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Malnourished and undernourished children abound in the region due to food and water shortages.
Malnourished and undernourished children abound in the region due to food and water shortages.

Help for the people affected by the ongoing hunger crisis

Serious emergency in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa

Your donation to combat famine in Africa

More than 35 million people are at risk of hunger in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa. The people in this region lack everything. Many children are undernourished or malnourished. Caritas helps those affected to ensure their survival. Let us tackle this humanitarian catastrophe - together against famine.

More than 35 million people are at risk of hunger in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa. © Simon Huber

«There is really a lack of everything»

Chad is one of the poorest countries in the world. Climate change is further exacerbating the nutrition situation. The recurring hunger crises demand everything from the families - including that of Bourdjo Albachar.

«Dank der Schulung der Caritas weiss ich nun, wie ich meine Kinder mit lokalen Nahrungsmitteln stärken und ihre Gesundheit bewahren kann. Das gibt mir Hoffnung.» Bourdjo Albachar (38)
«We have neither enough food nor enough milk or water. There is really a lack of everything. For us and for the animals.»Bourdjo AlbacharMother of Eight Children

Bourdjo Albachar tells us this thoughtfully. When her children are big enough, she sends them – with a heavy heart – to Ati to beg so that the family does not starve.

The nomadic shepherdess used to roam the countryside with her family. But since the drought took hold, life has become different. The cattle found less and less food on the parched pastures until they eventually died. Since then, the family has settled down and lives from farming. A remendous challenge, because even the barren fields bring less and less harvest.

Bourdjo Albachar wohnt in einer Hütte in Angarada mit ihren Kindern und ihrem Mann. Dürre und Huger gehören für die Familie zum Alltag.
Bourdjo Albachar lives in a hut in Angarada with her children and husband. Drought and huger are part of everyday life for the family. © Simon Huber
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Die Region rund um Angarada ist extrem ausgetrocknet. Der Regen ist seit fünf Jahren rar. Für Mensch und Tier ist das eine Katastrophe.
The region around Angarada is extremely parched. Rain has been scarce for five years. For people and animals, this is a disaster. © Simon Huber
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Auch die Nutztiere finden auf dem Feld kaum Nahrung. Die Getreidespeicher sind leer, ein Grossteil des Viehs ist deshalb bereits verendet.
Even the farm animals hardly find any food in the fields. The granaries are empty, and a large part of the livestock has already died as a result. © Simon Huber
3 / 4
Wasser ist in der Region rar und muss von weit weg in Kanistern geholt werden.
Water is scarce in the region and has to be fetched from far away in canisters. © Simon Huber
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Bourdjo Albachar wohnt in einer Hütte in Angarada mit ihren Kindern und ihrem Mann. Dürre und Huger gehören für die Familie zum Alltag.
Bourdjo Albachar lives in a hut in Angarada with her children and husband. Drought and huger are part of everyday life for the family. © Simon Huber
1 / 4
Die Region rund um Angarada ist extrem ausgetrocknet. Der Regen ist seit fünf Jahren rar. Für Mensch und Tier ist das eine Katastrophe.
The region around Angarada is extremely parched. Rain has been scarce for five years. For people and animals, this is a disaster. © Simon Huber
2 / 4
Auch die Nutztiere finden auf dem Feld kaum Nahrung. Die Getreidespeicher sind leer, ein Grossteil des Viehs ist deshalb bereits verendet.
Even the farm animals hardly find any food in the fields. The granaries are empty, and a large part of the livestock has already died as a result. © Simon Huber
3 / 4
Wasser ist in der Region rar und muss von weit weg in Kanistern geholt werden.
Water is scarce in the region and has to be fetched from far away in canisters. © Simon Huber
4 / 4
Bourdjo Albachar wohnt in einer Hütte in Angarada mit ihren Kindern und ihrem Mann. Dürre und Huger gehören für die Familie zum Alltag.
Bourdjo Albachar lives in a hut in Angarada with her children and husband. Drought and huger are part of everyday life for the family. © Simon Huber
1 / 4
Die Region rund um Angarada ist extrem ausgetrocknet. Der Regen ist seit fünf Jahren rar. Für Mensch und Tier ist das eine Katastrophe.
The region around Angarada is extremely parched. Rain has been scarce for five years. For people and animals, this is a disaster. © Simon Huber
2 / 4
Auch die Nutztiere finden auf dem Feld kaum Nahrung. Die Getreidespeicher sind leer, ein Grossteil des Viehs ist deshalb bereits verendet.
Even the farm animals hardly find any food in the fields. The granaries are empty, and a large part of the livestock has already died as a result. © Simon Huber
3 / 4
Wasser ist in der Region rar und muss von weit weg in Kanistern geholt werden.
Water is scarce in the region and has to be fetched from far away in canisters. © Simon Huber
4 / 4

