The Isle of Man has doubled its support for an appeal launched by the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) to address the deteriorating humanitarian crisis in east Africa.

A second donation of £50,000 has been committed from the Emergency Aid budget to provide further life-saving support to agencies working in South Sudan, Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia. This additional funding will bring the island’s total support for the DEC Appeal to £100,000.

DEC chief executive Saleh Saeed said: ’On behalf of the DEC and our 13 member charities, please accept my thanks to the Isle of Man Government for your very generous donation. DEC member charities are already on the ground in the four affected countries, working tirelessly to deliver essential life-saving assistance.’

Drought and conflict have left 16 million people on the brink of starvation and in urgent need of food, water and medical treatment. In Kenya, the government has declared a national emergency and Ethiopia is battling a new wave of drought following the strongest ’El Nino’ on record.

Chief Minister Howard Quayle MHK said: ’The Isle of Man Government moved quickly to make an initial contribution of £50,000 to the aid programmes being delivered in countries scarred by conflict and drought. I’m pleased that we have been able to follow this with a further donation of £50,000, reflecting the severity of the ongoing crisis.’

Anyone who would like to find out more about how Manx international aid has been spent in the past five years can visit the One Word Centre’s recently-launched exhibition, Making a Difference, now on display at the Sea Terminal in Douglas.

It shows how the lives of thousands of people all over the world have been enhanced thanks to grants that have been made by the Isle of Man Government. Organised in conjunction with a group of charities working overseas as a response to some of the negative comments that are often made around international aid, it demonstrates that the Isle of Man’s aid programme has been effective in targeting those in the most need.

One World Centre committee member Louise Whitelegg said: ’There is often a fear that international aid disappears into corrupt pockets or is soaked up by exorbitant administration costs but, with the help of the charities who have received grants, we have been able to show the practical work and projects that have been achieved with specific Manx funding. This exhibition is a celebration of Manx generosity and an opportunity for the recipient charities to say a big thank you to the Manx public.’

To find out more about the situation in east Africa or to make a donation visit www.dec.org.uk.