Oxfam Dangerous Delays: East Africa Acute Hunger

Photo: Joseph Odongo 

A mother carrying her child at the Ziwani IDP Camp. She was recently displaced by the unrelenting floods following heavy downpour in the area. The ‘El Nino’ phenomenon continues to cause heavy rains in the area, damaging property and disrupting the lives of communities. 

We would like to share with you an update on the severe hunger crisis in Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia, and South Sudan with information from our response up to December 2023. 

Background 
In addition to enduring five years of drought, the extensive and prolonged rainfall witnessed in the final three months of 2023 has led to widespread flooding in the region, particularly impacting the low-lying pastoral regions of southern Somalia, the northeastern and coastal areas of Kenya, and the southern and southeastern pastoral areas of Ethiopia.  

This deluge displaced nearly 1.5 million people across these three nations, inflicting substantial losses of crops and livestock, disrupting livelihoods and trade, and causing widespread damage to critical infrastructure. The floods, exacerbated by El Niño, have further complicated the situation by damaging roads and causing mud accumulation.  

The challenging scenario is compounded by limited funding resources in the face of escalating needs arising from the dual challenges of drought and floods. We would like to thank GlobalGiving donors for helping to ensure Oxfam can continue responding to these natural disasters across the region. We continue, working with local partners, to provide vital aid, including emergency food water, sanitation, and hygiene services. 

 Somalia 

Water and pasture are sufficiently available in most of Oxfam’s area of operations in eastern Somamiland due to the favorable rainfall season. Despite ongoing humanitarian efforts making a positive impact; however. the situation remains critical; an estimated 4.5 million people are expected to face hunger. 

Oxfam and our partners have played a crucial role in assisting 452,591 individuals: 

• 780 households have received solar lights and 120 other household beneficiaries have received wheelbarrows. 
• Cash has been provided to 134,680 individuals in Qardo and Las Anod to purchase food. 
• 60 household latrines were installed. 
• Hygiene promotion campaigns in 16 camps for displaced people reached  3,153 people. 

Kenya 

Progress has been made in reducing the number of people facing severe hunger in Kenya from 4.4 million to 2.8 million. As of December 2023, however, authorities reported that more than half a million people have been displaced due to flooding and heavy rains, and 5 million people are in need of water assistance. 

Oxfam and our partners in Kenya have provided essential assistance to 300,988 people: 

• Rehabilitation of boreholes and distribution of essential items, water tanks, and sanitary supplies, have reached 75,263 people. 
• Continuing cash assistance reached 132,783 people. 
• Water access in the camps was improved; the existing water infrastructure was rehabilitated, and 10,000 litre tanks and water collection points were provided. 
• 3,730 people, including 563 persons living with disabilities were reached with water and messaging focusing on handwashing with soap, water safety, safe excreta disposal, food preparation and storage, and nutritional counseling. 

Ethiopia 

Severe drought has affected 13 million people in Ethiopia, with 11.8 million facing severe hunger, rising risks of child marriage and child labor, and gender-based violence. Reduced rainfall during the rainy season has impacted northeastern to southwestern regions, affecting vegetation and crop production. 

Oxfam and partners have provided essential aid to 188,608 people: 

• Sanitation, water and hygiene, dignity kits, school latrines, and water system upgrades have reached 97,540 people. 
• Food distribution, cash assistance, livestock food, and agricultural tools have reached 50,796 people. 
• Cash for protection and economic and social empowerment have reached 12,682 people. 

South Sudan 

Due to below-average rainfall, limited resources, and high food prices, 5.83 million people in South Sudan are experiencing extreme hunger.  Additionally, 900,000 people have lost their homes, crops, and livestock to floods. 

Oxfam and partners have provided vital aid to 836,811 people: 

• Drilling and equipping new boreholes in Akobo West and Pibor has given 98,933 people access to clean and safe water. 
•  76 boreholes have been repaired and  456 water management committee members have been trained on safe water management. 
• Food distribution and feeding programs have reached 488860 people. 
• 1270 households received cash with each household receiving 751.95 USD as one time distribution. 

Thank you again for your support to the East Africa Acute Hunger Crisis.  

Abdia Ibrahim, who lives in Barambale in Isiolo county, Kenya where a water point was set up by MID -P in partnership with Oxfam, drinks tea with her son. Photo: Matias Tellez .

"I had approximately 400 goats and several cattle. Now I have 200 goats and no cattle. The drought has caused all the wells to dry up and in turn our animals had no water to drink, bringing about their death in large numbers." 
 
"We used to only have one meal a day, shower once a day or sometimes not at all, we would ration water for what we thought was important." 

"Before, my daughter would use our old clothing items as a substitute for sanitary towels. It was messy and would mean she is away from school for the duration of her monthly period. Now, she can comfortably be in school and be comfortable." 
 
"I can now enjoy good clean water that is safe for drinking and cooking without fearing for my children's health, since they give us water treating chemicals and storage tanks that allow us to have clean water in the house for more than a week. Also, the ability to take a bath daily is unmatched. We were really suffering without water."  

Abdia Ibrahim, water programme participant in Kenya 

As of June 2023, Oxfam, in collaboration with local partner organizations, had reached a total of 1,232,729 individuals experiencing the effects of drought across Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, and Ethiopia. These are some ways we are responding: 

Providing Essential Water and Sanitation: Our efforts include delivering clean water, sanitation facilities, and hygiene promotion, which not only reduce the spread of diseases but also ensure access to safe and clean water. Drought has caused water sources to dry up, necessitating people to travel long distances to fetch water, often unsafe for consumption. Work includes: 

• 85 accessible latrine blocks have been constructed, providing more than 10,000 people with access to safe, clean toilets.    
• In South Sudan, 46m3 of water is being trucked to three locations (Garang Mausoleum,        Abukhadrah School, and Zero Church) every day, providing safe, clean water to 5,600              individuals  
• Through 97 tap stands, Oxfam is providing 1,500m2 of water per day to the Jewi refugee camp in South Sudan. 

Supporting Vulnerable Families with Cash Transfers: Oxfam is providing flexible cash transfers to affected families, enabling them to purchase essential items such as medicines, cooking oil, school supplies, and food staples, including rice, sugar, tea, salt, beans, and sugar. These transfers target both those forcibly displaced by conflict, natural disasters, or drought and those who have remained in their communities but lost their livelihoods.  

Immediate Food and Livelihood Assistance: Oxfam is ensuring that families receive immediate support by providing emergency food and livelihood assistance packages. These packages include tools, seeds, fishing kits, and training on cultivating more resilient crops in challenging conditions.  

Dignity and Hygiene Support for Women and Girls: We provide dignity and hygiene kits to women and girls, including items such as soap, reusable sanitary towels, underwear, and shampoo. Due to inflation and other factors, menstrual hygiene products are often unaffordable, compelling women and girls to use rags.  

From January to June 2023, Oxfam distributed 5,785 hygiene/ dignity kits to women and girls in the region, containing essential items including soap and reusable menstrual hygiene products. 

With your support, Oxfam and local partners are able to continue providing essential assistance to the most vulnerable people in East Africa and bring back dignity for women and girls as they face devastating droughts across the region.