East-Africa-Hunger-Crisis-Donate

East Africa hunger crisis

Famine continues to threaten four countries affected by conflict and climate shocks.

East African countries are being hit hard by ongoing conflicts, global inequality and surging food prices. Five years of drought followed by destructive heavy rains have affected Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia. Five years of floods, conflict, and an influx of refugees have created humanitarian challenges in South Sudan.

These compounding crises have pushed 26 million vulnerable people into a profoundly alarming hunger crisis.

Two million people have been displaced due to the drought in the Horn of Africa. The drought has also devastated the lives and livelihoods of families struggling to raise crops and livestock. More than 13 million livestock have died, pushing millions into protracted and unrelenting poverty.

Heavy rain in late 2023 in parts of East Africa, with forecasts for more in the coming months, bring opportunities for growing crops, but families that rely on raising livestock will face challenges to rebuild their herds. And in areas prone to flooding, rain brings more risks.

“We are already witnessing a disaster unfold and cannot wait for famine to be declared to activate resources to save lives," said Abby Maxman, Oxfam America’s President and CEO.

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How Oxfam is responding to the hunger crisis in East Africa

With the support of people like you, Oxfam is responding to the East Africa hunger crisis by partnering with local organizations to reach 1.24 million people across the four countries. Together, we're providing clean water and rapid flexible cash assistance matched with longer-term support to help communities be more resilient to the changing climate. We’re advocating for governments and others to respond to the immediate crisis with humanitarian assistance, while also investing in programs and services that fight inequality and help vulnerable people improve their lives over the long term and reduce their vulnerability to climate change.

PROVIDING CLEAN WATER, FOOD, AND CASH IN ETHIOPIA

Oxfam has supported 170,000 people in northern Ethiopia with clean water, food, and cash assistance in areas affected by conflict. We plan to reach 750,000 people in this region in the next year with emergency food packages, livelihoods assistance, clean water, sanitation, and hygiene kits. We are also scaling up our work in the southern Somali region to respond to the effects of the drought that affected 13 million people. In late 2023, heavy rains near rivers have flooded communities already struggling to recover, displacing 35,000 people.

Oxfam plans to reach 180,000 people in this region and will include support for small businesses, the vaccination and veterinary treatment of livestock, agricultural support, repairing water systems and wells (and distributing hygiene items like soap and menstrual products, and promoting good hygiene), and cash.

In northeast Kenya, a sustained drought has dried up water sources for people and livestock.
In northeast Kenya, a sustained drought has dried up water sources for people and livestock. Khadija Farah/Oxfam

HELPING PEOPLE BUY FOOD, ESSENTIAL ITEMS IN KENYA

The government of Kenya has declared a national disaster due to drought. In 2020-2021, the country also saw the worst infestation of locusts in 70 years.

In late 2023, humanitarian groups report flooding has displaced more than 15,000 families from their homes, decimated hundreds of acres of farmland, and killed at least 15 people and 1,000 livestock.

Oxfam is working closely with a network of Kenyan humanitarian groups in the northern arid and semi-arid areas of Kenya, where we estimate 2.8 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance. These partners are providing cash to help people buy food and other essential items. Working together, so far we have supported 266,353 people. In addition to distributing cash, we are repairing wells and other water systems, and promoting good hygiene to help people prevent COVID-19 and other diseases in eight of the most hard-to-reach and worst-affected counties.

Ibaado Mohamed (left) manages three camps for displaced people in Somalia/Somaliland. She coordinates with protection teams established by Oxfam –these are groups of women who visit camp residents to check on hygiene, health, and domestic-and gender-based violence, and to give information and advice.
Ibaado Mohamed (left) manages three camps for displaced people in Somalia/Somaliland. She coordinates with protection teams established by Oxfam -- these are groups of women who visit camp residents to check on their health and well-being, and to give information and advice. Petterik Wiggers / Oxfam Novib

FIGHTING FAMINE IN SOMALIA

Persistent drought since 2020 pushed 4.3 million people across the country into crisis levels of hunger. In late 2023, heavy rains have brought more suffering to displaced people seeking shelter in areas that flooded. More than 1.24 million people are affected by the floods, 456,800 people have been displaced, and 50 killed.

Oxfam is working with local organizations, such as KAALO Aid and Development, to provide lifesaving water, sanitation, and health support. Together, we are drilling wells, distributing hygiene kits (to help protect communities from water-borne diseases), distributing cash, seeds, tools, and training farmers in small-scale greenhouse farming. Oxfam will also support the treatment and vaccination of livestock alongside the government’s Ministry of Livestock, as well as train community protection volunteers on gender-based violence issues -- including by distributing solar lamps to protect women and girls at night. Oxfam and our partners aim to reach 420,000 people in Somalia this year.

Five consecutive years of heavy rains and flooding is affecting 835,000 people across the northern parts of South Sudan.
Five consecutive years of heavy rains and flooding is affecting 835,000 people across the northern parts of South Sudan. Lake Tesfaw/Oxfam

RESPONDING TO FLOODING IN SOUTH SUDAN

People in South Sudan have experienced widespread seasonal flooding for five consecutive years. Since May 2021, an estimated 900,000 people have been affected by flooding in areas along the White Nile, across the north of the country. Entire communities have fled to higher ground, and about 366,000 people are currently displaced.

As many as 6.6 million people (half the population of South Sudan) now face high levels of food insecurity as climatic and economic shocks intensify. This includes 1.3 million children suffering from acute malnutrition.

Since April 2023, South Sudan has received thousands of refugees and (and South Sudanese returnees) affected by the crisis in Sudan.

Oxfam and our partners are assisting people in five states and aim to reach 383,000 people with safe water, resources for sanitation and hygiene, cash grants for families to buy food and other essentials, and support for people to build their incomes, such as seeds, tools, and fishing kits.

Your support will help Oxfam and our partners provide cash, clean and safe water, and other assistance people urgently need in East Africa.

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