The Horn of Africa has suffered four consecutive failed rainy seasons and is experiencing its worst drought in four decades, a climate shock exacerbated by ongoing conflict and price rises caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Across the whole of east Africa, 89 million people are now considered "acutely food insecure" by the World Food Programme, a number that has grown by almost 90% in the past year. Somalia, the worst-affected country, descends into famine with 7.7 million people in need, of whom 7 million are estimated to be affected by the drought.

The drought has devastated the lives and livelihoods of the most vulnerable people, including women, children, and minority clans. Acute malnutrition in children is on the rise. By December, an estimated 1.5 million children under the age of five years, representing 45% of the total population of children, face acute malnutrition, according to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report.

The Somali diaspora steps into action!

While UN agencies and large international NGOs are lobbying for additional funding for this unprecedented crisis, Somali diaspora organizations have been scaling-up their emergency response early on. 

What this page is about

We are aiming to support Somali diaspora organizations in coordinating their response among themselves, as well as improving coordination with institutional humanitarian actors. Diaspora organizations find several resources to support their planning and programming of activities. Contact details to a range of Somali diaspora networks worldwide can be accessed in our member section below.