West African Stars Baaba Maal, Afel Bocoum and Sidi Toure Partner with Oxfam to Draw Attention to Famine in the Sahel

Musicians from the Sahel region of West Africa, including Baaba Maal, Afel Bocoum and Sidi Toure, have partnered with International Development and Relief Agency Oxfam to shine light on the food crisis in the region. Right now, the Sahel region of West Africa (Senegal, southern Mauritania, Mali, southern Algeria and Niger) is in the grip of a food crisis, with a deadly combination of drought, poor harvests, and skyrocketing food prices that has placed more than 18 million people at risk of hunger and malnutrition.

New Oxfam Global Ambassador, world music star Baaba Maal is collaborating with Oxfam by raising funds through his personal fundraising page: http://my.oxfamamerica.org/fundraise?fcid=204530

By launching his own fundraising page, Baaba Maal is joining in on this innovative way that world musicians are shedding light on the issue. He is asking his fans from around the globe to help hungry communities in his country of Senegal and across the region: “Oxfam’s personal fundraising page gives me the opportunity to take action against hunger in the Sahel. My fans worldwide are amazing and generous, and I would be so honored if all those who enjoy my music would help me support families who do not have enough to eat. Drought is inevitable in the Sahel, but hunger is not.”

Malian musician Afel Bocoum encourages commitment from the public:

Sidi Toure, a renowned Malian songwriter and musician is raising awareness on his U.S. tour this summer and lent his music to a video Oxfam produced on the crisis:

For more information go to Oxfam