D&P began issuing warnings about the famine in early July. The United Nations officially declared that parts of Somalia were experiencing famine on July 20 and has since declared the famine a humanitarian emergency.

“This crisis has been slowly building in the region for a long time, and so our Caritas partners in the region, including Caritas Ethiopia and Caritas Kenya, have been helping communities cope with the impacts of food and water shortages since about November 2010,” said CCODP spokesperson Kelly Di Domenico.

She described the worsening situation in the region as “drastic.”

“Efforts are focused on increasing food distribution and providing water and there are some programs to try to maintain the health of livestock, as they represent not only food but the livelihood of people.”  

Pope Benedict XVI also urged the international community to deliver urgent humanitarian aid, especially to Somalia, the worst hit nation. The vatican has made an initial contribution of $50,000.

“Innumerable people are fleeing from that tremendous famine in search of food and assistance,” the Pope said. “I hope the international community will increase its efforts to quickly send aid to our sorely tested brothers and sisters, among them many children. Our solidarity and the concrete assistance of all people of good will should not be lacking.”

U.N. experts say the prolonged drought, combined with a rise in food prices, has already killed thousands of people and forced tens of thousands of people to make long and often deadly overland treks to reach refugee camps. Most of those fleeing Somalia have headed toward refugee camps in Ethiopia and Kenya. Many mothers arriving in the camps have described losing children along the way to disease and malnutrition.

The situation in eastern Africa is the most severe since one million people died 17 years ago in a famine in Ethiopia. U.N. agencies have requested $1.6 billion to pay for life-saving programs in the region, but so far have reached only half that amount.

“The matching program is a great way for people to see their donations go even further in helping people in this terrible situation,” said Di Domenico. “People have been reacting very quickly to this crisis.”

D&P works with its partners through the Holy See’s charitable arm Caritas Internationalis. Di Domenico says Caritas has had “a great deal of experience in the region over the past 35 years.

Those wishing to make a donation to help with famine relief can do so online at www.sharelife.org  or at  www.devp.org or by telephone at 1-888-664-3387.

— With files from Catholic News Service