In the Ladan displacement camp in Dollow, southern Somalia, the sound of a crying child is a rare sign of hope. Aid workers say the most malnourished children are often too weak to make any noise.
Families displaced by four consecutive failed rainy seasons are struggling to survive after losing crops and livestock, leaving thousands to flee with little more than their children. “We faced a very severe drought… my daughter is malnourished,” said Mumino Abdi, a mother at the camp.
The crisis is compounded by global disruptions. According to the UNICEF, conflict in the Middle East has driven up fuel costs and slowed the delivery of essential aid, including food and vaccines, while transport costs have risen sharply.
During a visit to the region on Wednesday, UNICEF chief Catherine Russell warned that children are “on the edge” as overlapping crises strain already fragile health and nutrition systems.
Nearly 6.5 million people in Somalia face severe hunger, while an estimated 1.84 million children under five are at risk of acute malnutrition in 2026. The situation is worsened by the closure of over 400 health and nutrition centres due to funding cuts, leaving many children without care.
In overcrowded hospitals and makeshift shelters, aid workers say conditions are deteriorating rapidly. Without urgent international support, more children risk dying from preventable causes linked to hunger and malnutrition.
