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Children, the elderly and pregnant women are amongst those hardest hit in the burgeoning humanitarian crisis caused by drought conditions in the Horn of Africa.

The drought, said to be the worst in sixty years, is affecting Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Djibouti and Uganda, with more than ten million people suffering its effects, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The latest OCHA report suggests that around 30 per cent of children arriving in refugee camps in Kenya are suffering from acute malnutrition, and the camps are struggling to cope with the immense influx of those fleeing the worst hit areas.

Mother of eight Mumina Bile Abdi trekked 50km to get help for her year-old twins at a supplementary feeding centre in El Berde, in southern Somalia’s Bakook province. The journey from their village of Godgod took 30 hot days and cold nights. Eight year-old daughterIsninoAbdullahi helped carry her two malnourished twins
© Marcus Prior/WFP

“We are seeing fast-growing malnutrition and the death of animals,” said Valerie Browning, an Australian who has been living and working in the Afar community in Ethiopia for many years. “Our immediate needs are funds to purchase supplementary food such as lentils for pregnant mothers, medicine for animals, and support to distribute this assistance. Vitamins are also needed.”

Ms Browning, who works in partnership with Anglicord with the nomadic Afar people of Ethiopia, says that assistance is urgently needed to aid food and water distribution and for people and their livestock.

Anglicord is launching an appeal to assist those who have been worst hit by this stealthy but deadly natural disaster.

“Anglicord already has significant projects in Kenya and Ethiopia, addressing literacy, health, sustainability and economic empowerment,” said Anglicord’s CEO Misha Coleman. “But these programs are dependent on there being enough water and food. We continue to pray for the people affecting by this unfolding tragedy, and I ask Australians to extend their renowned generosity to assist those affected.”

Due to the recent “La Nina” weather effect, this year’s expected June rains over the Horn of Africa failed, and the anticipated impact on the upcoming harvest season means that the food shortage will worsen over coming months. The drought conditions also have a devastating impact on the pastoral communities who are not able to find water for their livestock. Animals stressed by drought are also more susceptible to contagious diseases. When the rains return, many communities will find that their ability to earn an income has been significantly depleted and they will face a difficult task of rebuilding their meagre wealth.

The drought’s effects are far reaching and will hamper progress in all areas of society. While violence in Somalia continues to hamper aid efforts and push refugees into neighbouring countries, in Kenya too conflict is arising over scarce resources. Even where they are available, food, fuel and water are increasingly expensive, and school dropouts have also increased as families move in search of water and food.

The UNHCR estimates that in June alone, 54,000 people have fled Somalia, due to the combination of drought, hunger and relentless violence. The refugees are making their way to Kenya, which is itself struggling to deal with the drought, and cannot absorb the growing number of refugees. Kenya's Dadaab refugee camp complexhasaround 1,400 refugees are arriving every day, where many receive high protein biscuits, but for many, especially children, it is too late. Many children below the age of five are dying of hunger and exhaustion during the journey to the camp, and many are in such a weak condition when they finally arrive that they die within 24 hours.

You can directly support Anglicord’s partners affected by drought in Kenya and Ethiopia by donate online, or by phoning us on 1800 249 880 or by emailing us.

You can also donate to a more general georgraphic area through those same channels to the appeal raised in partnership with ACT Alliance, a global alliance of churches and related agencies, which has partners active in most of the affected areas.