by By Chrispinus Omar

NAIROBI Nike Air Max Womens Sale , May 15 (Xinhua) -- International aid agency Oxfam on Thursday called for a massive and rapid global surge in the aid effort to help millions of people at acute risk of hunger and disease in South Sudan.

In a statement released ahead of the donors conference in Norway next week, the global aid agency said the humanitarian crisis has reached a "now or never moment" to avoid catastrophic levels of hunger and suffering.

"We need a massive and rapid global surge in aid to prevent catastrophic levels of hunger. We cannot afford to wait, we cannot afford to fail," Oxfam CEO Mark Goldring said in a statement received in Nairobi.

"People need to plant their crops Air Max 95 Womens Sale , to rebuild their homes and lives, children need to go back to school, health facilities to be reopened, and the time for it to happen is now."

Oxfam called on governments to respond generously and without delay to the UN appeal at a conference to pledge money in Oslo next Tuesday.

Goldring said the 1.27 billion U.S. dollars UN appeal is currently only 40 percent funded – a shortfall of more than 700 million dollars.

The agency urged other governments to follow the Britain's lead and provide their fair share of funding. The international agency also launched its own appeal to the British public to help fund its 25 million dollars work to deliver aid to people in dire need in the crisis-hit country.

"The South Sudan crisis is at a tipping point. We either act now or millions will pay the price. We face a mammoth task of getting massive levels of aid to people at the worst time of the year when rains make many areas hard to reach and turn roads into rivers of mud Air Max 90 Womens Sale ," Goldring said.

The political violence which triggered the crisis last December quickly turned into inter-ethnic bloodletting. Health posts and hospitals were looted and destroyed and hundreds of health workers fled for their safety and have yet to return. An estimated 30 health facilities are still not functioning leaving communities without health services at this crucial time.

President Salva Kiir and former vice president Riek Machar signed an agreement last Friday to resolve the five-month crisis in South Sudan, which has claimed thousands of lives, left nearly 5 million in need of humanitarian assistance and led to atrocities being committed by both sides.

Since December, more than 300 Air Max Womens Sale ,000 refugees have fled to Ethiopia, Uganda, Sudan and Kenya. Oxfam said high-level diplomatic efforts are needed to help ensure the cease-fire holds and negotiations towards a peaceful solution stay on track.

In the first weeks of May alone, some 20 Nike Air Max 95 Sale ,000 new refugees fled into Ethiopia. Many are anxious to return but remain fearful for their safety as long as the conflict rages.

Since the conflict broke out last December there has been an alarming increase in the number of people facing hunger and children suffering from malnutrition.

More than a third of South Sudan's people - 3.7 million - are facing emergency and crisis levels of hunger and are in need of immediate assistance.

The rainy season has begun and one of the most pressing tasks of the aid effort is to get seeds and tools to people so that they can start planting now.

"If the aid effort cannot get enough seeds and tools to people in time then the chances of a decent harvest in months to come will be lost, which will have a devastating effect on people's ability to feed their families," Oxfam said.

The UN had warned that if the conflict continues, half of South Sudan's 12 million people will either be displaced internally Nike Air Max 90 Sale , refugees abroad, starving or dead by the year's end.

Roger Federer's hopes of starting the year with a long-overdue title ended in failure on Sunday when the Swiss was beaten by local hero Lleyton Hewitt in the Brisbane International final.

The 17-times grand slam champion, who won the last of his 77 titles last June, was beaten 6-1 4-6 6-3 by a typically gutsy Hewitt who ended a more than three-year title drought.

World number six Federer Nike Air Max Sale , who had led their rivalry 18-8 before the final, looked to have turned the match his way after recovering from a slow start but Hewitt showed responded to claim the title in a little over two hours.

"To beat possibly the greatest player in the final means a lot," Hewitt said. "It's not an easy tournament to win.

"In the first set I was seeing the ball like a football. Didn't really matter where he served I was on it."

Federer had seven break points in the third set but failed to convert any of them as Hewitt ended a 15-match losing run against his fellow 32-year-old.

Despite the disappointment Federer remained hopeful for this month's Australian Open.

"I was able to sort of serve better overall, more consistent this week than I have in a long time - so that's very good Air Max 95 Sale ," Federer, who had not dropped serve before the final, said.

"I definitely needed a little bit more confidence to play well and hopefully win the tournament and so forth.

"I have a clear idea what I need to work on and I have a clear idea where my mind and body is at."

Federer can scarcely have opened a match in worse touch.

He hit 22 unforced errors in the first set, lost three service games and performed a complete air-shot off one attempted backhand service return.

"I was really struggling with all sorts of rhythm Air Max 90 Sale ," Federer said. "I wouldn't say I was serving poorly, but it was just a tough set for me. I was put on the back foot very often."

Hewitt did not lose a point on his first serve in the opening set, making just three unforced errors as he took command with his trademark precision.

Federer improved markedly in the second set, coming back from 0-40 down to capture the Australian's serve in the ninth game and then served out to love to take the set.

Despite Hewitt's serve being far more consistently. Jerseys Cheap Authentic NFL Jerseys From China Authentic Soccer Jerseys From China Custom NHL Jerseys From China Authentic MLB Jerseys From China Soccer Jerseys From China Adidas NHL Jerseys Online MLB Baseball Jerseys Free Shipping Authentic Jerseys China Authentic Jerseys China