The long awaited rains have finally arrived in the south central region of Somalia, bringing much relief to those who have suffered through a drought which has lasted as many as two years in some areas.  Report by Eva Gilliam and Yussuf Keynaan.  MOGADISHU, Somalia. Unfortunately, the sudden precipitation is having a devastating impact in … Continued

In a region which, until recently, had been mired in conflict, the joyful sound of high-pitched laughter danced in the air, as an audience of rapt children enthusiastically responded to the travelling company, ‘Clowns without Borders’. Charming the gathering of youth with their engaging brand of slapstick and puppetry, the troupe was there to help … Continued

With 13 million people in desperate need of food in the drought inflicted Horn of Africa, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors Yuna Kim, Serena Williams, Ishmael Beah and Angelique Kidjo are collectively raising their voices in support, utilising social media to distribute a new series of Public Service Announcements (PSAs) which call on their fans to engage … Continued

UNICEF sends in health experts to prevent cholera epidemic in Somalia. In a small classroom in Mogadishu, over twenty qualified Somali nurses, men and women are gathering tools to fight cholera and acute watery diarrhoea. Report by Eva Gilliam. MOGADISHU, Somalia. UNICEF reports on the organization’s efforts to contain the rising threat of cholera in … Continued

In a futile attempt to save the last of the goats, Ali Yusef Omar, 16, and one of his younger sisters had no other option but to feed the ravenous animals handfuls of shredded-up cardboard boxes they had scavenged from the local town. Kept in a make-shift pen made of thorn bushes, only three remain … Continued

The women and children of Melbena Village, Ethopia, anxiously await the arrival of a water truck in the drought-stricken Borena zone of the Oromia Region in southern Ethiopia, along the border with Kenya. The area has not received decent rainfall in over two years and the impact has been devastating for the largely pastoral community.  … Continued

For the second time in a year, Pakistan has been hit by severe flooding caused by the monsoon rains. While scars of the 2010 floods, worst ever in the country’s history, had hardly faded and the people were struggling to get their lives back to normal, heavy rains have caused widespread destruction in the southern … Continued

About six months ago, Kenya was one of the first countries in Africa to introduce the pneumococcal vaccine, and children now have access to this life-saving intervention through routine immunization in the Dadaab refugee camps in the north-east of the country. Report by Manuel Moreno and Kyle O’Donoghue. DADAAB, Kenya VIDEO: UNICEF correspondent Kyle O’Donoghue … Continued

Mobile health units are saving lives in drought-affected Ethiopia. GODE, Ethiopia (September 18, 2011) — For Halimo Faliid, 70, the arrival of baby Higad Mahad was bittersweet. In gaining a grandson she lost her daughter, a family tragedy that is still too common in the Horn of Africa, where the current drought is adding to … Continued

Mubarak, 37, and his son Rajab, 10, wade through the dirty flood waters up to their waist. They are attempting to rescue something from the murky depths, but from a distance it is not clear what it is. As they get closer and the water shallower, a heavy wooden chest comes into view. Report by … Continued

Six weeks ago, a three-year-old boy’s desperately worried father brought him to the nutrition stabilization centre at the Hagadera refugee camp here in Dadaab, north-eastern Kenya. Like many children arriving at the UNICEF-supported facility, he was close to death – malnourished, dehydrated and suffering from respiratory infections. DADAAB, Kenya, 14 September 2011 VIDEO: UNICEF reports … Continued

For children around the world, the end of the school holidays usually comes with mixed feelings as it is the beginning of a new school year. That was surely the case as schools re-opened their doors this week in the Dadaab refugee camps in north-eastern Kenya. Report by Manuel Moreno and Kyle O’Donoghue. DADAAB, Kenya, … Continued