In some parts of the Horn of Africa, there hasn’t been a single drop of rain in three years. Dead cows lie decaying by the road, overcome by dehydration.
Across Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya, the dust-filled plains are so bare of vegetation that they don’t attract any animals.
The villages are just as quiet. The hustle and bustle of families cooking or working has fallen silent. Children who haven’t eaten for days do nothing but sit still in their huts, too tired and sick to move – they just don’t have the energy.
It’s the same dire, drought-ravaged situation across all the countries in the Horn of Africa. Right now, 20 million people are acutely food insecure. It’s estimated one person dies of hunger every 36 seconds.
And as climate change causes more extreme weather patterns, experts predict that droughts like these will become even more frequent, and last even longer, with devastating effects for future generations.
Living in hunger
Whole communities face the threat of mass starvation as the climate crisis worsens.
Ahmed, a farmer in Somalia, and his children live on the frontline of the climate crisis. He inherited his trade and his land from his father who was a farmer before him.
But with each year that has gone by since he was a boy, he has seen less and less rain falling on the family farm. The soil has become so dry that he can no longer grow the nutritious corn and sorghum that once helped him put food on the table for his family.
Seeing his crops wither before his eyes, Ahmed did everything he could to save them, but without water, it wasn’t enough.
He had nothing to eat and nothing to sell at the market. The pain of hunger began to take hold of his children.
Even if his family were to survive the current crisis, he could only wonder how his children would ever live through the more formidable droughts of the future.
Before Concern supporters stepped in, the drought was killing all of Ahmed’s crops.
Extraordinary innovation
It was in this desperate situation that Concern Worldwide, Ireland’s largest international aid charity, and its generous community of supporters, was able to provide a lifeline for Ahmed. For 55 years, the charity has been helping people from the world’s poorest communities to build lives free from hunger.
In Ahmed’s case, escaping hunger meant achieving something that seemed impossible to him – finding a way to turn his dusty fields green again, despite the onslaught of the current drought.
But thanks to supporters who left a gift in their will to the charity, Concern has the resources to build climate-smart agricultural programmes that can support Ahmed and families like his. They provide the tools and training that, even in the driest conditions, help farmers grow nourishing food.
Together, Concern and their supporters were able to provide Ahmed with a wide range of drought-resistant seeds and training on how to grow them.
Today, his once-barren land is sprouting thousands of vibrant, fruit-bearing trees. With the income he’s earning from selling the produce, he can afford to feed his children again.
And when they’re old enough, they will learn these life-changing skills from Ahmed, which they, in turn, can pass on to their own children, ensuring future generations live a life free from hunger.
The future threat of climate change
Although the future looks brighter for Ahmed and his children, many families are still not safe from climate change.
The World Bank predicts that the coming changes in weather patterns could force more than 100 million people into extreme poverty by 2030. And by 2050, it may internally displace 143 million people from countries in sub-Saharan Africa, southeast Asia and Latin America.
While the threat of mass starvation looms, Concern Worldwide is calling for more people to help it protect vulnerable families like Ahmed’s from the hunger caused by drought and climate change.
Climate change might be inevitable for future generations, but with your legacy, hunger doesn't have to be.
Leaving a legacy of hope for future generations
Siobhán O’Connor from Concern advises people who want to leave a gift in their will to the charity.
“The gifts that our generous supporters leave in their wills have the power to change so much,” Siobhán told us.
“That single act of kindness goes far beyond helping one family protect themselves from hunger – it lives on through the years, from generation to generation, helping the families and children of the future survive even the deadliest of droughts.”
More and more compassionate people across Ireland are now moving to support Concern’s vision to build a hunger free world.
Siobhán explains: “Our community is united by a simple belief that no one should ever have to suffer the pain of hunger. If you share in this belief, I would encourage you to consider joining us today. No gift is too small or big, every donation will help build a world free from hunger.”
Find out how you can be part of a world without hunger
Today, Ahmed’s fruit trees are sprouting on his land, including orange, citrus and guava.
If you’d like to request your free brochure to find out more about leaving a gift in your will to Concern, please contact Siobhán O’Connor at Concern Worldwide today.
Phone: 01-417 8020. E-mail: siobhan.oconnor@concern.net. Visit: concern.net/legacy.
