Currently, it is estimated that one person dies of hunger every four seconds. Nearly 45 million people across 37 countries face severe malnutrition, risking death or already experiencing starvation. In Africa, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Somalia, and South Sudan are on the brink of widespread starvation and death unless immediate action is taken.
Pearl Action Aid Foundation is delivering crucial aid in countries where extreme hunger threatens to claim thousands of children’s lives. The urgency to act is paramount, as waiting for an official famine declaration will mean more lives lost. The situation is dire, and children are already dying. Immediate intervention is necessary.
Children Facing Starvation in Africa and the Middle East Need Your Help Today
Hunger levels are exponentially increasing, placing thousands on the brink of starvation. The situation is critical, and the Pearl Action Aid Foundation (PAAF) is providing vital support in countries where extreme hunger threatens children’s lives and futures. PAAF offers food, cash, livelihood support, and essential health and nutrition services to prevent current and future hunger.
The devastating famine in the Horn of Africa in 2011, where 260,000 people died—half of them young children—demonstrates the consequences of delayed action. We cannot let history repeat itself. The window to prevent widespread death and starvation is closing. Your support is crucial.
Screening Children in Africa for Malnutrition
Malnutrition screening programs, like those run by PAAF, use simple yet crucial tools such as measuring tapes. For instance, two-year-old Nyakato received treatment for malnutrition at a PAAF health clinic on the outskirts of Kampala, Uganda.
In Somalia, where a severe food crisis is unfolding, PAAF health workers use these tapes to determine malnutrition levels. The tapes, wrapped around the child’s upper arm, measure the circumference against colored zones: green for normal, yellow for moderately malnourished, and red for severely malnourished. Immediate treatment is critical for children in the red zone to avoid death or long-term health issues.
Our Impact across Four Countries Facing Widespread Starvation
Pearl Action Aid Foundation (PAAF) is actively working in Africa and globally to save lives and prevent short-term hunger while also implementing long-term solutions for future crises.
Somalia
In Somalia, over half of children under five face acute malnutrition, with one in six suffering the most deadly form. PAAF, active in Somalia since 1951, has reached over 24,000 people through cash programming and treated more than 50,000 children for malnutrition this year. We provide water trucking to over 25,000 households and unconditional cash to nearly 11,000 households in the hardest-hit areas.
South Sudan
South Sudan faces a dire hunger crisis, with half the population lacking sufficient food and 1.7 million people at emergency hunger levels. Nearly one million children under five are acutely malnourished. PAAF screens children for malnutrition and works to prevent deadly diseases like measles, malaria, diarrhea, cholera, and pneumonia.
Ethiopia
Ethiopia is still reeling from its worst drought in over 50 years, leaving millions of rain-dependent families at risk of extreme hunger and malnutrition. As home to a large refugee population, the situation is compounded. PAAF collaborates with the government to improve child nutrition, devise national nutrition plans, and respond swiftly to crises. Mobile health teams assess and treat malnourished children.
Nigeria
In Nigeria, 1.9 million people urgently need humanitarian assistance due to conflict and displacement. PAAF distributes food to vulnerable families, operates feeding and treatment centers, and provides psychosocial support.
How You Can Help
Your support can make a difference in the lives of children facing starvation. By sponsoring a child, you can help build positive relationships, provide safe places for play and learning, and encourage education. Education offers these children a chance to break the poverty cycle and build a better future. Together, we can avert widespread hunger and save lives. Act now to support the Pearl Action Aid Foundation’s mission.