READERS have been praised for their outstanding generosity after helping the Echo raise £10,000 for East Africa refugees.

The emergency appeal was launched three months ago after a famine of epic scale broke out in the Horn of Africa.

In just 12 weeks Echo readers, community groups and kind-hearted teenagers have raised a staggering £10,332.

One 14-year-old Budmouth teenager felt so touched by the appeal that she organised a fundraiser. Young Shannon Parker raised £276 by mustering support from her community.

Dedicated churchgoers at Holy Trinity Church in Weymouth dug deep from their emergency funds for the crisis appeal and donated £250 to the appeal.

And we have received a host of cheques, large and small, from businesses and individuals to help us get to the £10,000 target.

All the money raised has been donated to the Disasters Emergency Committee, which uses the money to fund essential aid on the frontline. Disasters Emergency Committee chief executive Brendan Gormley said: “I would like to thank the people of Dorset and the Dorset Echo for their extremely generous support of the DEC East Africa Appeal.

“Your gifts will make a very significant contribution to the work of our member agencies which are delivering food, water and other lifesaving aid to those severely affected by the drought across East Africa and the conflict in Somalia. “We also hope in future to be able help people begin to rebuild their livelihoods with projects that will include replacing sheep and cattle lost in the drought.”

The situation in Africa worsens every day and the famine continues to take the life of an innocent child every six minutes.

Over 13.3million people are in urgent need of assistance throughout the Horn of Africa according to the United Nations.

But the work of the charities is invaluable and every penny can make a difference to a child or family.

Echo editor Toby Granville said: “It is yet another testimony to the generosity of our readers that, even in these difficult times, they give generously to those less fortunate.

“To donate £10,000 in such a short time is an extraordinary achievement and I would like to thank each and every person who gave to this worthwhile cause.

“The money will make a difference and save lives of those threatened by this disaster.”

how your money helps

This is how your money is spent by the Disaster Emergency Committee for the East Africa Crisis Appeal: A total of 95p in every pound will help the 14 partner agencies providing support, including Action Aid, British Red Cross, Care International UK, Christian Aid, Islamic relief, Oxfam, Save the Children, World Vision and Plan UK.

Your donations can help provide vital food, water, care and medical treatment.