27 July 2011
Last week, for the first time in 20 years, the UN declared a ‘famine’ in two regions of southern Somalia.
The UN defines that a famine entails that at least one fifth of households face extreme food shortages, acute malnutrition in over 30% of people, and 2 deaths per 10,000 people every day.
The horrifying combination of conflict, prolonged drought, high food prices and dire poverty is forcing thousands of Somalis to flee. That’s thousands each day.
The UN warns that the ‘famine’ could quickly spread to other parts of southern Somalia also experiencing drought conditions, and possibly also to parts of Ethiopia, and Kenya.
South Sudan is also experiencing a poor rainy season. Combined with internal conflict, poverty and underdevelopment, the situation there could worsen in the months ahead.
An estimated 12 million people could be badly affected by this crisis.
That’s why MAF has launched the East Africa Prayer Movement. We want as many Christians as possible to sign up to declare that they too are praying for those in need across East Africa.
If you haven’t already joined,
click here.