Millions at Risk as Drought Threatens Eastern Africa
2022-02-06
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1Somalia, Kenya, and now Ethiopia are warning of a severe drought that threatens millions of people in eastern Africa.
2In Ethiopia's Somali area, people have seen the failures of what should have been three straight rainy seasons.
3Droughts do come and go over the years.
4However, the lack of rainfall has led to the driest conditions in 40 years in parts of Somalia and Ethiopia.
5UNICEF is the United Nation's children's agency.
6Local Zaynab Wali told a visiting team with UNICEF that she and her seven children have never seen a drought like this.
7She said the government gave out food and food for animals during the last drought five years ago.
8This time, "we don't have enough food for our family."
9Children walk among the bodies of dead animals, which are dying from lack of food and energy.
10UNICEF said on February 1 that more than 6.8 million people in Ethiopia are expected to need urgent humanitarian aid by mid-March.
11Somalia Consortium works to improve international aid for Somalia.
12It said in a separate statement that in neighboring Somalia, more than 7 million people need urgent help.
13It is asking international actors to give much more to the country.
14"We are just one month into the long dry season, and I have already lost 25 goats and sheep," Hafsa Bedel in Ethiopia's Somali area told UNICEF.
15She also lost four camels, a large desert animal, as well. She said there is nowhere for her animals to eat.
16She added that there is not enough food for her own family, including her six children.
17UNICEF estimates that more than 150,000 children in such areas of Ethiopia have dropped out of school.
18They are needed to help find the limited amount of water and help their families with other work.
19One young boy was seen supporting a work animal, a donkey.
20The donkey was once important for transporting supplies.
21But now, it had become too weak to walk on its own.
22Gianfranco Rotigliano is UNICEF's Ethiopia representative.
23He said during a meeting with the U.N., "We have animals dying at an impressive rate, which is increasing every month, and the death of animals means lack of food for children, for families."
24Rotigliano said some water sources were drying up or already dry.
25He pointed to the need to help improve these sources and to build new ones.
26He added that water needs to get to health and food systems.
27Meanwhile, the country is experiencing conflict with fighters from the country's northern Tigray area.
28It has displaced hundreds of thousands of people.
29The areas experiencing drought are hundreds of kilometers to the southeast.
30Rotigliano said this conflict has had no effects on UNICEF's response to the areas seeing drought.
31I'm Gregory Stachel.
1Somalia, Kenya, and now Ethiopia are warning of a severe drought that threatens millions of people in eastern Africa. 2In Ethiopia's Somali area, people have seen the failures of what should have been three straight rainy seasons. Droughts do come and go over the years. However, the lack of rainfall has led to the driest conditions in 40 years in parts of Somalia and Ethiopia. 3UNICEF is the United Nation's children's agency. Local Zaynab Wali told a visiting team with UNICEF that she and her seven children have never seen a drought like this. 4She said the government gave out food and food for animals during the last drought five years ago. This time, "we don't have enough food for our family." 5Children walk among the bodies of dead animals, which are dying from lack of food and energy. 6UNICEF said on February 1 that more than 6.8 million people in Ethiopia are expected to need urgent humanitarian aid by mid-March. 7Somalia Consortium works to improve international aid for Somalia. It said in a separate statement that in neighboring Somalia, more than 7 million people need urgent help. It is asking international actors to give much more to the country. 8"We are just one month into the long dry season, and I have already lost 25 goats and sheep," Hafsa Bedel in Ethiopia's Somali area told UNICEF. She also lost four camels, a large desert animal, as well. She said there is nowhere for her animals to eat. She added that there is not enough food for her own family, including her six children. 9UNICEF estimates that more than 150,000 children in such areas of Ethiopia have dropped out of school. They are needed to help find the limited amount of water and help their families with other work. 10One young boy was seen supporting a work animal, a donkey. The donkey was once important for transporting supplies. But now, it had become too weak to walk on its own. 11Gianfranco Rotigliano is UNICEF's Ethiopia representative. He said during a meeting with the U.N., "We have animals dying at an impressive rate, which is increasing every month, and the death of animals means lack of food for children, for families." 12Rotigliano said some water sources were drying up or already dry. He pointed to the need to help improve these sources and to build new ones. He added that water needs to get to health and food systems. 13Meanwhile, the country is experiencing conflict with fighters from the country's northern Tigray area. It has displaced hundreds of thousands of people. 14The areas experiencing drought are hundreds of kilometers to the southeast. Rotigliano said this conflict has had no effects on UNICEF's response to the areas seeing drought. 15I'm Gregory Stachel. 16The Associated Press reported this story. Gregory Stachel adapted it for VOA Learning English. 17_______________________________________________________________ 18Words in This Story 19drought - n. a long period of time during which there is very little or no rain 20humanitarian - adj. concerned with or seeking to support human well-being 21goat - n. a small animal that is related to the sheep 22sheep - n. an animal with a thick woolly coat that is often raised for meat or for its wool and skin 23impressive - adj. deserving attention, admiration, or respect 24source - n. someone or something that provides what is wanted or needed 25We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.