East Africa Drought Crisis

 

  The crisis caused by drought in East Africa reached catastrophic proportions in 2011. At the peak of the crisis, the United Nations raised its food security alert level to its maximum. According to the members of the HUMANITARIAN COALITION, all of whom are present and responding to the crisis, at least 13 million people were affected in the region, particularly in Somalia, southern Ethiopia and northern Kenya. The population of the largest refugee camp in the world, Dadaab in Kenya surpassed 380,000 individuals. Despite the capacity and expertise of members of the HUMANITARIAN COALITION in the region,  funding shortfalls continued to limit their ability to scale up programming in proportion to the needs. Throughout Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya, millions of people - mostly children - were in urgent need of food, drinking water and basic sanitation. Entire communities had literally collapsed, livelihoods were already damaged beyond repair and children and families were severely affected by malnutrition.

Please note that the HUMANITARIAN COALITION is no longer accepting donations for the East Africa Drought Crisis. However, our members continue to support essential programs in support of families and communities that are affected by the drought in that region.  We encourage you to support our member organisations directly by visiting their websites:

•         CARE Canada
•         Oxfam Canada
•         Oxfam-Québec   (in French)
•         Plan Canada
•         Save the Children Canada

Below are just some examples of actions that were taken by the HUMANITARIAN COALITION members in response to this humanitarian crisis.

Care Canada Logo

CARE’s Response to the Drought Crisis

CARE has decades of experience in the affected region and is responding to the urgent needs of drought-affected individuals. CARE is working in Ethiopia, Northern Somalia (Somaliland & Puntland), and Kenya particularly in the provision of clean water and food. In Kenya, CARE is responding to the refugee crisis that has arisen as a result of the drought, and is the primary distributor of food, water and primary education for the 400,000 refugees currently living in the world’s largest refugee camp, Dabaab.

To date, CARE has:

  • In Kenya, CARE is providing food, water, primary education and psychological support to over 400,000 residents in the Dadaab refugee camps
  • CARE is also working with 305,000 people in north-eastern Kenya to reduce long-term vulnerabilities
  • In Ethiopia, CARE is providing emergency food and water, and implementing livelihood assistance such as seed distribution
  • CARE is also reaching families in Northern Somalia with water source rehabilitation and livelihoods support

To find out more, visit www.care.ca

Oxfam Canada Logo

Oxfam’s Response in East Africa

Oxfam's response to the drought includes programs in Somaliland, Ethiopia and Kenya with a mixture of emergency aid, long-term development and prevention, and advocacy to address the root causes of chronic drought. Oxfam aims to provide food, clean water and hygiene facilities.

Among other activities, Oxfam's actions in the areas affected by drought include providing food, clean water and hygiene facilities, the construction/repair of water tanks and wells and “de-stocking” programs (for pastoralist' livestock).

  • Oxfam has helped 1.52 million people in the Horn of Africa since July 1st
  • Oxfam partners are operating the single largest public health program in Somalia, providing clean water to 329,000 displaced Somalis in camps outside Mogadishu and operating the largest therapeutic feeding program for children and mothers in Somalia
  • Seeds are distributed to 18,000 beneficiaries in Somalia in the event of rain
  • In Kenya, Oxfam has supported over 622,200 pastoralists and refugees with essential water, sanitation and hygiene activities as well as food distribution and cash transfer programs
  • In Ethiopia, Oxfam has reached more than 60,465 people with water, sanitation and hygiene kits

Find out more by visiting www.oxfam.ca

Plan Canada Logo

Plan’s Response to the Drought Crisis

Plan has been working for many years in the region to strengthen communities against drought but a combination of failed rains, climate change and rising food prices have put more than 10 million people at high risk.

•    Plan’s most immediate efforts in helping over 260,000 people in Kenya and more than 1 million people in Ethiopia includes providing critically needed high-protein and calorie-rich food supplements to children, breastfeeding moms, and pregnant women suffering from malnutrition
•    Plan is also providing supplementary feeding to needy households and families; delivering medicine; trucking clean water to health facilities and schools; and providing medical training for health workers
•    Plan has also been active in outreach to local parents on awareness and promotion of child protection strategies during emergencies

To find out more, visit http://www.plancanada.ca

Save The Children Canada Logo

Save the Children’s Response to the Drought Crisis

Save the Children has worked in East Africa for decades and was able to respond very quickly to the unfolding crisis.  As we race to address the scale of the humanitarian needs in the region, the following are examples of Save the Children’s response so far.

  • Save the Children has already reached over 1 million people across East Africa - 500,000 in Ethiopia, 410,000 in Kenya and nearly 100,000 in Somalia - with water & sanitation, nutrition, health, child protection and education programming.
  • Emergency water trucking by Save the Children has already provided over 27 million litres of clean water to over 135,000 people
  • Save the Children has begun to provide basic healthcare to over 150,000 people
  • Save the Children is scaling-up child protection activities in Dadaab including the screening and training of 300 foster parents and continues to respond to cases of child exploitation and neglect - over 1000 separated or unaccompanied children have been added to our caseload.

To find out more, visit www.savethechildren.ca

French Ontario mobilizes in solidarity with the Horn of Africa

12/08/2011

From August 11 to October 16,  2011, GroupeMédia TFO will be proudly partnering with two of Ontario’s most important bilingual institutions—the University of Ottawa and Glendon College of York University—in a campaign to raise funds within the Franco-Ontarian community to help the 12 million people suffering from famine in the Horn of Africa as the result of the worst drought in 60 years.

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