Islamic Relief Staff Member Visits Malawi and Kenya

In April 2006, Shamiq Hussain, Islamic Relief staff member from Buena Park, CA, traveled along with a worldwide delegation of Islamic Relief partner offices to assess the situation of the food crisis in Malawi, and the Mandera region of Kenya.

Click here to read Shamiq's first-hand account of his visit.

Facts on Malawi
-Population: 11 million
-Average annual income: US $210
-Life expectancy: 37 years (men), 38 years (women)
-One in seven of the population is HIV positive
-A 50 Kg bag of maize costs US$20, while a poor family earns $5 a week

Current Drought
A severe drought that has affected millions in Africa’s southern region has hit Malawi as well. According to government and aid agencies’ figures, over five million of Malawi’s 12 million population has been facing hunger after the most devastating drought in over 10 years has cut production of the staple food, maize. According to aid agencies, half of the malnourished population comprises children under the age of five. Malawi's President Bingu wa Mutharika declared the food crisis a national disaster in October 2005. 1 in 7 persons in Malawi is already HIV positive.

Floods in the beginning of 2006 swept away livestock, homes and thousands of acres of crops. Livelihoods of 8,000 farming families were also destroyed. The Malawian government has appealed for international aid for this crisis as well.

AIDS
The impact of the AIDS epidemic is widespread. Families have to stay at home to tend to the sick, leaving no time to cultivate their land. On many farms, only orphans and grandparents remain. As children flock to the streets to beg for food, prostitution of women and children becomes commonplace and the virus spreads with ferocious speed. Outbreaks of cholera have killed at least another thousand. Funerals are now a part of everyday rural life.

Islamic Relief in Malawi
NGOs and UN agencies such as the World Food Program are working to alleviate the situation, but resources are limited. Emergency food aid is only a partial answer to the crisis in Malawi--long-term developments projects are also needed to increase food security.

As a response to this need, Islamic Relief has implemented the Integrated Small Farmer Empowerment Program. With enough planning and support, measures can be taken to ensure better harvests in the future and to avert further crises.

In response to the current drought, an Islamic Relief team conducted a Drought Assessment Mission in the region. Islamic Relief hopes to use its expertise in emergency response and available resources to respond to the affects of the drought. The planned intervention is currently being reviewed to adapt to the flooding crisis as well.