October 12, 2023 | 9:50 a.m.
When vulnerable people receive meals, they gain hope and comfort along with lifesaving nourishment.
Nanokale is a 56-year-old widow in the Turkana region of Kenya. The severe drought killed all of her livestock, making it difficult to earn an income and provide for her four children. But the food she receives from Convoy of Hope gives her the nutrition she desperately needs and reminds her she is not alone.
Lucy, a 13-year-old girl in the same region, faced hardships early on in life. Since her mother passed away when she was just 5 years old, she has taken on all of her family’s household responsibilities. Despite these challenges, Lucy has hope. The food she receives from Convoy ensures she gets the nourishment she needs and can continue helping her family.
These are just a few of the stories from the thousands and thousands of people living in the Horn of Africa who receive meals from Convoy. The drought has created and compounded existing hardship in the region, but Convoy is there to be a source of help and hope.
August 18, 2023 | 9:23 p.m.
Convoy of Hope is working in the Horn of Africa to help alleviate the suffering caused by the incessant drought in the area.
Awoton is an 89-year-old widow from a community in Turkana, a region in northern Kenya. Turkana’s arid landscapes and a harsh climate make it susceptible to recurrent droughts and food scarcity. After several years of failed rainy seasons, the region has experienced severe challenges with malnutrition and hunger.
Awoton has lived a life marked by challenges and loss. As a mother of four children, she has faced the hardship of raising her family on her own after losing her husband. During a time of great need, she received food from Convoy of Hope, making her feel a profound sense of care and reminding her that she is not forgotten.
The scarcity of water and fertile land has made it difficult for communities to grow enough food to sustain themselves. The Turkana people are facing chronic food insecurity, leading to malnutrition, stunted growth in children, and severe health complications. The support the people of Turkana receive during this incredibly difficult time brings comfort and relief.
July 25, 2023 | 3:09 p.m.
Convoy of Hope continually runs distributions in East Africa to bring help and hope to individuals and families affected by the yearslong severe drought in the area. Convoy has distributed more than 4.5 million meals across the region.
The need grows greater every day. The Horn of Africa has still not received sufficient rain. It will take years to heal from this level of devastation. Additionally, Russia’s decision to pull out of the grain deal with Ukraine will further exacerbate food insecurity in East Africa, as Ukraine was one of the world’s largest grain exporters.
The greatest need — identified by local leadership and Convoy’s teams on the ground — is an emergency-based food program. Individuals and families receive enough food to sustain them for a month at a time.
Continued food provision is the highest priority in this current crisis. Many families have a small amount of access to water sources, but do not have access to enough water for crops to grow or to sustain their livestock. The food Convoy provides allows families to allocate their scarce resources across the means they do not have. It helps sustain their day-to-day life.
Convoy of Hope remains committed to helping people in their most desperate times of need. Because of your support, Convoy can provide life-sustaining relief to hungry individuals and families in East Africa.
September 1, 2022 | 5 p.m.
Many East African countries have been battling hunger for years. The crisis in Africa in relation to food is incredibly complex. With Ukrainian ports being tied up during the war for the past six months, their situation has grown desperate. An in-country team member from Convoy described the situation in Kenya: “It’s grim. People are dying.
Yesterday, Convoy of Hope sent nine tons of food to the drought-stricken northern reaches of Kenya. On top of this aid, the first shipment out of Ukraine since the war started recently arrived in East Africa. The shipment, carrying approximately 23,000 metric tons of grain, is hopefully the first of many to land in the region.
Hope Persists Amid the Food Crisis in Africa
Elephants are gathering at one of Convoy of Hope’s water catchment systems in Kenya. The drought in the region has progressed to the point where wildlife is desperately searching for water and directly competing with local communities for the precious resource.
They didn’t have elephants around for years, but they came back because of the water,” said Convoy’s Chris Dudley. “They broke down our fence and claimed our spot. Nobody is arguing with them.”
But even amid terrible circumstances, hope persists. One community leader told a Convoy team member that when the elephants walk in the mostly dry water catchment area, it compacts the soil. Meaning, the system will do an even better job retaining water when it refills.
Hope — in the face of this level of adversity — is truly inspiring.
What Happens When Famine Is Declared
According to a recent article published by The Guardian, “There is no specific funding mechanism triggered by the declaration of a famine, but U.N. agencies and aid organizations have historically been able to assume that the labeling of the crisis would prompt sluggish donors to step up.”
In short, it’s up to individual governments, agencies, and nonprofits to use the declaration of famine to spur the world into action and help in the situation.
Convoy of Hope is honored to come alongside partners and donors to bring help to the hopeless.
August 4, 2022 | 4:56 p.m.
Millions of people — specifically in Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia — could die from impending famine in Africa, according to The International Rescue Committee (IRC). The IRC recently issued its first-ever “Crisis Alert” warning on the dire situation.
“By the time a famine is officially declared later this year,” the organization said, “it will be too late to save hundreds of thousands of lives.”
“Convoy’s role is critical because of the speed, agility, and expansive global network we use to serve people in dire need.”
Heath Adamson, Convoy’s Senior Vice President of Global Program
Convoy of Hope has been responding to hunger in the region for years. It will continue to do so in the midst of ever-growing needs.
“Our intervention is vital because this is a real, urgent, pressing crisis,” said Convoy’s Dr. Heath Adamson. “Economic systems and governmental structures are not always enough to serve those steeped in hopelessness. Convoy’s role is critical because of the speed, agility, and expansive global network we use to serve people in dire need.”
A Slow-Onset Disaster
The impending famine has been developing for years. After four failed rainy seasons, the number of people going hungry in the Horn of Africa will surpass 20 million by September. According to the IRC’s report, more than 3 million people are already experiencing the most extreme levels of hunger.
The war in Ukraine has made matters even worse. Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia all import roughly 90% of their grain from Russia and Ukraine. Only until recently, grain exports were halted because of the conflict.
“There is nothing natural about famines in the 21st century,” IRC CEO David Miliband said in a statement. “While a complex set of factors are driving extreme hunger, the slide into famine and mass death is man-made, driven by international inaction. This crisis was predictable and preventable. It has been unfolding over two years of repeated warnings and worsening hunger. What we are witnessing is an unnatural disaster of catastrophic proportions.
Convoy’s Response
Convoy, already serving in Ethiopia and Kenya, saw the warning signs of drought and the potential for famine years ago. Convoy has also since added South Sudan to the list of countries it serves.
“We are not naive — the problem is greater than any one organization can solve,” said Adamson. “But Convoy’s commitment to engage early and strong presence in Eastern Africa makes it possible for the end of the story to be rewritten for those we serve.”
The crisis in Eastern Africa is complex, involving supply chain upheavals, disruption in food shipments from Ukraine, climate shock, radicalism, and the exploitation of the poor. However, Convoy’s commitment has always been to help save lives and bring hope to as many people as possible. What is occurring in Africa is no exception.
