In Photos: East Africa Drought

Every picture tells a story. In the Horn of Africa—where severe famine and drought is threatening lives—there are more than 13 million stories waiting to be told. These are just a few of them.

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Somalia: Nakenyita Emerit displays a face riddled with hunger and pain, at first glance she looks over 80 years old, but in fact she's only 52. She is a victim of hunger and drought, with no source of livelihood her survival depends on relief food provided by World Vision and the World Food Programme.

In a camp for internally displaced people near the town of Goldogob in Puntland, Somalia, screenings take place for malnourished children.

Emosil holds her baby as if he weighs nothing. This is not far from reality since at seven months Ngichwae weighs a mere 6 pounds. World Vision's Josephine Changawa says Ngichwae is severely malnourishment. He will be treated immediately.

One-year-old Nefiso, is screened for malnutrition at the World Vision nutrition centre in Puntland, Somalia. The drought took all of their animals from them.

Nefiso's mother came to the camp because she heard there was a World Vision food distribution centre that would help feed malnourished children.

World Vision is currently reaching out to more than 1 million people in the three most affected countries in the Horn of Africa including Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya.

Rose Epem watches her son Ekatorot taste Plumpy'nut from its package. They sit in the appetite test corner of World Vision's Outpatient Therapuetic Programme. He eats the Plumpy'nut, bit by bit, like a baby bird and passes the appetite test. He will be sent home with 28 packets of the nutritious peanut-based therapeutic food. "I feel optimistic," she says. "He'll bounce back." Her words are hopeful, but her eyes belie her.

In Dadaab refugee camp, in Kenya, workers prepare the grave for three year-old Ibrahim, who died from hunger. He is the third child they are burying today.

Drought refugees continue to flood into Dadaab camp in Kenya. Circumstances remain difficult, even when they reach the safety of the camp.

Women build a shelter out of sticks and cloth in Dadaab camp.

Nine of ten refuges come to Dadaab from Somalia--escaping decades of conflict and a drought that has taken their crops and their livestock. The rate of new arrivals into the camp is running between 1,200 and 1,500 people per day.

World Vision takes a two-pronged approach to ensuring children survive the current drought. Children receive Plumpy'Nut through the Outpatient Therapy Programme. Their families receive food as well from a general food distribution. When the whole family receives food there is less of a temptation to share Plumpy'nut with the other children.

Donkey's loaded with water cannisters make the long trek for water. The drought has forced families to travel long distances, sometimes days, to find water. World Vision is trucking water twice weekly to 19 communities in Wajir South, near Dabaab, Kenya.