Hunger looms in Horn of Africa, too little aid money due to ‘competing disasters’

The coronavirus crisis, a devastating invasion of locusts, rising food prices, conflict and persistent drought, partly due to climate change: the Horn of Africa is suffering blow after blow. More than thirteen million people have too little to eat.

But there is not enough money to help these people, according to the UN food aid agency, WFP. This is because other crisis areas are also demanding attention and needing help, such as Yemen and Ukraine.

seven cows

Years ago, in the village of Showli in northern Kenya, they owned thousands of cows, sheep, goats and camels. Today, only seven cows cross the village in search of a blade of grass. They only find old cardboard to chew on. Animals have only skin and bones. In the morning they can only get up and stand with the help of the owner, they are so weak.

Because there is nothing to eat and nothing to drink. In the extreme periphery, all the water basins are empty. “We are keeping our last animals alive by making maize porridge for them and giving them water which we truck in from town,” said village elder Daoud Mohammed. “This is the worst drought I have seen in over 50 years of life.”

In the very dry zone, the consequences are visible everywhere, and the despair is palpable. We went to see: