The Children of Somalia Need Our Help~UNICEF~

http://fieldnotes.unicefusa.org/2008/06/spotlight_on_somalia.html

{You may have heard, UNICEF Ambassador Clay Aiken was in Somalia, meeting lots of children and learning about the catastrophic conditions under which they struggle to survive every day.

Once Clay is back in the U.S., he'll be blogging right here about his experience, so please stay tuned. In the meantime,go to www.UNICEF.com
to learn more about UNICEF in Somalia. Or, to support our work to help save and protect the lives of children in this war torn country.}
--- UNICEF Field Notes---




We learned today that Clay Aiken is with UNICEF, visiting the children in a town called Somaliland.
Here is the Reuters news article, and a couple of UNICEF videos with the children of Somalia.
Please take a moment to reflect on their needs, and what we can do to help them. Please donate to UNICEF, so these children may have better drinking water,food, medicines,and hopefully homes will be built for them,to bring an end to their plight.

Thanks.....


www.UNICEF.com

africa.reuters.com/wire/news/usnL25715768.html

U.S. pop star appeals for world attention on Somalia
Wed 25 Jun 2008, 14:00 GMT
[-] Text [+]

By Guled Mohamed

HARGEISA, Somalia, June 25 (Reuters Life!) - U.S. pop star Clay Aiken appealed on Wednesday for the world not to forget Somalia, where conflict and hunger have created one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.

Aiken said U.S. and international interest in Somalia had been minimal since failed military intervention in the early 1990s.

"There hasn't been much discussion of Somalia since the early 1990s in the U.S.," said Aiken, a U.N. goodwill ambassador, on a visit to Somalia. "The American population kind of got a bad taste of Somalia in the early 90's and hasn't really had much interest in the country since."

Somalia has suffered relentless civil conflict since the 1991 toppling military dictator Mohamed Siad Barre.

In the latest cycle of violence, an Islamist-led insurgency against the Somali government and its Ethiopian military advisers since the start of 2007 has killed thousands and made one million people homeless.

"It's the most dangerous place for a child to be," Aiken said. "In the lower part of the country, southern part, I feel it's a more desperate situation than any place we've ever been."

Aiken, 29, who was travelling on behalf of U.N. children's agency UNICEF, was in Somaliland, a relatively peaceful northern enclave of Somalia that has declared itself independent but not been recognised internationally.

While there have skirmishes with neighbouring province Puntland, Somaliland has functioning political institutions.

"In Somaliland, you really do have a sense of people who really want to help themselves, who want to do better, who want to effect change for themselves, that is very hopeful," he said.

Somaliland authorities hope a high-profile visit like Aiken's may bolster their case for world acceptance of their separation from Somalia.

For 12-year-old, Ubah Mohamed, her wants were simpler.

"I understand he is famous. I hope he will give us food and build a school for us," she said, near to a refugee camp. (For full Reuters Africa coverage and to have your say on the top issues, visit: http://africa.reuters.com/ ) (Editing by Matthew Jones) (nairobi.newsroom@reuters.com; +254 20 222 4717)

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