Somalia

These Somalian women and children are sitting in the burning sun waiting for water. It is over 40 degrees and they have been waiting for over two days.

Somalia is in the midst of a complex humanitarian crisis. An abnormally harsh dry season, coupled with three consecutive seasons of poor rain has resulted in failed harvests and poor grazing land regeneration. Recent intensification of conflict has exacerbated an already desperate situation, with an estimated 870,000 people now displaced within Somalia.

Crisis Facts:

• The UN has called Somalia’s food crisis the world’s most challenging humanitarian crisis. The UN Food Security and Analysis Unit estimates that 3.25 million Somalis (43% of the population) will need humanitarian assistance at least up until the end of 2008. This is an increase of 77% since the start of the year.
• The recent deterioration in security is resulting in increased movement of people from Somalia to neighbouring countries, as well as increased internal displacement within Somalia.
• The cost of food has increased substantially. From January to May 2008, the price of a 50kg sack of rice increased from $26 to $48. This represents an increase of more than 350% since the beginning of 2007.
• Access to water is also a key issue in Somalia, the cost of water has increased substantially in the last three months – in some areas by 1000%.
• UNICEF estimates that 180,000 children in Somalia are acutely malnourished (one in six children) and 25,000 are severely malnourished. Global acute malnutrition levels are substantially above the emergency threshold of 15% and are currently sitting at 18.4%-24%

World Vision in Somalia

22 August 2008 Clare Seddon discusses the impact of the Global Food Crisis on Somalia and World Vision's programming (1:18)

Through World Vision, Australians are providing much needed nutrition, food production, drought recovery and food aid programming to 325,000 people. Like many NGOs working in Somalia, World Vision’s work is subject to poor road conditions and the tense, often volatile security environment. These can disrupt or limit our response capabilities. World Vision does not currently operate child sponsorship programming in Somalia due to the security situation.