Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia are now in desperate need of urgent help as three years of unremitting drought takes its toll.

Kenya is suffering its worst drought in living memory with 25 districts across the north affected.

With livestock dying by the thousands the lives of the nomadic people who are dependent on the animals are at risk.

Jamsheed Din, Media Reporter for Islamic Relief has just returned from a weeklong visit to the drought hit Mandera region.

“The situation is dire and is fast deteriorating. Everywhere you look there are rotting livestock carcasses. These people depend upon their animals for their livelihood and they are dying all around them.

“It is the hottest time of year with temperatures above 40 degrees. The main river that serves the region has virtually dried up and wells that were once 40 ft have deepened to up to 80 ft – water is so scarce people are forced to dig deeper to find it,” he said.

He further added: “The land is barren and dry due to the shortage of rainfall. I saw children suffering from malnutrition and mothers desperate to give their children drinking water and food.

“If we don’t act now this could develop into a catastrophic famine.”

Mandera, on Kenya's border with Somalia, is one of the worst-affected regions with more than 150,000 people at risk.

Poverty-stricken refugees from neighbouring Somalia and internally displaced Kenyans are the most vulnerable of the affected groups. They are already relying on food aid to stay alive.

Islamic Relief’s Response

So far Islamic Relief has taken the following action in Kenya and Ethiopia:

• IR has allocated an initial €100,000 for emergency intervention in north eastern Kenya.

• A further €100,000 worth of emergency aid was sent to drought-stricken districts in Kenya. €159,000 has also been allocated to the drought affected area of Ethiopia.

• Water distributions are in progress, using tankers to reach people in severe need. 10,000 litres is being provided daily to two villages, reaching 2,000 people.

• In Kenya and Ethiopia, Supplementary Feeding Centres were set up to treat malnourished children.

• Food for Supplementary Feeding is being distributed to five villages in Lafey and Libehiya divisions in Mandera.

• In Ethiopia 6 water tankers are distributing water in Charatti & Hargelle to approximately 78,000 people.

  Islamic Relief established its Kenya office in 2003 and has been working in Ethiopia since 2002.