Aid agencies in East Africa are struggling to deal with the multitude of problems facing the region, as a combination of disasters has engulfed the area in a humanitarian crisis. Civil war, the rising cost of food, and drought are all issues that East Africa is currently facing, and with all of them coming at the same time the people in the region along with humanitarian organizations are struggling to keep East Africa from a complete meltdown.
The problems in East Africa are not new, nor are they unique to East Africa. The entire African continent has at one time or another fallen victim to war, chaos, starvation, and drought. Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Uganda are the countries hardest hit by below average rainfall, crop failures, and instability due to civil wars that plague the region in what some are calling a perfect storm of disasters.
Reports by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization paint a picture that could get even worse. With heavy rains expected at the end of the year, the report predicts that a dire situation could turn even more disastrous as floods and mudslides could combine to add even more turmoil to the already struggling region. Mudslides and floods could threaten existing food provisions, kill livestock, further damage the infrastructure, while leaving thousands without homes.
Failing crops in Kenya, civil war in Somalia, and a lack of aid from abroad have made humanitarian efforts in East Africa nearly impossible. Workers for humanitarian organizations also claim that the global recession has led to less donations and aid, which is catastrophic for a region that relies heavily on donations of food.
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