Famine in Somalia is affecting almost two million children

Hazel Katherine Larkin
WVoN co-editor

Hot on the heels of the declaration by the United Nations that two regions of southern Somalia are famine-stricken, the children’s fund UNICEF is calling for more funds in order to scale up their critical work in the region.

They are appealing to members of the public to help them save children’s lives.

In a terse comment on what is grabbing the headlines, David Bull  said that there was more in the news about shaving foam than there is about nutritional supplies for children who need to have their lives saved.

“This,” he said, “is unforgiveable.”

Currently almost two million children are affected by the famine in Somalia.

UNICEF is supporting more than 800 nutrition centres across Somalia, including 400 Outpatient Therapeutic Programme centres, where severely malnourished children are treated.

Safe drinking water is also being provided to around 1.2 million people across Somalia including Mogadishu and IDP (internally displaced people) camps in the Afgoye area.

UNICEF aims to provide supplementary feeding to over 500,000 families in the next three to six months, as well as expand the provision of safe water supplies and increase immunisation services to prevent the outbreak of disease.

But much more money is urgently needed in order to reach every child that needs help.

If you would like to help save children in Somalia from starvation, go to www.unicef.org and make a donation.