“Without immediate additional funding, humanitarian aid in the region will be crippled. We are proud to help ensure the survival of this lifesaving program and strongly encourage others to do the same,”  Clooney said in a statement, according to the Associated Press. “Governments have a responsibility to help those who cannot defend themselves,” he added.

The WFP has been feeding between 2 and 3.2 million people in Darfur over the past year and it seems that the number of people in need might double with the May-October season, claims the agency.

Helicopters are being used in order to provide food to Northern Sudan and into the Darfur region, which has been caught in the middle of a bloody battle between the non-Arab rebels and the Sudanese government. Hollywood stars’ donation is the first one  received by the WFP in 2008 and the non-profit group affirmed it needs $77 million in 2008 to back up its operations.

“This contribution will make a difference to the millions of vulnerable women and children trapped there, and we hope it will inspire other donations,” WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran said.
George Clooney has become a leading celebrity adherent for action against the genocide in the Sudan after filming a documentary about the crisis last year. This is not the first donation of his charitable group as in 2007 Not On Our Watch gave $1 million to the WFP.