4 hunger crises have become 5

An escalation of the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo has turned the four major hunger crises in the world into five.

Famine crisis in DR Congo

In Yemen, South Sudan, the countries of East Africa, the Lake Chad region and now the Democratic Republic of Congo, conflict and harsh climate have left millions of people dependent on food aid. Oxfam is providing life-saving assistance in all five crises, but needs increased funding to deliver food and water to people in urgent need.

The country now added to the list of severe hunger crises in the world is the Democratic Republic of Congo, where an estimated 7.7 million people are in need of food aid. The conflict that erupted in the previously peaceful Kasai region last year has led to an eightfold increase in hunger, and 400,000 children in the region are reported to be severely malnourished.

In DR Congo, three agricultural seasons have now been lost. Many people are forced to live on just one meal a day and have no access to nutritious food.

While the UN estimates that 13 million people will be in need of assistance and protection by the beginning of 2018, the relief effort in the country is severely underfunded and people are at risk of being left without the life-saving assistance they need. We are on the ground providing food, clean water, sanitation and helping to keep people safe from violence. Our efforts in Kasai have helped 50,000 people so far.