In some parts of the Horn of Africa, there hasn’t been a single drop of rain in three years. Dead cows lie decaying by the road, overcome by dehydration.
Across Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya, the dust-filled plains are so bare of vegetation that they don’t attract any animals.
The villages are just as quiet. The hustle and bustle of families cooking or working has fallen silent. Children who haven’t eaten for days do nothing but sit still in their huts, too tired and sick to move – they just don’t have the energy.
It’s the same dire, drought-ravaged situation across all the countries in the Horn of Africa. Right now, 20 million people are acutely food insecure. It’s estimated one person dies of hunger every 36 seconds.
And as climate change causes more extreme weather patterns, experts predict that droughts like these will become even more frequent, and last even longer, with devastating effects for future generations.
Living in hunger
Whole communities face the threat of mass starvation as the climate crisis worsens.
Ahmed, a farmer in Somalia, and his children live on the frontline of the climate crisis. He inherited his trade and his land from his father who was a farmer before him.
But with each year that has gone by since he was a boy, he has seen less and less rain falling on the family farm. The soil has become so dry that he can no longer grow the nutritious corn and sorghum that once helped him put food on the table for his family.
Seeing his crops wither before his eyes, Ahmed did everything he could to save them, but without water, it wasn’t enough.
He had nothing to eat and nothing to sell at the market. The pain of hunger began to take hold of his children.
Even if his family were to survive the current crisis, he could only wonder how his children would ever live through the more formidable droughts of the future.
Before Concern supporters stepped in, the drought was killing all of Ahmed’s crops.
Extraordinary innovation
It was in this desperate situation that Concern Worldwide, Ireland’s largest international aid charity, and its generous community of supporters, was able to provide a lifeline for Ahmed. For 55 years, the charity has been helping people from the world’s poorest communities to build lives free from hunger.
In Ahmed’s case, escaping hunger meant achieving something that seemed impossible to him – finding a way to turn his dusty fields green again, despite the onslaught of the current drought.
But thanks to supporters who left a gift in their will to the charity, Concern has the resources to build climate-smart agricultural programmes that can support Ahmed and families like his. They provide the tools and training that, even in the driest conditions, help farmers grow nourishing food.
Together, Concern and their supporters were able to provide Ahmed with a wide range of drought-resistant seeds and training on how to grow them.
Today, his once-barren land is sprouting thousands of vibrant, fruit-bearing trees. With the income he’s earning from selling the produce, he can afford to feed his children again.
And when they’re old enough, they will learn these life-changing skills from Ahmed, which they, in turn, can pass on to their own children, ensuring future generations live a life free from hunger.
The future threat of climate change
Although the future looks brighter for Ahmed and his children, many families are still not safe from climate change.
The World Bank predicts that the coming changes in weather patterns could force more than 100 million people into extreme poverty by 2030. And by 2050, it may internally displace 143 million people from countries in sub-Saharan Africa, southeast Asia and Latin America.
While the threat of mass starvation looms, Concern Worldwide is calling for more people to help it protect vulnerable families like Ahmed’s from the hunger caused by drought and climate change.
Climate change might be inevitable for future generations, but with your legacy, hunger doesn't have to be.
Leaving a legacy of hope for future generations
Siobhán O’Connor from Concern advises people who want to leave a gift in their will to the charity.
“The gifts that our generous supporters leave in their wills have the power to change so much,” Siobhán told us.
“That single act of kindness goes far beyond helping one family protect themselves from hunger – it lives on through the years, from generation to generation, helping the families and children of the future survive even the deadliest of droughts.”
More and more compassionate people across Ireland are now moving to support Concern’s vision to build a hunger free world.
Siobhán explains: “Our community is united by a simple belief that no one should ever have to suffer the pain of hunger. If you share in this belief, I would encourage you to consider joining us today. No gift is too small or big, every donation will help build a world free from hunger.”
Find out how you can be part of a world without hunger
Today, Ahmed’s fruit trees are sprouting on his land, including orange, citrus and guava.
If you’d like to request your free brochure to find out more about leaving a gift in your will to Concern, please contact Siobhán O’Connor at Concern Worldwide today.
Phone: 01-417 8020. E-mail: siobhan.oconnor@concern.net. Visit: concern.net/legacy.
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