SCIAF is providing £100,000 in response to the food crisis in the Sahel.

An estimated 18 million people are hungry in the west African region, including 1.5 million children.

£50,000 will go to northern Nigeria, where 14,000 people will receive cash payments and vouchers for food.

Another £50,000 will provide 25,000 people in Senegal with food. Recipients include pregnant women and children under five years.

The funds will support the work being coordinated on the ground by sister agencies in Caritas Internationalis, the global network of Catholic aid and development organisations.

SCIAF’s Head of International Programmes Lorraine Currie said: “A deadly mix of drought, high food prices, extreme poverty and conflict has left an estimated 18 million people hungry in Sahel.

"An estimated 1.5 million children are facing starvation. Many families are simply so poor they cannot afford to buy any food."

In addition to cash payments, the funds will be used to provide drought resistant seeds, training, and small loans so that communities can become self-sufficient again in the long term.

"This is a growing crisis," Currie continued. "We need to do all we can to help before we start to see people dying in large numbers.”

To donate to SCIAF visit www.sciaf.org.uk or call 0141 354 5555.