothing ever happens
Diana Ross	How about you
Dinah Washington -	Stardust
Dolly Parton	I will always love you
Don Henley	The boys of summer
Don McLean	American pie
Donald Fagen	IGY (International geophysical year)
Echo & The Bunnymen	The killing moon
Elvis Presley	Can't help falling in love
Emerson, Lake & Palmer	Fanfare for the common man
Erasure	Always
Erasure	You surround me
Eric Carmen	Sunrise
Eurythmics	There must be an angel
Fats Domino	Ain't that a shame
Foreigner	Cold as ice
Four Tops	Reach out (I'll be there)
Frank Sinatra	My way
Fratellis	Chelsea dagger
Free	All right now
Freiheit	Keeping the dream alive
Gary Puckett & The Union Gap	Young girl
Genesis	Tonight, tonight, tonight
Geoff Buckley	Hallelujah
George Harrison	My sweet Lord
George Michael	Older
Gerry & The Pacemakers	You'll never walk alone
Harry Nilsson	Without you
James Morrison	Wonderful world
Jean Michel Jarre	Equinoxe Pt 5
Jeff Beck	Hi ho silver lining
Jennifer Rush	The power of love
Jerry Reed	You took all the ramblin’ out of me
Jessie J	Stand up
Joan Armatrading	Love & affection
Joe Cocker	Just pass it on
John Lennon	Imagine
Johnny Clegg & Juluka	Scatterlings of Africa
Killers	Human
Kinks	Waterloo sunset
Labbi Siffre	(Something inside) So strong
Ladysmith Black Mambazo	Swing low sweet chariot
Latin Quarter	Radio Africa
Lighthouse Family	High
Louis Armstrong & his All Stars	Black & blue
Madness	One better day
Manfred Mann	Pretty flamingo
Margaret Whiting	Look for the silver lining
Martha & The Muffins	Echo beach
Martha Reeves & The Vandellas	I'm ready for love
Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell	The onion song
Meatloaf	Bat out of hell
Michael Jackson	Earth song
Neil Young	Heart of gold
Newton Faulkner	Dream catch me
Noisettes	Never forget you
Oasis	Wonderwall
OK Go	Here it goes again
Patsy Cline	Walking after midnight
Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder	Ebony & ivory
Paul Simon (& Ladysmith Black Mambazo)	Diamonds on the soles of her shoes
Phil Collins	You'll be in my heart
Ray Parker Jr	Ghostbusters
Raymond Lefevre	Soul coaxing
Razorlight	America
Real Thing	You to me are everything
Robbie Williams	Angels
Rod Stewart	Maggie May
Sammy Davis Jr	Soon
Shakira	Waka waka (this time for Africa)
Simon & Garfunkel	Bridge over troubled water
Simple Minds	Glittering prize
Stephen Tin Tin Duffy	Icing on the cake
Stereophonics	Have a nice day
Tams	Be young, be foolish, be happy
Taylor Swift	Love story
The Singing Nun	Dominique
Tony	This funny world
Toto	Africa
Vaccines	If you wanna
Vangelis	Hymn
Various Artists	Perfect day
Westlife	You raise me up
Wild Colour	Dreams

Be a part of 103DEC TODAY!

Tel 01664 481103 or

Email studio@103theeye.co.uk

DEC 'warmly supports' 103DEC Crisis Appeal by 103 The Eye

2011-07-28T14:59:00.001+01:00

"This is the first famine in a century that should never have known famine.

"Thousands of people have already died and millions are on the edge of survival.

"The most vulnerable are the children and the elderly.

"Yet a little money makes a real difference to these precarious lives, which is why the Disasters Emergency Committee warmly supports the all-day East Africa Crisis Appeal by 103 The Eye on Saturday 30 July.

"Thank you and your listeners for helping those in so much need."

Brendan Paddy

Communications Manager

Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC)

Archbishop of Canterbury issues urgent appeal for the Horn of Africa

2011-07-28T14:08:00.002+01:00

"It is devastating to see once again the images of famine haunting our world, as parts of Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia face one of the worst droughts for 60 years. Lives are being devastated – more than 11 million people desperately need emergency relief, as well as long term solutions to support sustainable farming and prevent this crisis repeating itself.

"Children and other vulnerable people are dying – the urgency is intense to prevent this disaster reaching a point of catastrophe; to ensure that we do not fail our fellow human beings in the Horn of Africa. In the longer term progress is possible: I saw it myself last month in a drought-struck part of Kenya, where local communities were being taught how to adapt to climate change through a local Church initiative.

