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End Famine And Help The Sahel Rebuild

Sponsor: The Hunger Site

Urge Congress to develop strategies to help the Sahel out of its crisis and rebuild its infrastructure.


South Sudan has marked nearly a decade of independence, but for the millions who continue to face famine, disease, displacement, and crippling poverty will be hard pressed to find any reason to celebrate1.

As climate change worsens, millions of Sahelians are estimated to be short of food, with the crisis growing worse by the year2. Many acutely malnourished children have been treated via UNICEF and NGO-run nutrition centers. Despite these avenues of nutritional support, statistics show malnutrition rates of more than 10% in almost all of the countries, and above 15% in parts of Chad, Mauritania, and Niger. Water and sanitation are also ongoing concerns3.

Civil unrest in the Sahel has contributed to its decline; terrorism and violence have forced millions of people to flee their homes, and constant drought and widespread famine make escaping those dangers impossible.

Security incidents, attacks and kidnappings are a daily reality for millions of civilians and humanitarian workers in the field4. About half of the Sahel's population is under 15 years old, and the surge in armed violence is having a devastating impact on children's survival, education, protection and development5.

We can't throw short-term ideas at the problem; we must help promote the structural development of the Sahel's nations to help them build sustainable communities that are resilient to civil issues6.

This means investing in initiatives that develop agricultural productivity and access to food and water, and helping citizens prepare for potential drought.

Sign below and ask the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) implement a solution to the foundational causes of the Sahel's issues.