Africa

East Africa Emergency Worsens

The El Nino weather phenomenon has caused torrential rains and flash floods across parts of East Africa since mid-2023. Reports indicate that more than 350 people have been killed and 1 million people have been displaced across the region. The city of Beledweyne, Somalia alone is 85% underwater. Aid agencies have also reported surges of waterborne diseases like cholera and acute diarrhea due to damaged latrines and lack of access to safe drinking water.

While Islamic Relief has been on the ground across Somalia, Kenya, and Ethiopia since early 2023, we have relaunched an emergency appeal due to the continued need for vulnerable families across the region. Your donations can help provide access to immediate aid, and through your continued support, we can expand programming that works to provide long-term solutions in drought-prone and flood-prone areas.

Sudan in Crisis

It’s been one year since violence erupted in Sudan as rival factions fought for control of the country’s capital. Civilians are still bearing the brunt of the fighting as it spreads across the country. A staggering 8.4 million people have been forcibly displaced, facing high levels of food insecurity and outbreaks of disease including dengue fever, cholera, and measles. A total of 24.8 million men, women, and children are in dire need of humanitarian assistance.

“The fighting is [ongoing] and we can hear bullets and bombing all around us. Buildings are on fire and smoke fills the sky. People are trapped in their homes and scared about what is going to happen in the coming days. Life is paralyzed, everything is closed and food supplies are running out.

Many of the poorest people [already] don’t have [enough] food, they buy whatever little they can afford each day – and now they can’t even do that. Already critical levels of hunger in the country are now set to get even worse. Millions of people will need aid.” – Elsadig Elnour, Islamic Relief Sudan Country Director 

Humanitarian aid workers are among those killed and many aid agency offices have been looted, forcing the suspension of vital humanitarian work. While issues related to the delivery of humanitarian aid persist, Islamic Relief has successfully completed the following interventions:

• Food aid for 327,000+ people and essential non-food items for 1,300+ people
• Healthcare and medicine for 67,000+ people and hygiene kits for 3,000+ people
• Cash assistance for 36,200+ people
• Water storage kits for 4,800+ people
• Psychosocial support for 2,500+ people 
• Emergency shelter for 2,400+ people

East Africa Emergency

The threat of famine looms over countries across East Africa including Somalia, Kenya, and Ethiopia as conflict and climate induced drought have left nearly 20.5 million people without food. Over 8.9 million livestock, a main source of food and livelihood for farming communities across the region, have perished. The struggle to find food and water has forced hundreds of thousands of people across the region to migrate in order to survive, further escalating the crisis. The impact of the war in Ukraine is also a particular cause for concern as food prices continue to soar, and 90% of the wheat, a staple in the region’s diet, comes from either Russia or Ukraine.

Islamic Relief is on the ground across Somalia, Kenya, and Ethiopia focusing on interventions similar to those in 2011 including food security and access to clean water and sanitation. Through efforts like financial assistance programs; provision of water and hygiene kits; and construction of sanitary facilities, it is our hope to bring dignity to our brothers and sisters across East Africa and let them know they have not been forgotten. Thanks to our supporters, we’re able to help make it possible.

Islamic Relief’s Legacy Across Africa

The Islamic Relief family has been providing emergency relief and integrated programming to families in need across Africa since 1984, starting with a call to provide humanitarian aid to Sudan. Since then, we have established a presence in 16 African countries, with field staff on the ground to address needs quickly, efficiently, and effectively.

Some of our areas of focus include:

• Food aid
• Access to clean and safe water, education, and healthcare 
• Sustainable livelihood support
• Orphan care
• Enhancing resilience for vulnerable populations including internally displaced people, refugees, and host communities
• Emergency aid for natural disasters
• Women empowerment