Oxfam Dangerous Delays: East Africa Acute Hunger

A desperate food crisis has gripped East Africa. Serious droughts in Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya have left millions at risk of starvation. Despite the arrival of some rains, the humanitarian crisis remains serious. 22.9 million people are affected by the drought in the region, and 13.6 million are experiencing severe food insecurity.

The drought has caused crops to fail and cattle to die while the lack of clean water increases the threat of cholera and other diseases. Famine is a real possibility in Somalia, where deaths as a result of the drought have already been recorded.

In South Sudan, over 5 million people – 40 per cent of the population – are facing extreme hunger, and over 60 per cent of the population is in need of humanitarian assistance; a humanitarian crisis driven by three years of a brutal civil war.

Civilians have been attacked, and schools and hospitals have been looted and burned. Tens of thousands of people have been killed. The fighting has forced 3.5 million people from their homes. As they flee, people lose their possessions, crops and income, and often get stranded in places where there aren’t enough facilities to support tens of thousands of new arrivals.

Although the rains are now beginning and people can start planting, it will be months until crops yield. Hunger is set to get worse until the end of July – the seasonal peak of South Sudan’s lean season.

Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, Oxfam has been providing immediate life-saving aid and working on longer term solutions across the region.

Oxfam’s Emergency response:

Ethiopia

Ethiopia’s humanitarian context is quickly changing and the gravity of the situation today has already surpassed the needs identified in January’s 2017 Humanitarian Requirements Document (a joint Government of Ethiopia and humanitarian partners document). A further increase in need is expected in the coming months given the increasingly confident local and international weather forecasting of poor spring rains this year – which would be the third consecutive weak or failed rains in the current drought belt.

As a result of the escalating needs, Oxfam’s drought response strategy has been revised, and we are now aiming to reach 1 million people, up from an initial goal of 700,000. So far:

• 511,348 people have been reached through community water trucking. In addition Oxfam and partners have also provided trucked water to 85 health facilities and schools.
• Over 291,000 people (of which 167,023 women) have been supported with public health messages, to help keep people healthy and prevent the spread of disease.
• At least 58 of 99 districts within eight zones of the Somali region have reported cases of Acute Watery Diarrhoea (AWD) and the outbreak is spreading fast. In response we have deployed two AWD Rapid Response Teams to support the community and government response in Korahe and Jarar. We have reached 14,000 people with messaging on AWD causes, transmission, prevention and control.
• 1,675 households have received two rounds of cash transfers in Fafan zone, to help them provide for their daily needs.

Kenya

In Kenya, we aim to reach 600,000 people with assistance. Our primary focus is on the repair of water pumps, and cash assistance programming. There have been some rains in localised areas which could provide some relief, especially the rejuvenation of pasture. However the rains are predicted to be depressed and the food security situation remains unchanged in the short-term.

•  We have so far reached a total of 210,678 people since beginning our response.
• In the middle two weeks of May, four water systems were repaired, making water accessible to 12,673 people.
• The replacement of a generator to Kawasepro (a local utility company) in Kakuma is underway. This will restore reliable access to water for over 20,000 people.

Somalia

According to UNOCHA 6.7 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance and parts of the country are on the brink of famine. In addition, increased competition for already scarce resources such as water could trigger further inter-communal tensions. Many people are relying on limited water sources which are unprotected and unsafe, exposing them to water borne diseases. The water shortage has led to outbreaks of waterborne diseases with reported increases in AWD and cholera.

• 31,542 people have so far been reached by the drought response in Somalia, with WaSH (water, sanitation and hygiene) programmes and cash transfers.
• Water trucking activities have so far reached 21,000 people, but are suspended at the current time due to access problems.
• Oxfam’s one year response strategy aims to reach 200,000 people and 120,250 heads of livestock within two badly hit regions, Sool and Sanaag.

South Sudan

Back in February, famine was declared in Leer and Mayendit, two counties of former Unity State; 100,000 people were facing famine, and 1 million more were on the brink. Since then Oxfam and other humanitarian organisations have raced to help stop the situation getting even worse.

But hunger hasn’t stopped. Although the rains are now beginning and people can start planting, it will be months until crops yield. Hunger is set to get worse until the end of July – the seasonal peak of South Sudan’s lean season.

Our current activities include:

• Providing regular emergency food distributions to over 415,000 people.
• Ensuring access to clean water, safe sanitation facilities, and essential hygiene items and promoting good hygiene practices to help keep diseases like cholera at bay.
• Distributing vouchers for canoes so that people sheltering from the conflict on islands in the swamps can get to the help they need.
• Supporting the most vulnerable people to produce food for themselves and develop ways to make a living; for example by providing livestock, fishing kits, or training, tools and seeds.

Thank you for supporting Oxfam’s response across the region, saving lives and bringing hope.

Photo Credit: Lauren Hartnett/Oxfam