Please help me keep members of my adopted community in southern Senegal from starving over the month of Ramadan. 20 years ago I lived in a small village in rural Senegal near the town of Dindefelo while I was in the Peace Corps. Though not wealthy themselves, the people I lived and worked with there shared everything they had with me. Much of the population there are subsistence farmers, during most of the year they have enough food either directly grown or stored. But because of climate change the stores have gotten harder and harder to fill. It’s either too hot with no rain and everything withers and dies or it’s just raining and everything floods. Even when I lived there twenty years ago, there was about a two month period each year where all we had to eat was USAID rice and oil, and literally leaves off the trees. With USAID gone, a lot of people are going to starve. I know this isn’t something we can fix by fundraising.

And… Ramadan is coming. It goes from Feb 18- March 20 this year. It is a time of prayer, self-discipline, sacrifice, and empathy for those who are less fortunate than oneself. In the month of Ramadan you’re supposed practice random acts of kindness and generosity. And that’s why during the month of Ramadan I would like to send rice to people in the area that I used to live in. Literally to keep at least a few people from starving. My goal is to send at least 100 sacks of rice over the month to be distributed to people running out of food in twelve villages in the Dindefelo area. Each 50 kg bag of rice costs $40, and if we stretch it thin, each of those bags can feed two families. I know times are rough for all of us, but if you have any extra money to spare, please contribute what you can. And if you don’t have any extra money or ideas, they could sure use your prayers. Thank you in advance for your thoughts, prayers and support.