Crisis Escalates in Horn of Africa

Crisis

Daily temperatures in Mandera continue to rise above 40C (104F), and are expected to increase. The prices of basic cereals have rocketed beyond the reach of drought-stricken families, while meat is both rare and very expensive.

Carcasses

An estimated 80% of the livestock in the Mandera region of Kenya has died from starvation, thirst or disease due to the lack of pasture and water.

Rotting carcasses of livestock litter water boreholes and tankering sites. There is neither pasture nor fodder for them to eat and weakened by starvation the animals easily fall prey to disease.

Inevitably, the market prices for livestock have crashed, leaving livestock farmers destitute.

Displaced

Many people have been forced to abandon their traditional nomadic lifestyle and travel to towns and larger villages seeking help. They are forced to live as squatters on the outskirts.

In Lafey and Libehia where Islamic Relief is working, up to 100 nomadic families have arrived seeking food and water in the villages.

As the worst drought in living memory bites hard, the numbers of desperate people turning up at the Supplementary Feeding Centres also continues to increase, almost doubling in one week.

Water Crisis

The main water sources for the community are shallow wells and mechanically-operated boreholes. The shallow wells are no longer shallow as people dig ever deeper to locate water - some are up to 80ft deep now.

Many boreholes are in bad condition as they are poorly maintained and over-used. Run 24 hours a day to keep up with demand, they often break down. Although the government has introduced fuel subsidies to keep the boreholes running, the water is not free and many people cannot afford to pay for it.

Children

As many as 35% of children under five are malnourished and are in a fragile physical condition. Malnutrition leaves children extremely vulnerable to diseases, such as measles. Outbreaks of measles have already been reported, which can kill or leave permanent damage.

IR Intervention

Islamic Relief (IR) is responding to the crisis in Kenya and Ethiopia.

IR in Mandera, Kenya

• Emergency water distribution continues in Kabo and Kamor-Libaan in Lafey division where 2000 people receive 10,000lts of water   daily.
• Water distributions to five more villages in the Lafey area are being organised.
• A Supplementary Feeding Programme is providing food each week to almost 600 malnourished children, pregnant women,   nursing mothers, and the elderly in Kamor-Libaan, Damasa, Libehiya and Kabo.
• Screening and registration is also taking place in Lafey town.
• 3 boreholes have been assessed for rehabilitation at Lafey, Fino and Arabia, in partnership with the local Water Department.
• Weekly distributions of emergency food are in progress.

IR in Somali District, Ethiopia

• In total there have been over 35,000 beneficiaries in the Somali District of Ethiopia
• 3 tankers have distributed water to 4 sites in Hargelle, reaching 12,400 people
• 3 tankers have distributed water to 4 sites in Charrati reaching 14,895 people
• A tanker has distributed water in Filtu Town reaching 8,500 people
• In partnership with UNICEF, Islamic Relief will also be setting up two water treatment stations to purify river water.

For donation please call Islamic Relief Malaysia at 603-8948 6334 or click here for full contact information.