Parched soil, rising prices and malnourished children

The climate crisis is threatening people in Chad and other countries in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa more than anywhere else in the world. Hardly any rain has fallen in this region for five years. The soils have withered. Under these circumstances, farming families are no longer able to do agriculture or keep livestock.

The emergency situation is further aggravated by increased food prices due to high inflation and the effects of the war in Ukraine.This is because Ukraine is one of the world's largest grain exporters.

Many people no longer know where to get their next meal. According to the UN, one million people are at acute risk of starvation. Even basic staples have become unaffordable. Due to the lack of food and nutrients, many children are chronically undernourished and malnourished.

The emergency aid of Caritas

In order for the population to survive and secure their nutrition, Caritas and its partner organizations provide urgently needed emergency aid in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa:

  • Thanks to emergency cash assistance, people can buy food and meet urgent basic needs, as well as provide for their protection and livelihood restoration.
  • At training sessions, families learn how to strengthen their children with local food and preserve their health. In this way, malnutrition in children can be identified and prevented at an early stage.
  • The distribution of millet and drought-resistant seeds for corn, sorghum or onions contributes to people's food security.
  • We also give goats and fodder to families, because milk strengthens the health of the whole family.
In der Region rund um das Dorf Ambrahim, Tschad, gibt es aufgrund fehlender und einseitiger Nahrung sowie Wasserknappheit viele unter- oder mangelernährte Kinder.
In the region around the village of Ambrahim, Chad, there are many malnourished or undernourished children due to lack of and unbalanced food and water scarcity. © Simon Huber
1 / 6
In Ambrahim, Tschad, werden Kinder untersucht und versorgt. Ihre Eltern geschult, um Unter- und Mangelernährung früh zu erkennen und zu verhindern.
In Ambrahim children are examined and cared for. Their parents are trained to recognize and prevent malnutrition and undernourishment at an early stage. © Simon Huber
2 / 6
Die Caritas und ihre Partner unterstützen in den von Dürre und Hunger betroffenen Gebieten auch den Gemüseanbau.
Caritas and its partners also support vegetable production in areas affected by drought and hunger. © Simon Huber
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Familien werden mit Getreide und dürreresistentem Saatgut ausgestattet.
Families are provided with grain and drought-resistant seeds. © Simon Huber
4 / 6
Auch die Situation von Bourdjo Albachar und ihrer Familie verbessert sich durch die Hilfe stetig. Caritas greift der Familie mit finanzieller Nothilfe für Lebensmittel und zwei Ziegen unter die Arme. Dank den Ziegen hat die Familie wieder Zugang zu wertvoller Milch.
The situation of Bourdjo Albachar and her family is steadily improving thanks to the aid. Caritas is helping the family with emergency financial aid for food and two goats. Thanks to the goats, the family has access to valuable milk again. © Simon Huber
5 / 6
«Dank der Schulung der Caritas weiss ich nun, wie ich meine Kinder mit lokalen Nahrungsmitteln stärken und ihre Gesundheit bewahren kann. Das gibt mir Hoffnung.» Bourdjo Albachar (38)
«Thanks to the training provided by Caritas, I now know how to strengthen my children with local food and preserve their health. This gives me hope.» Bourdjo Albachar (38) © Simon Huber
6 / 6
In der Region rund um das Dorf Ambrahim, Tschad, gibt es aufgrund fehlender und einseitiger Nahrung sowie Wasserknappheit viele unter- oder mangelernährte Kinder.
In the region around the village of Ambrahim, Chad, there are many malnourished or undernourished children due to lack of and unbalanced food and water scarcity. © Simon Huber
1 / 6
