A local restaurateur has kicked off his own campaign to raise awareness and funds for people in the Horn of Africa, where millions are dying of hunger.

Chris Cassar, who owns Ta’ Kris restaurant in Sliema, has been moved to do his bit towards alleviating the suffering.

“How can we have people dying like flies of hunger in 2011? It is so unacceptable. Famine should be a Middle Ages issue,” he says.

Several countries in the region have been hit in recent months by the severe food crisis. Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya are the worst affected but the livelihood of millions is also threatened in Djibouti, Sudan, South Sudan and parts of Uganda. The UN has declared a famine – for the first time in 30 years – in southern Somalia.

Funding is a major issue in the efforts to get humanitarian aid to the affected parts, with the UN having appealed for $2.5 billion. However, there is still some way to go before all the financing is found.

Mr Cassar has launched an appeal to the Maltese to do what they can to help and to spread the word to others. He has opened three bank accounts for donations to be made in the Aid The People campaign which will run until October 23.

These are closed accounts meaning that money can be deposited but not withdrawn: HSBC – 002018166051; BOV – 40020176589; Lombard – 01440112904.

Donations can also be made on the following SMS numbers: 5061 6125 for €1; 16 5061 7387 for €2.33; 5061 8062 for €4.66; 5061 8906 for €6.99; 5061 9226 for €11.65

At www.aidthepeople.info, there is also a Facebook link with useful information.