Sacha Baron Cohen Donates $500K to Children in Sudan Amid Hunger Crisis
Sacha Baron Cohen is stepping up to help children in Sudan amid a hunger crisis.
The Oscar-nominated star has donated $500,000 to the International Rescue Committee and Save the Children USA for Sudan to aid the organizations in the groundwork there as they support citizens following a devastating conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces that has exacerbated famine conditions. In addition to writing a check, Cohen is calling on “friends, colleagues and the general public” to join him.
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“Right now, there are 25.6 million people experiencing hunger in Sudan, a country which is swiftly moving towards the worst famine seen in decades, yet this crisis is receiving alarmingly little attention,” he said in a statement. “This contribution is a small step toward addressing the immense needs in Sudan. I’m pleased to continue to support the IRC and Save the Children, who are delivering essential nutrition, water, sanitation and health services to those most in need, both within Sudan and in neighboring countries where people are seeking refuge. The Sudanese people urgently need our help and must not be forgotten.”
IRC president and CEO David Miliband said his organization is “deeply grateful” to Cohen for the donation, which will be funneled toward nutrition, water, sanitation and protection for displaced people. “Eighteen months of warfare has devastated homes, infrastructure and livelihoods, making Sudan the world’s largest displacement and most severe hunger crisis — yet only half the needed aid has been received. As the disaster continues to spill over into neighboring countries like Chad and South Sudan, the world’s neglect is costing lives.”
Added Save the Children president and CEO, Janti Soeripto: “We’re incredibly appreciative that Sacha continues to give his support to the world’s forgotten crises and their enduring effects on children. The crisis in Sudan has dropped off many people’s radar, yet support for kids and families there is desperately needed. 222,000 severely malnourished children are likely to die in the coming months if their needs remain unmet.”
Cohen’s donation marks the actor’s latest philanthropic endeavor after having previously donated to support children and families in such places as Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Somalia. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Cohen sent personal protective equipment to National Health Service workers and first responders in the United Kingdom. He is also a co-founder of Stop Hate for Profit, a coalition that calls out social media companies who profit from conspiracy theories, racism and hateful rhetoric.
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