What Oxfam is doing
In Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia, Oxfam and our local partners are rushing emergency food and water to those hardest hit by the drought and food crisis. Though rain has come to the region, its blessings are mixed: There will be more water and pasture, but also increased risk of disease. In many areas, emergency conditions are expected to last well into 2012.
Last updated February 3, 2012
Rains in late 2011 have brought some relief to East Africa where a drought and food crisis have ensnared millions of people. On February 3, 2012, the UN declared that famine conditions in Somalia had come to an end. A good harvest and substantial humanitarian assistance played a role in the improvements, but the situation in the country remains serious and reports indicate that 2.34 million Somalis are still in crisis. In Ethiopia, 3.2 million people need relief food assistance.
In many areas of the region emergency conditions are expected to persist well into 2012. Households remain extremely vulnerable to additional shocks, as the drought has depleted the assets of herders and farmers. Several good seasons are required to rebuild herd sizes, improve harvests, and reduce levels of debt.
As the rains came, Oxfam was making plans with partners to meet the changing needs on the ground in Kenya. Our teams were carrying out environmental clean-up and awareness-raising campaigns, rehabilitating boreholes, and distributing chlorine kits and water purification tablets. In the areas where Oxfam had been distributing cash to vulnerable households that would likely be cut off during the rains, we made double payments to ensure coverage.
In Ethiopia, Oxfam expanded its public health promotion and acute watery diarrhea preparedness activities, with a particular focus on women who manage water and sanitation at the household level. Oxfam teams worked with aid groups and other local partners to ensure a strong response to any outbreaks of acute watery diarrhea. As the rains began, we reduced water trucking activities, and teams worked to support regional and zonal authorities to ensure that emergency stocks and water-treatment kits could be mobilized quickly. Cash-for- work and market-support activities were ongoing, and animal-health interventions, such as distributing vouchers for veterinary visits and vaccinations, were started.
In Somalia, Oxfam partners prepared for outbreaks of acute watery diarrhea by setting up distribution posts in camps for displaced people. The posts contain oral rehydration sachets, sugar, salt, soap for washing hands, and chlorine bleach. Partners have also expanded public-health messaging, and were working with committees to oversee water and sanitation services.
Insecurity in the country has been a key obstacle to humanitarian response and if conflict in Somalia worsens, the gains made so far could be reversed.
Oxfam aims to reach 3 million people in the East Africa region with a variety of support including food aid, clean water, and agricultural support for farmers and herders. We are also campaigning to change the root causes of this crisis. Find out how you can support our efforts.
