International Medical Corps Nutrition Advisor Iris Bollemeijer describes the looming famine in the Horn of Africa, and the causes behind the hunger crisis.
18-month-old Kubra Jawar lives with her family in Anani, a kebele (ward or neighborhood) in Fedis woreda (district) in rural Ethiopia. Kubra’s parents, Fatuma and Jawar, are subsistence farmers supporting their four children by farming and raising livestock. Persistent drought and supply-chain disruptions have limited their production, and their family is one of the poorest …
The Horn of Africa—which includes Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya—is facing a severe drought, the worst in four decades. Seasonal rains that farmers depend upon to water their livestock and nourish their crops failed for the fourth consecutive season when the April–May rains, called gu, fell far short of normal. The US government’s Famine Early Warning …
War in Ukraine has combined with widespread, prolonged droughts to deepen a food security crisis in Africa and the Middle East, raising the risk of famine.
As countries in the Horn of Africa experience worsening food security issues, our team in Ethiopia has been sharing home gardening programs that give community members the tools they need to grow their own vegetables and provide nutrient-rich meals to their families. With generous support from Earth Council Geneva, International Medical Corps has implemented sustainable …
Providing Relief to People Affected by the War in Ukraine The war in Ukraine is evolving rapidly, affecting millions inside the country, while more than 2.3 million have fled to take refuge in neighboring countries. With decades of experience in Ukraine, we are expanding our services inside the country, as well as working to provide …
Christina Dak, a health worker with International Medical Corps, talks about malnourished children that the humanitarian relief organization has treated.
40-year-old Fadumo Mohamed resides in Horumar Village in Galkayo, Somalia, with her husband and six children. Like any mother, she was elated when she gave birth to her most recent child. However, the village had no health facilities and she was forced to make long trips to a facility far away to seek health and …
For 30-year-old Fadumo Hassan Jim’ale, the pain and disappointment that comes with losing a child is too familiar. Last year, the young mother lost her unborn baby during labor. After the loss of her child, Fadumo—who lives with her husband at Midnimo IDP Camp in Galkayo, Somalia—became more determined to take good care of her …
Even as many parts of the world witness overproduction of food and deal with the side effects of obesity, about 3 million children every year die due to an acute lack of food. Many millions more face stunting—a permanent condition that inhibits the physical and cognitive growth of a child. One of the places where …