'The cavalry hasn't arrived': Somalia on the brink of famine

BAIDOA, Somalia — As livestock die and crops wither, Somalis have fled en masse to urban areas in search of help. The country is suffering from repeated failed rainy seasons with no end in sight.

When they reach urban areas and establish displacement camps, people often need urgent assistance. Some have walked for weeks with little food or water.

“They come with emaciated body weights that are very, very alarming,” said Jaafarsadiq Hassan, deputy chief of party at Mercy Corps Somalia. Malnutrition cases are spiking drastically across the country, as well as cases of affiliated diseases like measles.

Over 7 million people in Somalia — nearly half of the population — need urgent assistance for acute malnutrition and at least 330,000 children need treatment for the deadliest form of malnutrition. The United Nations said on Monday that “famine is at the door” and is expected to occur between October and December.

But despite the escalating needs, the humanitarian response is not keeping pace with the rapid influx of people into urban areas. Many of the camps don’t receive food distributions, water trucking is minimal, and people often travel long distances to access health services.

“The response feels small in comparison to the absolute need,” said Tjada D'Oyen McKenna, CEO at Mercy Corps. “The cavalry hasn’t arrived.”

Join Devex on the ground as we visit Somalia — the epicenter of the worst drought in the Horn of Africa’s recent history — to document the stories of those affected.