People in Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya and parts of Uganda are in urgent need of food and water.  After the failure of four rainy seasons, many people are at risk of famine in what is regarded as one of the most severe droughts in living memory.  Rainfall in the short season from October to December is expected to be poor.

In Somalia, 6.7 million people are facing acute food insecurity.  In Kenya 3.5 million people do not have enough to eat while 13 million people in Ethiopia are food insecure.  Millions of people are hungry and living with the threat of famine.  They need food, water and other support to survive.

“The cost of a typical food basket has risen by 66 percent in Ethiopia and 36 percent in Somalia. In the worst-affected parts of Kenya, the emergency sale of livestock means prices are at their lowest since 2011. In all three countries, women are bearing the brunt of the crisis – they are the last to eat in each household and the first to be displaced.”
Obi Anyadike,  The New Humanitarian.

Livestock losses and existing coping mechanisms are pushing them closer toward catastrophe and starvation on the integrated phased classification system (IPC) used to measure food insecurity.

The drought is compounded by the Covid-19 pandemic, conflict, desert locusts, and now a further surge in food and commodity prices due to the conflict in Ukraine.

Families urgently need food and safe water to survive.

Our Response

ACT Alliance is appealing for urgent help for people in Ethiopia (Afar, Oromia and Somali) Kenya (Marsabit), and Somalia (Gedo).

Funds raised could help with:

• Food aid – including maize, beans and oil
• Cash transfers and cash for work
• Water, sanitation and hygiene
• Animal feed and health
• Fast-growing vegetables and seeds
• Protection and psychosocial support, especially for vulnerable women and girls
• Shelter and non-food items
• Disaster preparedness and other training

Thanks to ACT Alliance for the images.

A Prayer for East Africa

Loving and compassionate God,
We ask you to hold the people of the East Africa in your care
Be with them in their daily search for food,
Feed them with what they need to live,
Take special care of the young, the elderly and the nursing mothers
Enable them to live beyond tomorrow to find sustenance, despite the extreme drought and long journeys that many have made.

R: Lord, hear our prayer for help in this time of great need.

God of mercy and healing,
Awaken us to the suffering of the people of Somalia,  Ethiopia and Kenya.
Open our hearts to their cry for help,
Strengthen our resolve to share our resources with them to meet their desperate needs.
Guide and protect those who are working alongside the people in difficult circumstances to bring food to the hungry, water to the thirsty and shelter to the refugee.
Let generosity and compassion fill our hearts as we lift the people before you in our prayers.

R: Lord, hear our prayer and come to our assistance.
In Jesus’ Name we pray
Amen.