Learn about the precarious condition of people in South Sudan due to famine, caused principally by ethnic strife
Watch a report on a famine, caused largely by ethnic strife, in South Sudan in 2017.
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Transcript
REPORTER: This is a food drop. They're helping some of the millions of people in South Sudan suffering from starvation. The UN's recently declared South Sudan the site of the world's first famine in six years. But there have been big problems here for a while.
GEORGE: We've got conflict that has been ongoing in this country since 2013. That conflict has made people move, has made people leave their normal places. They do not grow their food as they would do. They have lost their livestock on which to survive. They don't have money. There are no markets which are functioning, which means they cannot find any other way of surviving. And so at the end of the day, they only rely on humanitarian assistance.
REPORTER: That's George. And he works for the UN's World Food program. He says many people have been forced to flee their homes to escape the fighting in South Sudan, and massive food shortages have been made worse by drought.
That's left more than 40% of the population in desperate need of food. Some are really sick, and every day, people are dying. But unfortunately, it's not always safe for aid workers to help them.
GEORGE: Because there is fighting, there are impediments to access. What happens is that people drop even further and they get into situations of catastrophe. And here is why we have famine-like or famine conditions.
REPORTER: The UN only declares a famine like this in really serious circumstances, when at least 20% of the population faces extreme food shortages, 30% are badly malnourished and more than two people per 10,000 die every day. That's double the normal amount.
Unfortunately, kids are the ones most at risk during a famine, because without proper nutrition they're more likely to die from preventable diseases like pneumonia or malaria. While the situation is worst in South Sudan, the UN's also worried famine could soon be declared in Nigeria, Somalia, and Yemen. It says more than $5 billion is needed by the end of the month to help those at risk.
Tom works with Save the Children. He's working in Somalia, where nearly five million people are going hungry.
TOM: Somalia is on the brink of famine. Urgent humanitarian assistance is needed here to prevent that famine. In 2011 there was a famine in Somalia and a quarter of a million people died. We can prevent it this time, but urgent assistance is needed.
REPORTER: Recently, the Australian government announced it was giving $20 million on top of its normal aid spending to support people in South Sudan and Somalia. But aid groups say they need more. They say donations can fund food and medical supplies to kids like these, and prevent many more from getting sick. And with enough support, it can go a long way towards turning things around.
GEORGE: We've got conflict that has been ongoing in this country since 2013. That conflict has made people move, has made people leave their normal places. They do not grow their food as they would do. They have lost their livestock on which to survive. They don't have money. There are no markets which are functioning, which means they cannot find any other way of surviving. And so at the end of the day, they only rely on humanitarian assistance.
REPORTER: That's George. And he works for the UN's World Food program. He says many people have been forced to flee their homes to escape the fighting in South Sudan, and massive food shortages have been made worse by drought.
That's left more than 40% of the population in desperate need of food. Some are really sick, and every day, people are dying. But unfortunately, it's not always safe for aid workers to help them.
GEORGE: Because there is fighting, there are impediments to access. What happens is that people drop even further and they get into situations of catastrophe. And here is why we have famine-like or famine conditions.
REPORTER: The UN only declares a famine like this in really serious circumstances, when at least 20% of the population faces extreme food shortages, 30% are badly malnourished and more than two people per 10,000 die every day. That's double the normal amount.
Unfortunately, kids are the ones most at risk during a famine, because without proper nutrition they're more likely to die from preventable diseases like pneumonia or malaria. While the situation is worst in South Sudan, the UN's also worried famine could soon be declared in Nigeria, Somalia, and Yemen. It says more than $5 billion is needed by the end of the month to help those at risk.
Tom works with Save the Children. He's working in Somalia, where nearly five million people are going hungry.
TOM: Somalia is on the brink of famine. Urgent humanitarian assistance is needed here to prevent that famine. In 2011 there was a famine in Somalia and a quarter of a million people died. We can prevent it this time, but urgent assistance is needed.
REPORTER: Recently, the Australian government announced it was giving $20 million on top of its normal aid spending to support people in South Sudan and Somalia. But aid groups say they need more. They say donations can fund food and medical supplies to kids like these, and prevent many more from getting sick. And with enough support, it can go a long way towards turning things around.