East African misery is unparalleled

Villagers in a lonely settlement in Turkana, Northern Kenya, hope for rain, but it never comes.

One of the worst droughts in East Africa in decades is wreaking havoc on this community, which is home to 3,600 people.

The region is parched, dusty, and desolate.

The land’s shriveled, greyish shrubs being eaten by the remaining animals.

People eat whatever they can find, which is frequently not much.

Jacinta Atabo Lomaluk is a mother of five children.

Her eldest one has been malnourished since September.

The 12-year-old is frail, unable to walk or even stand on his own.

She claims that she has never seen anything like this drought before.

There have been numerous incidences of hunger since the current drought began last year.

Lomaluk claims that her family only eats one meal per day.

There isn’t quite enough food to go around, the children and old are given first priority.

“It is worsening, worse than it has ever been. That’s why you can see signs of starvation here.”

“I wish there could be immediate aid to rescue the starving, especially the kids who are in danger,” she says.

She adds, “Otherwise, we are expecting more people to die.”

The woman is just one of millions feeling the impact of the lack of rain.

Families are running out of food and water.

Malnutrition affects millions of youngsters.

Livestock, which provide food and income to pastoralist people, has died.

The drought has spread well beyond this small Kenyan community, with the United Nations World Food Program estimating that up to 20 million people in East Africa are at risk of starvation.

Ethiopia is experiencing its worst drought in over half a century.

Moreover, 40 percent of Somalia’s population is at risk of hunger.