Abdullahi Gedi, 74, has been forced to abandon his traditional pastoralist livelihood that focused on livestock as a main source of income.The drought in the eastern Horn of Africa is getting worse. More than ten million people in Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia and Djibouti are in need of humanitarian assistance. This is the most severe food crisis in the world today – and there is no likelihood of improvement until 2012.
Some pastoral zones are experiencing the driest period in 60 years. High local cereal prices, increasing livestock mortality and conflict have furthermore exacerbated the impacts of the drought. For example in Mandera, Kenya, the price of maize has increased by almost 60 percent compared with last year. Not only local pastoralists are affected; but high food and fuel prices have reduced urban household’s purchasing power as well.
As it is often the case, women are disproportionally affected by the current drought. In many communities, women are the last ones to eat when food is limited, after children and men. Women also usually shoulder the largest burden in collecting drinking water and now spend hours doing so, restricting their opportunities and choices, and reinforcing gender inequalities in education and employment.
In Ethiopia, for example, women in Moyale, Borena, explained to CARE that they now had to walk two hours to reach the nearest water point - instead of 15 minutes before. They queue for four to six hours, and walk back again for two hours. This has a negative impact on the whole family since women have therefore very little time for their daily household chores and can’t properly take care of their children.
More than 1,000 refugees arriving per day
The Government of Kenya has declared the drought a national disaster. At 14 percent inflation is at its highest peak in two years and is likely to rise further. In the refugee camps of Daadab in northern Kenya, where almost 367,000 refugees have sought shelter, the situation is particularly grave. Thousands of Somalis are walking for weeks to reach the camp, most of them arriving acutely malnourished, dehydrated, with nothing but the clothes on their backs. There is reportedly an upsurge of sexual violence against women. More than 1,000 refugees arrive in Daadab per day and the high influx is putting severe pressure on already limited resources in overcrowded camps. CARE is distributing food from the World Food Programme (WFP) to the refugees in Dadaab, however, without additional funding, the food aid pipeline for refugees will run dry by September.
CARE Kenya has been distributing emergency food rations of high energy biscuits to new arrivals at reception centres in the Daadab refugee settlements. The nutritional status of the newly arrived refugees is poor, so complete food aid baskets are being distributed to replace the temporary emergency response. CARE is also trucking potable water and expanding existing water supply and distribution systems to meet needs of new arrivals.
The Daadab camps are the largest refugee settlements in the world. Funding for refugees in Kenya is urgently needed, together with funding to provide emergency assistance for those affected by the current drought.
Please donate to our emergency response fund
Longer term work
In addition to our immediate response in the face of this current food crisis CARE International emphasises the need to tackle the long-term, underlying causes of poverty. We have been present in the region for over 25 years and are helping families to break the cycle of hunger and to adapt to the changing climate and recurring droughts.
Our ongoing work in the region includes:
- Maintenance, protection and development of water points and wells.
- Working with women in Mandera, Kenya to revive traditional food preservation techniques.
- Vaccination of animals to prevent diseases breaking out as they congregate at remaining water points.
- Helping families have more consistent sources of income by supporting them in diversifying their work.
Read more stories from the East Africa Food Crisis:
Staff blog: Sabine Wilke, Emergency Media Officer in Dadaab - 12 August
Video: East Africa Crisis - CARE's response - 12 August
Slideshow: Dadaab refugee camp - 12 August
Somalia to Dadaab: a journey filled with danger - 10 August
Somalia: famine declared in three additional regions of South-Central - 5 August
Ethiopia: in a drought prevention pays - 26 July 2011
Staff Blog: Confusion and waiting in Dadaab, Kenya - 18 July 2011
Staff Blog: "The need for food assistance is increasing at alarming rate" - 16 July 2011
Urgency grows in the Horn of Africa - 15 July 2011
Slideshow: More pictures from the East Africa Food Crisis - 14 July 2011
Staff Blog: Horn of Africa Food Crisis - Dadaab refugee camp - 8 July 2011
Slideshow: East Africa Food Crisis - 8 July 2011
Horn of Africa: The most severe food crisis in the world - 1 July 2011
Reviving traditions to survice drought in Kenya - 3 June 2011
Ethiopia food shortage: The worst is yet to come - 25 May 2011
Press releases from the East Africa food Crisis:
Saving cattle can save lives in drought-stricken Africa - 29 July 2011
DEC East Africa Crisis Appeal reaches £30 million - 25 July 2011
DEC East Africa Crisis Appeal reaches £27 million - 22 July 2011
DEC East Africa Crisis Appeal reaches £20 million - 18 July 2011
DEC East Africa Crisis Appeal reaches £18 million - 18 July 2011
Violence against women doubles in giant East Africa refugee camp - 17 July 2011
DEC East Africa Crisis Appeal reaches £15 million - 14 July 2011
DEC East Africa Crisis Appeal reaches £13 million - 13 July 2011
DEC agencies prepare to scale up work in Somalia - 13 July 2011
Reported cases of sexual violence have quadrupled among refugees - 12 July 2011
Horn of Africa food crisis: CARE launches £16 million appeal - 11 July 2011
UK donations for East Africa Crisis Appeal reach £8 million - 10 July 2011
DEC aims to help prevent East Africa Crisis becoming a catastrophe - 10 July 2011
DEC East Africa Crisis Appeal reaches £6 million - 9 July 2011
Aid delivered in East Africa as DEC Appeals broadcast in UK - 8 July 2011
Africa’s newest country in grip of food crisis - 8 July 2011
DEC announces East Africa Crisis Appeal - 7 July 2011
Drought in Kenya: “Situation of refugees is grave” - 4 July 2011
Horn of Africa: CARE calls for more attention to severe food insecurity - 19 May 2011
