Urgent: Famine in East Africa

Famine has hit East Africa, with four countries: Yemen, South Sudan, Somalia and northeast Nigeria
at risk of starvation.

The UN chief Stephen O'Brien has said that the world is already facing the largest humanitarian crisis since the end of the Second World War, with almost 130 million people in 33 countries in need of life-saving humanitarian assistance and protection.

'In north-eastern Nigeria, over 5 million people are severely food insecure and 450,000 children are suffering from severe acute malnutrition. In the worst-affected and least accessible areas of Borno and Yobe states, 55,000 people face famine-like conditions. 

In South Sudan, 100,000 people are already facing famine, with another 1 million on the brink. 

In Somalia, largely due to consecutive and severe droughts, there are worrying similarities to the famine of 2011, when more than a quarter million people died - half of them before the famine was officially declared. Food prices are rising, animals are dying, and close to 3 million people cannot meet their daily food needs.

Yemen is facing the largest humanitarian crisis in the world with a third of the country - almost 19 million people - requiring humanitarian and protection assistance. More than 7 million people need urgent food assistance. With health facilities destroyed and damaged, diseases are sweeping through the country. Some 462,000 children are suffering from severe acute malnutrition and a child dies every 10 minutes of preventable causes.'

O'Brien said that humanitarian partners urgently need $4.4 billion in order to avert famine and save thousands of lives. The money will be used for malnutrition treatment programmes for children and adults, emergency food aid deliveries, livestock support, health interventions, clean water, sanitation and hygiene support, and cash transfers for millions of the most vulnerable people. By 15th March, they have received $429 million of this amount.

'It is possible to address and avert these famines, and to prevent human catastrophe on a massive scale but we must act quickly and not wait until it is too late. Allowing famine to unfold is a choice; we must make the choice to stop it. To fail to do so would be a stain on our collective moral conscience. We have no time to lose.'

You can read the whole article here: East Africa: Act Now to Address and Prevent Famine in Four Countries

What can we do to help?

There are many organizations you can make a donation to in order to help. Here are some I have found:

1. World Food Programme: http://www1.wfp.org/donate-now

'Some 20 million people face catastrophe in South Sudan, Somalia, Nigeria and Yemen with famine already declared in South Sudan. People are already dying from starvation and in South Sudan alone 1 million children are estimated to be acutely malnourished. If we don’t reach people with urgent food aid soon, many of them will die. WFP is on the ground in some of the hardest hit areas, but we need your help to reach more people. Please make a donation to our emergency fund today. Help save a life.'


2. International Rescue Committee: https://help.rescue.org/donate/email-famine-relief#webform-component-donation

'A famine has gripped South Sudan and a hunger crisis is ravaging Somalia and parts of East Africa. Make a tax-deductible donation today to help IRC provide emergency health care, nutrition support and other critical services to families in South Sudan, Somalia and across East Africa. Your support will help us save as many lives as possible.'

3.. UNICEF (NZ): https://www.unicef.org.nz/famine

UNICEF is the world largest supplier of therapeutic food.

'Just $38 can buy enough therapeutic food to save the life of a malnourished child. At 60 cents a packet for therapeutic food, this is a low-cost, fast acting way to treat malnutrition. Each packet is bursting with energy, protein and all the goodness needed to bring a child back from the ravages of hunger. Each packet is an easily absorbed meal and just 3 packets a day for 3-4 weeks is enough to save the life of a malnourished child.'

4. Disasters Emergency Committee (UK): https://donation.dec.org.uk/eastafrica#/

The UK Government will match pound for pound the first £5 million donated by the public to the DEC East Africa Crisis Appeal.

5. SCIAF (UK): https://secure.sciaf.org.uk/east_africa

'When disaster strikes, SCIAF works with Caritas Internationalis (the global network of Catholic aid and development agencies) to get help to those who need it - fast. As well as providing immediate shelter, food, water and medicine, we give communities the support they need to help them recover, rebuild and get back on their feet in the long term.'

6. CAFOD (UK): https://cafod.org.uk/donations/one-off?_Amount=&_Appeal=7011A000001E5QOQA0

'We support local organizations who can act fast, providing food, water and shelter for people who have lost everything. And we’re there in the months and years that follow too, helping people rebuild their lives and prepare for whatever the future holds.'

As I said, there are probably many more organizations which have organized an action call to help the people in East Africa. Donating to any of them (which are secure and reliable) will help.