A LOCAL charity worker has urged Fermanagh folk to support Trocaire’s Christmas Appeal, as she warns that a ‘hunger pandemic’ will threaten 270 million people this Christmas.
Bridie Duffy from Enniskillen, told the Herald, “The Covid-19 crisis has doubled the number of people around the world who are facing crisis levels of hunger.
“Lockdowns and restrictions introduced to curb the spread of the virus have contributed in a variety of ways to an explosion in the hunger crisis.
“People have had no way to earn an income and do not have access to any social welfare safety net.
“Local markets were closed for a prolonged period meaning farmers could not sell their goods. Border closures have led to a shortage of key materials including seeds and the price of these materials has increased as a result.
“School closures have meant that millions of children have not been able to access school feeding programmes they rely on.”
The long time volunteer also revealed that the joint effects of drought and Covid-19 restrictions would create the ‘perfect storm’.
While the next harvest in countries like Somalia will not take place until April at the earliest, Bridie has urged people in Fermanagh to do what they can to ‘support the call for donations’. Hunger is the next pandemic the world is facing, only this time we know what the vaccine is. Support for Trocaire’s Christmas Appeal in Fermanagh will provide a lifeline to thousands of families this Christmas.”
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