Canadian Foodgrains Bank and Sudanese refugees are trying to draw attention to famine in the region, and the people suffering there.

Rebecca Deng spoke at an event put on by the foodgrains bank this morning. Deng is from Sudan, and says she had a great life until war broke out in 1983. She was under 13 at the time, and subsequently ended up in refugee camps in Ethiopia and Kenya.

Deng says life in a refugee camp is like living in a cage.

"The worst is when you see a young child, a baby, in a mother's lap, and then (you take) one last look, and then the child passes away. Because the mother cannot... support because of so many things going on. Ask me. I went through it. and I cannot be quiet if I'm here."

Deng says she lost three children, and the side-effect of that is blaming yourself, asking what you could have done differently.

There were other refugees at this morning's event as well, telling their stories to those who asked, but they did not get up to speak at the podium as Deng did.

Mary Nyuon, from Jonglei, South Sudan, remembers being pregnant in 1991 in Ethiopia when civil war started there. She had to walk eight days to safety. She remembers going days without eating. She gave birth to a girl, Zara, who died when she was nine days old. Nyuon says to feed her young boy, she had to sell her baby's clothes.

South Sudan became an independent country in 2011 but civil war soon broke out again. Deng is asking for the Canadian government to act, and provide more than food and money.

"Let peacekeepers play their role more. Canada is a country of peace. And plus, let's not forget women and children are still suffering in refugee camps: this is my message to the Canadian government. Peace is more important. We can send money now and then, and food from now and then, but without peace... it's not going to end the problem."

Until June 30th, donations made to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank Famine Appeal will be matched by the federal government on a 1 to 1 basis. This is in addition to an ongoing 4 to 1 match arrangement.