El Niño is having an impact across many countries; in some countries this has resulted in flooding but in many others the result is a severe drought.
A disaster has been declared in Zimbabwe, and food security continues to deteriorate in Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia. Prolonged droughts in Indonesia and Ethiopia are also causing severe food shortages.
As of March 1, 2016, World Renew's programming priorities are the following:
Ethiopia
- World Renew is responding to the El Niño-based drought in Ethiopia working through our implementing partner, Food for the Hungry, Ethiopia. Together, we are providing food to 41,043 individuals in the Dugda district for a period of two months. The rations include vegetable oil, maize, and Famix (high protein food supplement) for 35 percent of the families who have young children.
Malawi
- In February, World Renew and its partner, World Alive, provided food—maize flour, oil, salt—and sweet potato vines to 230 farming families in three villages.
- An assessment conducted after the distribution indicated that the needs were even greater. In March, World Renew began providing food to 380 families in nine villages.
- World Renew would like to expand this up to 1,000 households by June if funding allows. We anticipate that this food assistance may be needed for up to another year (until March 2017) due to the current drought conditions.
- World Renew is also providing food (maize flour, oil, and salt) through May 2016 to 130 vulnerable households in Chikwawa through our partner Living Waters.
Mozambique
- From February through March 2016, World Renew provided food—maize flour, oil, salt—and sweet potato vines to 235 farm families in 28 villages in Mecanhelas District through our partner Diocese of Niassa.
Zambia
- World Renew provided food—maize flour, beans, oil, and salt—to 2,500 families for eight months (September
