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The hunger crisis

Drought, rising food prices, conflict in Ukraine: all are impacting people in the Horn of Africa. At least 7 million livestock have died, and people who rely on them for food and income are starving.

“At the beginning of April, our funding wasn’t secure and I was panicking. I knew then that we were going to lose lives. Since then I have been speaking to anyone who could help us; asking them to panic too.”
Richard Magondu,
Somalia Country Director

It’s estimated
that one person is dying from hunger every 48 seconds in
the Horn of Africa

The number of people experiencing extreme hunger has more than doubled since last year from over 10 million to more than 23 million today

The cost of a standard food basket in Somalia has increased by 36% since the start of the Ukraine conflict.

Millions of livestock have died, leaving families without meat or milk, and without livelihoods

How did this happen?

Each year, in March and November, people in the Horn of Africa wait for the rains. When they come, the vegetation springs forth and the ground is ready for planting. When the rains don’t fall, every aspect of life suffers.

In places like Somalia and Kenya, four consecutive rainy seasons have failed. This drought is the worst in 40 years, and it comes at a time when prices of food and fuel are rising.

Far from the sounds of bombs, the Ukraine conflict is putting millions of lives at risk. The blockade of grain shipments is affecting food aid and driving up prices. In the Horn of Africa 23 million people are going hungry every day, and after four failed rainy seasons, they are running out of time.

Aid organisations have been sounding the alarm, but the humanitarian response remains critically underfunded.

Far from the sounds of bombs, the Ukraine conflict is putting millions of lives at risk. The blockade of grain shipments is affecting food aid and driving up prices. In the Horn of Africa 23 million people are going hungry every day, and after four failed rainy seasons, they are running out of time.

Aid organisations have been sounding the alarm, but the humanitarian response remains critically underfunded.

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Who We Are

For 33 years Medair has been at the forefront of emergencies around the world; working in more than 42 countries throughout our history.

The majority of our staff are working in their home community; they bring insight, knowledge, and expertise that we simply cannot function without. Reaching out from our Swiss headquarters, we deploy international experts to the most remote areas and serve the most vulnerable people. Our humanitarian commitment to neutrality and impartiality means we can reach people affected by conflict, and we serve everyone based exclusively on their needs.

We save lives, we alleviate suffering, and we build back better.

We bring hope.

United we can fight hunger

We are working at the heart of the crisis. In Somalia and Kenya, as well as in South Sudan and Sudan, you can save lives by ensuring there is treatment for malnutrition, water deliveries in rural communities, and safe places for pregnant women to deliver their babies. We know that there will be no rain until the end of 2022 at the very earliest. Will you provide monthly support through to the end of this year, so that we can walk alongside people who are struggling to survive?