Christian Aid is responding to the east Africa food crisis and has launched an emergency appeal to help people affected across the region. £130,000 has been released immediately for partners to respond as the situation intensifies in Kenya and Ethiopia.
Drought and displacement
Drought and displacement combined with rising food prices has left the east and the horn of Africa, especially Kenya and Ethiopia, in need of urgent humanitarian support. UNOCHA (The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) reports that the situation is the worst food security crisis in the world today and some parts of the region are experiencing the driest conditions in 60 years.
After two poor rainy seasons, drought in countries affected has left 10 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. At the same time Christian Aid is concerned that large numbers of people who have been displaced within Sudan and from Somalia are also facing food shortages.
Christian Aid staff in the region are reporting cases of malnutrition in children and adults, and people begging for water on the side of the road. Even animals which are normally resistant to drought such as camels, donkeys and goats are suffering. Due to the lack of water, some schools and hospitals have been forced to close and people are travelling for miles to collect water to drink.
Christian Aid partners are responding
Our partners in Ethiopia, Sudan and Kenya are closely monitoring the situation. This appeal will fund urgently needed life-saving measures, such as:
• emergency tanks and distribution of water for villages experiencing the worst of the drought conditions
• construction of additional water points
• food for families who currently are not reached by the World Food Programme response
• extra nutrition for malnourished children and pregnant women
• animal feed to protect livestock that are so crucial to survival
• helping communities become more resilient to future crises.
Activities will be carried out by Christian Aid partners across the region. Our partners Christian Community Services Mount Kenya East, Northern Aid and Ukamba Christian Community Services are responding in north eastern and eastern Kenya. In Ethiopia, our partners Action for Development and Agri-Service Ethiopia are currently working with local communities in the south to help them to withstand the effects of crises such as drought.