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Farmer Fatuma Said Kassim from Marsabit County, Northern Kenya showing CEO of Christian Aid Ireland, Rosamond Bennett, drought-shrivelled Kale. Credit: Norah Rotich.

camera icon Farmer Fatuma Said Kassim from Marsabit County, showing CEO of Christian Aid Ireland, Rosamond Be...Norah Rotich

Harvest Appeal

East Africa Hunger Crisis

Millions of innocent children, women and men in East Africa are fighting to survive in the face of failed harvests, livestock deaths, water shortages and extreme hunger.

With the war in Ukraine causing global food prices to rocket, East Africa is facing a crisis on crisis.

Millions of innocent children, women and men in East Africa are taking desperate measures to survive in the face of failed harvests, livestock deaths, water shortages and extreme hunger. 

How it got this way:   

The severe conditions are being made worse by the climate crisis and covid. Now, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has amplified an increase in global food prices that has turned a tough situation into a dire crisis. 

It is not too late to save lives and prevent a devastating famine.  

Please consider holding a special collection in your church this Harvest to provide life-saving support, stop this widespread malnutrition and hunger and help people build a life free from poverty and injustice. Contact our office today to order collection envelopes.

Northern Ireland: email belfast@christian-aid.org or phone (028) 9064 8133 

Republic of Ireland: email dublin@christian-aid.org or phone (01) 496 7040

Our response

The response to humanitarian needs in Ukraine has been remarkable. We must now urgently act in that same spirit for East Africa. 

Working through local partners, Christian Aid is responding to the severe drought in Ethiopia and Kenya and helping over 300,000 people by:

  • repairing wells
  • handing out water purification kits
  • providing cash support
  • trucking water to drought-affected communities
  • providing fodder and medicine to keep valuable livestock alive
A woman in Ethiopia collecting water at a water point constructed by Christian Aid

camera icon Nibabo collecting water from a nearby water point constructed by Christian Aid - Christian Aid

The world needs to act now to stop widescale famine from happening in the Horn of Africa. The long-term weather predictions show that the next rainy season later in the year is also forecast to be at risk of failing, so the situation will only get worse. I have seen how close to the edge some of these people already are. I know there are many crises in the world, but people dying from hunger should not be one of them.

- Rosamond Bennett, Chief Executive.

Prayer for East Africa

Creator God,

The earth is yours and everything in it,

All people and all nations under your care,

Lord, we lift up to you the people of East Africa,

Where rivers have dried up,

rains have failed,

and crops have withered in the field.

We cry out to you for rain, that the land may burst into life again.

That people may eat and be satisfied.

But, Lord we confess that this disaster is no surprise.

It is of our own making.

Our greed and carelessness with your precious earth

Has caused a climate crisis

And it is the poorest who pay the cost.

Forgive us Lord.

Create in us a heart for justice

Help us to share what we have.

So, that help may come urgently to those in desperate need.

May our governments respond with financial support.

And may they show leadership in tackling the climate crisis

We cry out to you again for rain, rain that will roll down like a river,

Until justice fills the earth again,

Amen

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Fatuma standing in front of her home in Marsabit County, Kenya

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