"In Britain we can be encouraged by the response from the Department for International Development, which is leading the way in the international community in responding rapidly and effectively. The British public is also giving generously through the DEC appeal. This needs to continue, saving the lives of the young and the weak right now - and building for their future."

Dr Rowan Williams

Archbishop of Canterbury

For full text click here.

Statement on the East Africa Crisis by Rt Hon Alan Duncan MP, Minister for International Development

2011-07-26T18:14:00.008+01:00

“This is the most urgent food crisis in twenty years, with more than 11 million people in need of humanitarian assistance in Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia and Djibouti. The young are affected disproportionately and parents have been forced to watch their children die.

“Despite our efforts and those of other aid agencies, the UN appeals are still underfunded. This is a clear-cut example of where money is the limiting factor, and the more generous people in the West are, the more lives we can save. It’s as simple as that.”

Rt Hon Alan Duncan MP

Member of Parliament for Rutland & Melton

Minister of State for International Development

UN calls Emergency meeting: "This is a Children's Famine"

2011-07-25T20:56:00.013+01:00

In recent days famine has been declared in two areas of Somalia.

Eye-witnesses report that thousands have already died.

Concern has been expressed that Somalia's rebel forces are exacerbating the humanitarian difficulties and refusing access by some agencies, fortunately not those associated with the DEC.

Today an emergency meeting was held in Rome at the UN's Food & Agricultural Organisation, called by the French Government which currently chairs the G20.

Josette Sheeran, Head of the World Food Programme, was in Somalia last week and reported to the meeting that half a million children will die in, "The worst food crisis many of us have ever seen."

She said, "This is a children's famine."

THE NEED IS OBVIOUS & OVERWHELMING.
PLEASE DON'T WAIT, DONATE NOW!

8 Days & Counting: 103DEC Poster

2011-07-22T19:09:00.001+01:00

Counting Down: Nine days to 103DEC / Saturday 30 July

2011-07-21T15:36:00.012+01:00

On Saturday 30 July, 103 The Eye is dedicating the entire day's broadcasting to raising awareness of the DEC East Africa Crisis Appeal.

We've had warm weather across the East Midlands in recent weeks, but there's still food in the shops and water in our taps, rivers and streams but In the Horn of Africa there have been months of drought followed by the severest famine in living memory. In a daily worsening situation, millions of people are facing death.

So 103 The Eye is supporting the Disasters Emergency Committee and encouraging everyone to help by donating direct to the DEC East Africa Crisis Appeal.

All day on Saturday 30 July we'll be broadcasting interviews and information about the situation in Africa and we're asking you, our listeners, to share the day with us by telling us your life stories through your favorite music. Details about LIFE TRACKS are available here, on 103 The Eye and in the local press over the coming week.

DON'T WAIT TO DONATE!

But don't wait to donate - your money can be put to good use right now. Just follow the instructions in red on the side bar and help the DEC's member organisations to save lives immediately.

Saturday 30 July will be DEC East Africa Crisis Appeal day on 103 The Eye. We look forward to sharing the great day with you!

Be part of 103 The Eye's all-day DEC EAST AFRICA APPEAL / Saturday 30 July

2011-07-20T15:55:00.010+01:00

With the greatest humanitarian crisis to hit our world in modern times, the drought in the Horn of Africa has become the focus of charitable activity across the world. Millions of children are facing death. Millions more are becoming displaced and will require re-settlement. And the situation is worsening daily.

The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) and the 14 overseas development agencies it represents are raising awareness and funds to improve the chance of survival for those effected. Every penny helps.

BE INVOLVED IN 103'S AWARENESS RAISING APPEAL:

Local radio 103 The Eye is raising awareness by running a day-long Appeal on Saturday 30 July, featuring interviews with DEC organisations and local experts. We'll be talking to people who have recently returned from the drought area and hear what can be done to help. We'll also be speaking to celebrities about their involvement.

103's listeners are invited to take part in this special day by choosing a piece of music that means something special: this is your opportunity to email or phone in your LIFE TRACK story to be played on air on Saturday 30 July.

Either pick your own track or choose one of those suggested for you by 103 presenters, which will be listed in advance online and in local press.

And of course we're encouraging everyone to donate direct to the DEC.

More info from Mitch de Faria on 0845 052 5280 / mitch@thisismitch.co.uk

See also #103DEC & http://on.fb.me/nDwBuH

103 East Africa Awareness Campaign - 103DEC flag-up jingle

Dec East Africa Appeal Promo - Fay Ripley