Over 21 million people in Ethiopia, Somalia, Nigeria, Kenya and South Sudan alone are suffering from hunger. The situation in South Sudan is particularly acute, as 3.2 million people are fleeing the terror of the civil war. Extreme poverty and a persistent drought are exacerbating the situation. The United Nations has declared a famine in certain parts of the country. The cause of the hunger …

in northern Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia is the most severe drought in decades. Some 80% of the livestock northern Kenya have already died. This is catastrophic for the people living in the region whose livelihoods depend on livestock. An inhabitant of Illeret in northern Kenya told the aid workers of Malteser International “It has never been as bad as this. It feels like the end of the world”. “Around 60% of the population in the Turkana region are urgently looking for water”. Many people in northern Kenya are so desperate, they’re drinking the salt water in Lake Turkana, resulting in serious illnesses. “The people are already weak and therefore more susceptible to ailments, so a minor infection can be life-threatening”. The situation is also dire in the countries around Lake Chad: 7 million people in Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger are suffering from food shortages, again caused by violence, poverty and drought. “Only our joint efforts can resolve the complex situation in these regions in the long term”. Support now via Giro 555 or via any other member