A child's Help

The UN says about 3.6 million people are at risk of starvation in Somalia

Somali famine: Ghana schoolboy raises aid money

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An 11-year-old Ghanaian schoolboy has so far raised more than $500 (£300) for victims of the famine in Somalia.

Andrew Andasi (L) met WFP representative Ismail Omer to ask for advice

Andrew Andasi launched his campaign last week after watching footage of people walking in search of food.

He told the BBC he wanted to raise a total of $13m during his school holidays from private donations.

After a meeting with the UN World Food Programme Bank director in Ghana to ask for advice, Andrew set up a bank account for donations on Tuesday.

"I'm very very sure that I can raise it in just one month," he told the BBC.

"I want individuals, companies, churches, other organisations to help me get 20m Ghana cedis."

TV guest

He said that UN organisations had advised him to raise money rather than food for his Save Somali Children from Hunger campaign.

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"If they send it to Somalia they can buy it [food] somewhere around Somalia… because if we gather the food items it will take a long time and the plane will cost a lot," he said.

The BBC's Samuel Bartels in the capital, Accra, says the boy's determination has impressed Ghanaians and he has been appearing as a guest on TV and radio shows in recent days.

Ismail Omer, the WFP representative in Ghana, said he was impressed with his efforts.

"He is doing a lot of work and that is laudable," Mr Omer told the BBC.

"When he came to my office and said this is what he is doing, I was so delighted - I became emotional.

"I hope he can be a good leader to his generation."

Andrew, who has printed flyers and stickers for his campaign, said he was moved to act by seeing the images of Somali women and children walking for days in search of food.

He said he wanted to use his time off during his summer school holidays to help them.

"There has been serious hunger and death for [a] long time [in Somalia] - and if it goes on their country will be useless," he told the BBC at the headquarters of Ecobank Ghana in Accra after setting up a special bank account for donations.

"If I get the opportunity to go to Somalia I will talk and I will let the UN to make an announcement the warring groups in Somalia should stop because of the sick children and women," he said.

The UN says about 3.6 million people are at risk of starvation in Somalia.

More than 11 million people across the Horn of Africa have been affected by drought this year - the region's worst for 60 years.

African Child Day

The International Day of the African Child has been celebrated on June 16 every year since 1991, when it was first initiated by the Organisation of African Unity. It honors those who participated in the Soweto Uprising in 1976 on that day. It also raises awareness of the continuing need for improvement of the education provided to African children.

In Soweto, South Africa, on June 16, 1976, about ten thousand black school children marched in a column more than half a mile long, protesting the poor quality of their education and demanding their right to be taught in their own language. Hundreds of young students were shot. More than a hundred people were killed in the protests of the following two weeks, and more than a thousand were injured.

This year's Africa Child Day is celebrated under the theme 'All Together for Urgent Actions in Favour of Street Children,' focuses on reminding the public on the importance of examining afresh the problem of the street children in the country.

Tanzania, watch a documentary at TBC1, 2100hrs and see the lives of street children in Tanzania. We are part of change and we are the change that is needed in our country.