CHRISTIAN Aid is escalating its appeal for funds to tackle the food crisis in the Sahel region of West Africa amid reports that the situation is deteriorating fast.
The World Food Programme has warned that without new funding, food aid for nearly 250,000 Malian refugees in Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Niger and other neighbouring states will run out in weeks.
A Christian Aid appeal running since March this year which has raised some £475,000 for the region has helped more than 175,000 people. Now supporters and major donors are being asked to give more.