Millions of people across Kenya, South Sudan, Somalia and Ethiopia are fighting for survival in the face of the most devastating food crisis in decades. These people are from resilient communities, but years of drought caused by the climate crisis means families are no longer able to cope.
Our local experts are on the front line of this crisis in the affected countries and providing support. You’ve not waited for the crisis to hit the headlines and we’ve been humbled and inspired by your incredible response to our World Food Crisis Appeal.
See how your support is helping to make a difference.
South Sudan
In South Sudan you are helping to support displaced families who have fled persecution. Welcomed by another community who generously shared what little food and water they had. Now they face severe drought and climate change meaning that their crops have failed. Your support enables our local Caritas network to provide families with farming tools, seeds for planting and with emergency food distributions.
“I want to say to donors, to people supporting, your support is being acknowledged by the community. The support you are giving is really meaningful and it is helping a lot. From the emergency food, the seeds, the tools you are providing, what you are giving is saving lives.”
Marsabit, Kenya
Thanks to support like yours our local experts have been providing food packages to families like Talaso’s. 398 families in Marsabit received food packages between August and December.
“We had no water or food. We had lost all our livestock and had a lot of problems. It was around this time that I gave birth to my son Ali. I had nothing to eat. At one point, I was so weak, I fell down and fainted. Breastfeeding my child was very hard for me. When the food assistance came, it really helped and now Ali is feeding well. My health and the health of my son have since improved. Even his weight is very good.”
Camels drink at the new borehole
“CAFOD has completed drilling of a borehole in Marsabit county, Kenya, which is now providing safe and clean water to 350 households, over 1500 people and their livestock. These communities were previously walking more than 30km in search of water, so this has been a huge relief.”
Families rely on livestock to earn a living so this borehole is crucial for families to support themselves and their animals. Thank you for supporting people to get the most basic necessity- water.
As well as this, thanks to your support our local experts have
Provided food for more than 1900 school children, this support will help children to stay in school and get the education they deserve
Provided food packages for families, each food package contains 25kg rice, 10kg beans, 12 cartons of 500ml milk, 2 litres vegetable oil and 2kg sugar
Funded repairs to two other boreholes and provided fuel subsidies to fund 10 other borehole generators
Started building an underground water storage tank
Somalia
Somalia faces an extreme hunger crisis. Four consecutive failed rainy seasons, coupled with conflict and political instability, and the financial repercussions of the rise in costs and COVID-19 have created famine-like conditions in several areas of the country. Millions of people need emergency aid.
Thanks to your generous gifts, we are responding through our sister agency Trocaire, which is part of the global Caritas network. Health and nutrition services are provided through 3 main hospitals, 6 health centres, 11 primary health units, and 7 mobile outreach posts, with approximately 250 trained and highly qualified health and nutrition workers reaching 23,800 patients per month.
Activities include:
Screening of pregnant and breastfeeding women and children under 5 years old for malnutrition
Nutritious supplements and malnutrition treatment
Food baskets for households with children admitted for treatment of malnutrition with medical complications
Building a network of Community Health Workers and Community Nutrition Workers
Ethiopia
Prolonged drought in southern Ethiopia has led to a severe lack of food. Thousands of livestock have died and families are selling their remaining livestock at a low price to be able to buy food. The main source of food for children in this area is milk, which is lacking among families.
Again, you are helping our local Caritas network to respond, distributing cash to the most vulnerable families, with a focus on people with chronic illness, breastfeeding mothers, children under five and older people. Each family receives around £32 a month to buy maize flour, cooking oil, vegetables and other essential food supplies.
“I remember three very serious droughts in my life. But this is the worst. Before the drought we used to have sorghum. We would grow it ourselves. We also had animals for meat and milk for our children. We would save some of our livestock to buy good food, like vegetables and onions. The drought has finished all of my livestock. There is nothing left. I used to have ten goats and five cows. The last three died last year. I don’t know what I might have done without the cash. I think I might have lost my family members without Caritas support.”
Thank you for standing in solidarity with our brothers and sisters around the world
The effects of this prolonged drought will be felt for years to come, but our local experts will continue to support these communities. Working towards a fairer, kinder, better world where everyone has enough to eat and where families can provide for themselves and save towards the future they deserve. Your donations, fundraising and prayers really do make a difference. Thank you.