Help UNICEF Reach the 45 Million Children at Risk in Eastern and Southern Africa

Outbreaks of health crisis and intensification of the effects of climate change have left thousands of children in Southern and Eastern Africa in vulnerable situations. Cholera is endangering children’s lives. Eastern and Southern Africa is grappling with one of the worst cholera outbreaks in decades, with cases rapidly spreading across the region – especially in densely populated urban areas where contaminated water supplies are infecting large numbers of people, including children. Zambia and neighboring countries have been struggling with a cholera outbreak that has surpassed 348,600 cholera cases, including more than 21,000 in Zambia and 28,556 cases in Zimbabwe alone, have been recorded across cholera-affected countries in the region since the beginning of 2023.

The outbreak is now present in at 18 countries in the region such as Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, South Africa, Comoros, and Somalia, accounting for over 4,000 confirmed deaths and affecting thousands of others. A recent new drought in Zambia, and an extreme flooding crisis in Kenya, Ethiopia, and Burundi, has only worsened the situation, leading to increased vulnerabilities for families and communities.

UNICEF is on the ground working closely with government counterparts and local partners to assess the situation and strengthen an already robust response to ensure children and families are protected and supported. For UNICEF to scale up and respond effectively and equitably based on need, support for the regional response will play a critical role. UNICEF’s lifesaving response is focused on:

• Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH): Providing access to clean drinking water and handwashing with soap for the most vulnerable people affected by cholera outbreaks
• Risk communication and community engagement (RCCE): Collaborating with partners to engage at-risk communities and empower community behavior change and reduce transmission risks.
• Education: Working with governments to keep schools safely open to allow for continued learning in a protective environment.
• Health: Prioritizing access to effective case management and supplies (e.g., community-based oral rehydration points, cholera kits).
• Vaccination: Supporting governments and the WHO to map at-risk populations and carry out oral cholera vaccination (OCV) campaigns, while providing operational logistics, including last-mile delivery.

With your support, UNICEF can continue its fight against cholera and continue its lifesaving work for children in the region. Thank you.