Lewis Sida has survived war zones and earthquakes as well as working in refugee camps in some of the world's poorest countries.

He narrowly escaped death in Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of Congo, when rebels bombed the town where he was working in 1996 - one bomb landed just a few feet from his office.

More recently he survived the bombing in Afghanistan.

Mr Sida works for Save the Children, where he is director of emergencies.

This means whenever there is an emergency anywhere on the planet he leaves the comfort of his family home in Lewes and heads out there.

In the last 18 months he has visited 17 countries, including Malawi, Afghanistan, China and Liberia.

On Monday Mr Sida, 33, is off again. He is going to Angola to try to help avert a famine.

He will leave his two-and-a-half-year-old daughter and wife Helen, who is expecting their second child, and travel around a country which has just been released from decades of civil war.

Mr Sida said: "I go abroad with work quite regularly, so my wife is used to me being away from home."

Mr Sida first got involved with aid work when he went backpacking in Africa after university.

The former chemistry student found himself working in a refugee camp in 1994 during the Rwandan genocide.

From there he got a job managing overseas projects at Oxfam.

Mr Sida met his wife in London, where they were both involved in charity work and the pair went to Rwanda, where they worked for Christian Aid and Help the Aged.

They moved to Lewes just over two years ago, which Mr Sida describes as "a wonderful, tranquil place where I can recharge my batteries."

He said: "When I come back home I am reminded of all that's good in the world.

"We are so lucky to live in this country. It is safe and peaceful and people have a good standard of living."

In Angola he will visit camps where rebel soldiers and their families have been dumped and forgotten about by the Angolan government.

The country has an estimated 60,000 soldiers living in such camps with 200,000 of their dependents.

Mr Sida said: "There are people in the former rebel areas who are starving.

"Angola is the worst affected country in the region at the moment. The civil war has just come to an end and the Army's policy of 'slash and burn' means crops have been destroyed."

And Angola is just one country in the southern Africa region facing drought and famine.

Malawi, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Zambia, Swaziland, and Lesotho are also heading towards crisis.

Mr Sida said: "The effects of the weather, political mismanagement and a lack of food mean these countries are facing a dramatic situation.

"Just £25 will feed two families for a month, so relatively small amounts of money can save lives."

Save the Children is trying to raise £13.5 million.

You can donate to the Southern Africa Crisis Appeal by calling 0870 60609000.

Cheques made payable to DEC Southern Africa Crisis Appeal can be sent to DEC Southern Africa Crisis Appeal, PO Box 999, London EC3A 3AA.