El Niño in Southern and Eastern Africa: A response that saved lives
By Sofia Marri
“The help we received changed our lives,” said Nuurta, a displaced mother from Somalia’s Baidoa Region. The blankets keep my children warm at night, the plastic sheets protect us from the rain, and the kitchen set means we can cook proper meals. This gave us hope.”
For more than a year, millions of people across Southern and Eastern Africa have endured the brunt of El Niño-driven droughts and floods. The region, among the worst affected globally, is already trapped in a cycle of escalating humanitarian need fuelled by the climate crisis.
#Southern Africa: An unyielding drought
The 2023/24 El Niño caused the worst mid-season dry spell in more than 100 years and the lowest mid-season rainfall in more than 40 years.
The drought across Southern Africa has pushed nearly 29 million people into alarming levels of hunger. It has threatened farming communities’ food supplies, incomes and survival. “The impact of El Niño was worse than we anticipated,” noted Atupele Kapile, OCHA Humanitarian Affairs Officer in Zimbabwe.
To counter this, humanitarian partners and Governments launched the largest anticipatory action to provide aid ahead of the worst impact of extreme weather across seven countries. These efforts were strengthened by the ongoing response to affected communities.
“Anticipatory action made a world of difference, especially because it was proactive. This project brought hope,” said Vimbai Mutendereki, Director of local non-governmental organization Musasa.
In Zimbabwe’s Umguza District, the drought heightened the risk of gender-based violence. Musasa and the UN Population Fund implemented community-led initiatives funded by the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF). These included safe spaces for women, transport for survivors to access psychosocial and legal support, and training programmes to prevent violence.
Phuluso Nyathi, a Social Behaviour Change Champion in the community, explained his role: “I teach people in my community about gender-based violence. I encourage them to stop and report cases of abuse.”
In Malawi’s Chikwawa District, low crop yields left children and pregnant women vulnerable to malnutrition. With CERF funding, Mfera Health Centre provided life-saving ready-to-use therapeutic food to more than 4,000 children, including Gloria Mbozi’s son.
“I’ve seen great improvement in my child,” said Mbozi. “He used to be sick, but since receiving ready-to-use therapeutic food he is now healthy. I’m so thankful for the treatment.”
In Madagascar, rainfall deficits threatened to exacerbate food insecurity. In response, humanitarian and development partners distributed drought-resistant seeds and livestock. This improved food security in the Grand Sud and Grand Sud-Est regions, according to the Integrated Food Security Classification Phase assessments.
#Eastern Africa: Finding refuge from floods
In Eastern Africa, El Niño-related heavy rain displaced thousands of people across Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia. In Ethiopia’s Somali Region, families like Abshira’s endured months of displacement with limited shelter and access to basic services.
“Before we received help, we used trees to build a shelter,” explained Abshira. “It was a desperate situation, especially without clean water or schools for our children.”
With CERF support, the International Organization for Migration provided 1,900 families with shelter and essential non-food items.
In Somalia’s Baidoa Region, humanitarian partners supported by CERF and the OCHA-managed Somalia Humanitarian Fund distributed dignity kits and provided legal and psychosocial support to gender-based violence survivors.
“These kits are a daily reminder to people that they are not forgotten; they deserve dignity and care even in hardship,” said a local caseworker.
In Kenya, persistent flooding left more than 300,000 people homeless. Dorcas Odhiambo, from Kisumu County, was displaced four times, but CERF-backed cash assistance helped her rebuild her vegetable vending business and pay her grandchildren’s school fees.
“We’re afraid to live in the house because it could collapse,” said Odhiambo. “Flooding has strained our livelihoods, stressing the need for longer-term solutions.”
#A collective response
These stories show how the humanitarian community adjusts to help the most vulnerable people during extreme weather-related emergencies.
Thanks to more than US$72 million from CERF and the Country-Based Pooled Funds, humanitarian organizations have delivered vital aid to millions of people across Angola, Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Somalia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
As El Niño transitions to La Niña, OCHA will continue supporting affected communities and advocating for sustainable solutions to strengthen community-led action.