Hunger Crisis in East Africa

1.96 MILLION PEOPLE have been reached with food aid and humanitarian assistance in Ethiopia and Kenya from October 2018 through March 2020.

Through your generous support, World Vision has been able to respond to the crisis in East Africa despite COVID-19. We have provided food; water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH); livelihood support; education; relief items; and interventions designed to protect the most vulnerable during times like this—the children.

The need to bring emergency aid to children and their families grows as they continue to face severe drought and extreme weather conditions. This report highlights some of the lifesaving work you have supported in Ethiopia and Kenya—areas that have been severely affected by food shortages and hunger. During this reporting period, World Vision’s work in Ethiopia and Kenya has resulted in:

• 1,554,236 people reached with food distributions

• 23,200 people reached with nutrition assistance

• 20,665 people reached with education

• 253,307 people reached with water, sanitation, and hygiene interventions

• 12,790 people reached with child protection activities

• 479,811 people reached with shelter and other nonfood essentials

• 229,467 people reached with food security and livelihood assistance

• 30,527 people reached with health assistance

THANK YOU again for your support to bring aid to thousands of people across East Africa! You are helping to changes lives of the most vulnerable along with their families.

ETHIOPIA

Because of flooding and drought that have impacted Ethiopia, internally displaced people have continued to increase over the past two years—with children and women affected the most from these crises. Ethnic conflicts and persistent violence also have led to the massive displacement of people. Through partners like you, World Vision has been able to bring the necessary aid to these families and help protect the most vulnerable.

During this reporting period, 1,044,733 people were reached with food aid and humanitarian assistance.

Accomplishments over the past 18 months included:

• In West Guji and Gedeo, seeds and farm equipment were distributed to help families restore households.
• To increase access to sufficient and clean water, new construction was completed, including shallow wells, spring development, and a water point were completed.
• Health workers and community volunteers were trained in good hygiene and sanitation practices, such as proper use of latrines, handwashing, and waste disposal. Construction of latrines and shower rooms also helped bring behavior change to communities.
• Additional trainings were conducted to improve infant and young child feeding knowledge and practices.
• Access to health services was increased due to disease outbreaks. Disease prevention measures, as well as coping mechanisms, were made available through temporary clinic programs.
• Community-based, multipurpose friendly spaces were created especially for women and children to receive access to basic services.
• World Vision created a cash and digital business unit in response to drought and conflict affected communities. The Cash and Voucher Program was implemented to help with recovery.

Story of hope: Planting new seeds of hope and happiness, Mesele (second photo) is a farmer and father of seven children. At one time, his farm and all of his family's posessions were burned, leaving them with nothing. He and his family moved to a collection center at Bule Hora for three months. Being displaced from their home was challenging. Mesele and his family were able to return home with livestock and corn and vegetable seeds to plant. The seeds have grown and will be ready to harvest, which will cover an entire year of food cost for his family. "World Vision's seed support has changed my worries to happiness," he said.

KENYA

Over the past 18 months, World Vision has responded to both rapid and onset emergencies in partnership with the Kenyan government and other community partners. Kenya suffered from one of its most serve droughts in 38 years. The drought worsened food shortages and increased water scarcity. The National Drought Management Authority recorded over 2,000 livestock deaths in Mandera County, which included 371 cattle, 893 sheep, 755 goats, and 68 camels. Despite what seem like setbacks, World Vision and our partners were able to serve children and their families with necessary aid, as well as other services.

During this reporting period, 917,682 people were reached with food aid and humanitarian assistance. Accomplishments over the past 18 months included:

• In Ganze, 3,045 students from seven schools benefited from the school feeding program through the National Emergency Preparedness Response Fund.
• In Turkana, the installation of a pipeline extension and a solar borehole and construction of two water kiosks benefited more than 1,500 community members.
• Through the Kakuma Empowering Children as Peace Builders Project, 735 members were trained in using the peace road curriculum. A learning forum was conducted for 37 teachers who shared their achievements, challenges, and lessons learned.
• Increased food availability at household level through monthly food rations distributed by World Vision under the Turkana Food Assistance Program and other partners/stakeholders has reduced cases of child labor, early marriages, pregnancies, and sexual abuse among children. This has led to increased attendance in school and enrollment.
• In collaboration with FilmAid International, a nonprofit that tells stories through film about refugee families, information dissemination has enhanced quick sharing of critical messages such as the food basket, days of distribution, family allocation, and ration entitlements under refugee programming.

COVID-19 AND EMERGENCY RELIEF

The COVID-19 crisis is impacting every region and locality where World Vision operates, especially rural, under-resourced communities that are highly vulnerable to economic and social shocks. Since the very beginning of the outbreak, World Vision has leveraged our 70-year history of emergency response to help children and families by scaling up prevention and relief efforts across the globe.

Equally important, World Vision is combating secondary impacts of the crisis that are putting millions of children at risk—from heightened food insecurity, to shuttered schools, to increased violence or neglect. We are actively working to scale up prevention and response work across East Africa, such as recording messages for TV and YouTube videos and conducting virtual meetings with community leaders to share preventative messages. These are crucial to helping children and their families not only survive this pandemic, but emerge resilient, with durable hope for the future.

While disruptions and necessary restrictions related to the spread of COVID-19 will delay aspects of our work, we remain committed to support children impacted by COVID-19 through child protection, education, food security, and livelihoods.

Thank you for partnering with World Vision and responding to God’s call to care for our neighbors, near and far. We are truly grateful for your choice to stand with us as we face this unprecedented challenge.