In Ambrahim, Tschad, werden Kinder untersucht und versorgt. Ihre Eltern geschult, um Unter- und Mangelernährung früh zu erkennen und zu verhindern.
In Ambrahim children are examined and cared for. Their parents are trained to recognize and prevent malnutrition and undernourishment at an early stage. © Simon Huber
2 / 6
Die Caritas und ihre Partner unterstützen in den von Dürre und Hunger betroffenen Gebieten auch den Gemüseanbau.
Caritas and its partners also support vegetable production in areas affected by drought and hunger. © Simon Huber
3 / 6
Familien werden mit Getreide und dürreresistentem Saatgut ausgestattet.
Families are provided with grain and drought-resistant seeds. © Simon Huber
4 / 6
Auch die Situation von Bourdjo Albachar und ihrer Familie verbessert sich durch die Hilfe stetig. Caritas greift der Familie mit finanzieller Nothilfe für Lebensmittel und zwei Ziegen unter die Arme. Dank den Ziegen hat die Familie wieder Zugang zu wertvoller Milch.
The situation of Bourdjo Albachar and her family is steadily improving thanks to the aid. Caritas is helping the family with emergency financial aid for food and two goats. Thanks to the goats, the family has access to valuable milk again. © Simon Huber
5 / 6
«Dank der Schulung der Caritas weiss ich nun, wie ich meine Kinder mit lokalen Nahrungsmitteln stärken und ihre Gesundheit bewahren kann. Das gibt mir Hoffnung.» Bourdjo Albachar (38)
«Thanks to the training provided by Caritas, I now know how to strengthen my children with local food and preserve their health. This gives me hope.» Bourdjo Albachar (38) © Simon Huber
6 / 6
In der Region rund um das Dorf Ambrahim, Tschad, gibt es aufgrund fehlender und einseitiger Nahrung sowie Wasserknappheit viele unter- oder mangelernährte Kinder.
In the region around the village of Ambrahim, Chad, there are many malnourished or undernourished children due to lack of and unbalanced food and water scarcity. © Simon Huber
1 / 6
In Ambrahim, Tschad, werden Kinder untersucht und versorgt. Ihre Eltern geschult, um Unter- und Mangelernährung früh zu erkennen und zu verhindern.
In Ambrahim children are examined and cared for. Their parents are trained to recognize and prevent malnutrition and undernourishment at an early stage. © Simon Huber
2 / 6
Die Caritas und ihre Partner unterstützen in den von Dürre und Hunger betroffenen Gebieten auch den Gemüseanbau.
Caritas and its partners also support vegetable production in areas affected by drought and hunger. © Simon Huber
3 / 6
Familien werden mit Getreide und dürreresistentem Saatgut ausgestattet.
Families are provided with grain and drought-resistant seeds. © Simon Huber
4 / 6
Auch die Situation von Bourdjo Albachar und ihrer Familie verbessert sich durch die Hilfe stetig. Caritas greift der Familie mit finanzieller Nothilfe für Lebensmittel und zwei Ziegen unter die Arme. Dank den Ziegen hat die Familie wieder Zugang zu wertvoller Milch.
The situation of Bourdjo Albachar and her family is steadily improving thanks to the aid. Caritas is helping the family with emergency financial aid for food and two goats. Thanks to the goats, the family has access to valuable milk again. © Simon Huber
5 / 6
«Dank der Schulung der Caritas weiss ich nun, wie ich meine Kinder mit lokalen Nahrungsmitteln stärken und ihre Gesundheit bewahren kann. Das gibt mir Hoffnung.» Bourdjo Albachar (38)
«Thanks to the training provided by Caritas, I now know how to strengthen my children with local food and preserve their health. This gives me hope.» Bourdjo Albachar (38) © Simon Huber
6 / 6

With emergency aid, we bridge the acute period of hunger for the people. But climate change is progressing steadily. That is why Caritas Switzerland remains at the side of the people in these countries for the long term. Please support our work. Thank you very much for your generosity.

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Against hungerA selection of current projekts in Chad, Mali and Éthiopia

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Further Information 

Header image: Malnourished and undernourished children abound in the region due to food and water shortages. © Simon Huber