Somalia (MNN) — Somalia is going through its worst drought in a decade. Many people need to leave their homes just to find food and water. Aid organization Save the Children says most families go without regular meals in the East African nation. In just two months at the end of 2021, over 700,000 camels, sheep, goats, and cattle died.
World Concern has launched a response. Peter Macharia says, “We are providing them with clean water for drinking and for use at home.” World Concern gets the water many miles from where people live, and stores it in tanks so people can use it.
Macharia explains how the food program works. “We give them food vouchers, where they go and get food from the local businesses, and we pay the local businesses. We are stocking their livestock by giving them goats, sheep, and small animals because those are the main economic mainstay for the local community.”
“We are doing these things to make sure that it is not just about meeting the needs now. We are also meeting the needs of the people for days to come.”
Macharia says droughts have become more and more frequent in Somalia. COVID-19 and frequent fighting in the country make the situation worse. “Three things – climate change, conflict, and COVID-19 – have had a very devastating impact on their ability to earn income or to produce their own food.”
World Concern works with local Christians to avoid extremist violence, often rampant in Somalia.
Pray the drought will end soon. You can support World Concern’s work in Somalia here.
Header photo courtesy of World Concern.
