Eighteen
million children and their families, across
Mali, Niger, Mauritania, Chad and Senegal, are going hungry. A lack of rain has led to poor harvests, which means that there is not enough water, milk, millet grains and livestock to go around for everyone. As a result, many children aren't eating or even drinking water.
No child deserves this.
Hungry children are incredibly vulnerable to malnutrition and disease. The drought is forcing children to walk longer distances to find water — making them vulnerable to attacks by animals and human predators. These children are also more likely to drop out of school, because they find it too hard to concentrate on their lessons. Sadly, many of the girls end up moving away from home to bigger cities to find work as domestic workers so that they can support their families.
Conflict in Mali
Close to five million Malians are affected by the current complex emergency – a combination of food shortages, the impact of a severe drought and the conflict between local government and rebel forces in northern Mali. Approximately 90 per cent of the population lives in southern Mali where most aid efforts have been based. However, many people displaced by fighting in the north are fleeing towards the south, making what was already a difficult situation much worse.
World Vision teams in Mali are: providing psychosocial support for affected children, setting up emergency food distribution sites, and going door-to-door advising families on how to stay safe. To help those who’ve been displaced, World Vision will distribute: hygiene kits, jerry cans, solar-powered lamps, clothing, bedding and tarpaulin for shelter. Plans are also in place to provide water storage tanks, as well as equipment and supplies for Child Friendly Spaces.
Make a Change
World Vision has extensive programs in Niger, Mauritania, Mali and Chad designed to help improve short-term needs as well as long-term food security. These activities include:
- Nutrition programs for children
- Food Programs
- Vaccinating livestock
- Distributing seeds
- Drilling additional wells
- Restocking cereal banks
- Providing additional livestock — much of it through World Vision Gift Catalogue donations
We need your help now to prevent this food shortage from becoming a widespread disaster. Your donation can help bring essential supplies of food and water to families in these countries.
Please donate using the form below or call 1-866-595-5550.