Somalia: Humanitarian aid cuts leave millions of children vulnerable to hunger

The global funding crisis for humanitarian work is taking a growing toll on the most vulnerable children in Somalia, where some aid programmes and facilities have been forced to shut down.Hajio is one of many experiencing the brunt of these cuts. She lived a relatively prosperous life – she had a home and her children went to school. But all her cattle died because of the drought, and she had to flee her home area for help. She hurried to the town of Burhakaba in southwest Somalia because she had heard support would be available there. Yet upon arrival, she received only some clothes and tomatoes from one of the country’s poorest communities living nearby. “She received nothing from the international community,” stressed UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) spokesperson James Elder, briefing journalists in Geneva on Friday. Malnourished children Due to unprecedented cuts in humanitarian aid, over 200 health and nutrition facilities have already closed in Somalia – and according to the most severe predictions, the number could jump to 618. The consequences have been immediate and very serious. Compared to last year, Somalia has seen a 32 per cent increase in children admitted to stabilisatio...