This year’s poor rainfall season will mark the fourth consecutive year of African countries struggling with increasing food prices and more conflict that has led children and families to experience the worst bouts of climate-induced disasters (UNICEF, 2022).
There have been recent periods of exceptional drought especially in Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Eritrea and Djibouti. This has led to extreme hunger, thirst, deplacement, injury and death in communities that were already struggling before the climate crisis. As crops continue to fail and livestock keeps dying, it is estimated that some 8.5 million people, almost all of which are children, will face severe water shortages. 20 million people also require immediate food assistance as a result of the extreme droughts (UNICEF, 2022).
These tough times have forced communities to take undue burden in order to survive. This has led thousands of children and families to become displaced away from their homes in their search for water, food, pasture and medical treatments for their conditions. With the situation only getting worse, it is likely that the crisis will only exacerbate the pains of these families, with decreasing access to water, food, education and health services (UNICEF, 2022).
To aid with the crisis, the UNICEF is working on:
● Providing access to sanitary water and hygiene products
● Ensuring an adequate supply of nutritional support
● Putting child protection services first
● Ensuring that basic education is provided and is safe and protective
● Widespread calls for health care for children and women (UNICEF, 2022)
The UNICEF’s website states that, “Children are the least responsible for climate change, yet they will bear the greatest burden of its impact.” It is also true that low- and middle- income countries produce less emissions and contribute less to climate change than high income countries, but they will stand to face the highest cost. However, by developing sustainable solutions spearheaded by community workers in low- and middle- countries, we give children a second shot at a better life and a chance for a bright future.
Today, we are in a crisis. We must do all that we can to ensure that we’re protecting communities that are impoverished and do not hold the global influence that other nations do. While other nations exacerbate the effects of climate change, unaware of the detrimental effects that those actions have on vulnerable communities, those communities continue to struggle to get their basic needs of clean water and food. The communities struggling most are often the ones that have no spotlight. At WFCF, we aim to direct the spotlight at those communities most in need. You can be part of our mission by helping WFCF today!
Read more about our recent sustainable project here!
References:
UNICEF. (2022, October 19). Catastrophe looms for the Horn of Africa. UNICEF. https://www.unicef.org/emergencies/catastrophe-looms-horn-africa#UNICEF-response
