The United Nations says nearly half a million people have been forced from their homes because of the country’s ongoing drought.
Severe dry weather has led the government to warn of an impending famine. The UN’s called for urgent funding to avert the malnutrition crisis
In this medical clinic in central Somalia, Howa Gali Yusuf cradles her 4-year-old son.
Fartun is severely malnourished and dangerously sick.
Fartun’s family are farmers but months of extreme drought have killed most of their livestock.
No livestock means no income and no income equals no food.
Earlier this year, Somalia’s president declared the country’s drought a national disaster.
Long stretches with no rain has scorched the earth and forced more than 440,000 people from their homes in search of food and water.
Some are living in makeshift IDP-camps across the country, relying on handouts.
The droughts also sparked a cholera outbreak, with many forced to drink dirty water to survive.
Somalia previously battled a famine, caused by drought and exacerbated by conflict, back in 2011.
More than a quarter of a million people died.
The United Nations is calling for urgent funding to tackle this crisis before it gets even worse.
“Well the situation in Somalia is very serious. We have not declared a famine yet but we are very close. Very serious malnutrition, probably more than 200,000 children are going to suffer from severe malnutrition in the country and now we have cholera on top of this. So we really need to pull all our capacities and resources together to stop this.” Said Manuel Fontaine- Office of Emergency Programmes, UNICEF
Somalia’s rainy season is meant to start this month but for now there little sign of greener pastures
