The Horn of Africa is one of the world’s most vulnerable areas, with Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda among the most important nations of origin and reception for displaced people and asylum seekers. The equilibrium in this area is particularly unstable due to long-running conflicts, the presence of violent organizations, poor governance, and a lack of public services. Furthermore, climate change has exacerbated the situation over the past decade.
Overview of the region
The Horn of Africa is experiencing the worst drought in 70 years; this is the sixth failed rainy season, and even when it did rain, it caused significant damage: the soil is so parched that it is incapable of draining water, so when it started raining, it turned into a torrent, causing tens of deaths. This extreme weather event has an impact on the environment, people, agriculture, and livestock. Indeed, according to UNHCR, the number of displaced people in the Horn of Africa region has been steadily increasing since 2019. In 2022, the number of displaced people was estimated to be 11.71 million.
This is a long-term humanitarian catastrophe; in fact, we should consider the collateral effects, such as increased conflict for resources, massive migrations within and outside the African continent, school dropout, increased gender-based violence, and the region’s economic and social collapse of the entire region.
Once again, the water and food crises have had a greater impact on women, as gender-based violence has increased in the most affected areas. Furthermore, women may not get enough water for the sensitive postpartum period, which causes hygiene issues and increases the risk of mortality in both newborns and mothers. In addition, in such a difficult situation, girls are sometimes offered marriage in return for food or water.
The situation in Somalia
Following the failure of five consecutive rainy seasons, which resulted in a catastrophic drought in the Horn of Africa region, the situation is currently deteriorating due to heavy rain. Although it may appear to be the reverse, drought, and flooding are inextricably linked. In fact, when there is a lack of rain, the soil becomes dry and arid, resulting in a decrease in drain water capacity. As a consequence, when it starts raining again, especially if it is hard and consistent, drought can quickly turn into floods. This is what is happening in Somalia. Floods have devastated many regions of Somalia since the beginning of the rainy season, especially the Belet Weyne District in Hirshabelle State and the Baardheere District in Jubaland State, causing loss of lives and destruction.
Somalia was hit by an acute and continuous drought that affected up to 90% of its area and 7.8 million people. Rains have caused floods that have destroyed shelters, latrines, and farmland, washed away livestock, and temporarily closed schools. Initial estimates indicate that at least 460,470 people have been affected, of whom nearly 219,000 have been displaced from their homes and 22 killed in 17 districts since mid-March. The drought, followed by the flood, had severe implications, such as an increase in costs. In the Beletweyne district, for instance, the price of half a liter of milk has doubled from 1 to 2 USD, and the price of 50 KG of rice has increased from 28 USD to 34 USD. It has been observed that Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) use coping techniques such as obtaining loans in stores and support from families while skipping meals or begging for food.
Children’s malnutrition is on the rise, with 1.8 million children under the age of five at risk of acute malnutrition, accounting for 54.5% of the country’s total kid population. Malnutrition raises the risk of consequences such as pneumonia, acute diarrhea, respiratory tract infections, anemia, skin diseases, and measles. However, Somalia’s hospitals have disintegrated and are no longer capable of assisting the population. Furthermore, global inflation and grain shortages caused by the Ukrainian crisis have weakened Somalia’s – and the Horn of Africa’s – ability to rely on food imports.
People are fleeing Somalia as a result of the terrible circumstances. According to the UNHCR, the UN agency for refugees, and the NRC (Norwegian Council for Refugees), between January 1st and May 10th, 2023, more than 408.000 people were forced to escape owing to floods, and 312.000 people fled due to drought-related repercussions. A large number of people flew from Hiraan, Central Somalia, and Southern Somalia.
MOAS operation in Somalia – Mission of Hope
Food, shelters, and protection are the most urgent needs of the Somali population, about 6,7 million people are now fighting to meet their basic needs. MOAS has launched the #MissionOfHope to bring therapeutic food to the Somali population in need, in response to the significant demand for humanitarian relief.
MOAS is sending regular shipments of the ready-to-use supplementary food Plumpy SupTM, which is specially formulated to treat moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) in children aged six months and above, in collaboration with Edesia, which frequently collaborated with MOAS to coordinate nutritional aid deliveries to communities in crisis. Our local partner, International Medical Corps Somalia, distributes these critical nutritional supplements to children aged 6-59 months.
The therapy typically lasts twelve to sixteen weeks, with each child receiving one Plumpy’ SupTM sachet on a daily basis. Given that one in every seven Somali children under the age of five is critically malnourished, shipments like this one are paramount for combatting newborn malnutrition and the death rate in the nation.
With a donation, you can contribute to the purchase and delivery of such important support for the People of Somalia.
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