OUGADOUGOU, BURKINA FASO--(Marketwire - Sept. 6, 2012) - As the world's leading independent child rights organization, Save the Children's mission is to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children, and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives. We work to create a world in which every child attains the right to survival, protection, development, and participation.

On August 7, 2012, the Government of Canada announced the Sahel Crisis Matching Fund. All donations in support of emergency relief in the Sahel will be matched dollar-for-dollar by the Canadian government.

Summer distractions and lack of media attention on the crisis has meant a slower response when compared to last year's government match program for the hunger crisis in East Africa. Now is the time to act to prevent a large-scale humanitarian disaster.

Canadians can offer hope and provide essential help to the 18 million people, and over 1 million children, who struggle daily to combat hunger. The Mali refugee crisis has not abated and displaced Malian's are straining the resources of countries already struggling to meet the needs of their people.

Save the Children has staff on the ground in each of the Sahel countries.

Save the Children's Country Director for Burkina Faso, Dr. Mathurin Bonzi is on the ground in Burkina Faso. Save the Children's Program Officer, Health and Nutrition Rebecca Harry is in Mali from Sunday,

September 9 until Friday, September 14.