
Turning Climate Hardship into Hope in Eastern and Southern Africa
Extreme weather events and other climate-driven disasters are hardest on children. UNICEF is mainstreaming climate-smart programming — working with and within communities to protect and empower young people, mitigate negative impacts and strengthen resilience. A look at ongoing projects in Kenya, Madagascar, South Sudan and other countries in the region.
Right now, the lives of the most vulnerable children hang in the balance as conflicts and crises jeopardize the care and protection that they deserve. Dependable, uninterrupted and effective foreign aid is critical to the well-being of millions of children. Please contact your members of Congress and urge them to support ongoing U.S. investments in foreign assistance.
A childhood at the epicenter of the climate crisis
At least 51 million children in Eastern and Southern Africa are at the epicenter of the climate crisis, bearing the brunt of its impacts.
In a region where 70 percent of people rely on agriculture to survive, destructive and deadly weather patterns are profoundly challenging people’s health, lives and livelihoods. Public health emergencies, conflict, displacement and economic instability only intensify widespread hardships.
Much of what is happening is linked to El Niño and La Niña. Originating in the Pacific Ocean, far from the African continent, these weather phenomena reflect the two end points of ocean temperature fluctuations — a cycle that swings back and forth every three to seven years, linked to the strength of the trade winds. El Niño occurs when the trade winds are weaker. La Niña occurs when they are stronger. Both are intensified by global warming.
As a result, extreme weather events have become more frequent, leading to more droughts and more flooding across the region and beyond, while also disrupting food production and access to safe water and sanitation, health and nutrition.
Since 1980, El Niño has made its presence felt eight times, with the latest surge beginning in June 2023. In 2024, the World Meteorological Organization warned of a possible shift from El Niño to La Niña, which would mean more dramatic weather changes yet to come.
This is not just an environmental disaster. It is a profound humanitarian tragedy.

An urgent need for action to protect already vulnerable communities
In especially climate vulnerable regions, including those that also experience cyclical weather patterns like El Niño and La Niña, children are ensnared in a relentless cycle of escalating exposure and vulnerability, severely jeopardizing their chance of survival and their ability to grow and thrive.
Related: Climate Change and Children's Health
Nearly half of all people in Eastern and Southern Africa are children under the age of 18, a fast- growing population segment expected to reach 375 million in 2050. Today in the region, 51 million children are living through multiple and often overlapping crises intensified by the unpredictability of climate-exacerbated weather patterns. El Niño and La Niña related floods and droughts have devastated water, sanitation and health systems across the region.
Cholera and mpox outbreaks have intensified the situation for millions of people.
Heavy rains and flooding decimate crops, contaminate water supplies, overwhelm sanitation systems and displace populations in areas already burdened with weak infrastructure. Drastic rainfall deficits and record-high temperatures also affect crop growth, leading to widespread harvest failures and livestock deaths — pushing rural communities to the brink of collapse.
Both extremes result in significant, widespread food insecurity and malnutrition, and heightened risks of disease.
A 2024 UNICEF report on child food poverty and nutrition deprivation in early childhood estimates that 1 in 3 children under 5 in Africa — around 64 million — are trapped in severe child food poverty, with their lives marked by inequity, conflict and climate-induced deprivation. These children are up to 50 percent more likely to suffer from wasting, a deadly form of malnutrition that threatens their very survival.
Meanwhile, essential climate financing for adaptation, mitigation and response remains terribly inadequate.
Six countries — Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe — have declared a state of emergency.
“The climate crisis is a crisis for children in the region," Etleva Kadili, UNICEF's Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa explains. "Alongside immediate lifesaving aid, sustained and flexible support from donors, including joint investments and innovative financing in climate prevention and preparedness, will be vital in saving lives and strengthening the resilience of children repeatedly hit by climate emergencies."
In an environment of extreme weather events, natural disasters and continuing conflict, political instability and poverty, UNICEF is mainstreaming climate-smart programming, working with and within communities to protect and empower children and young adolescents and strengthen people’s resilience and adaptive abilities to climate shocks, especially those brought on by El Niño and La Niña.
UNICEF’s efforts to reduce its own emissions through the use of sustainable energy alternatives — a critical pillar in creating hope through protection, empowerment and reduction
UNICEF’s Sustainability and Climate Change Action Plan outlines a road map to transform how communities, governments and global leaders can work together to prioritize the needs of children.
The three components of that plan are to:
- PROTECT the lives, health and well-being of children and the resilience of their communities: UNICEF prioritizes the protection of children by working with them and their families to strengthen resilience across their communities and helping to adapt essential social services to the changing climate, the more frequent disasters and a degrading environment.
- EMPOWER every child to be a champion of their environment: UNICEF’s efforts toward empowering every child to become a proactive champion for the environment throughout their life journey is also a key pillar in addressing the impact of climate change in Eastern and Southern Africa. To ensure a hopeful future, it is vital to equip children and young people with essential knowledge about climate, weather and environmental challenges, inspiring them to take meaningful action. UNICEF aims to offer children the platforms to transform themselves from passive observers into dynamic stakeholders who can influence decisions and lead the charge for climate responsibility. For the many climate champions already doing climate resilience and adaptation work, UNICEF provides the platform to raise and amplify their voices.
- REDUCE emissions and fulfill sustainability and climate change agreements: Despite their minimal contribution to emissions, climate change disproportionately harms children and youth. This is why UNICEF also prioritizes accelerating its efforts to reduce its environmental footprint. These efforts include setting a goal of reducing internal greenhouse gas emissions from its operations by 45 percent by 2030 and continuing to offset remaining emissions. Knowing that it is human-induced global warming that intensifies the El Niño and La Niña weather phenomena, UNICEF takes the reduction of its own emissions seriously in the fight to protect children from this environmental crisis.
This three-tiered approach of protection, empowerment and reduction is essential in creating a critical mass of climate action that enables UNICEF to both respond to the urgent humanitarian needs of children and their families and address the deeper causes and impacts of El Niño, La Niña and climate change.
By linking immediate humanitarian response with long-term climate resilience and adaptation strategies, UNICEF ensures that urgent needs are addressed and a sustainable foundation is built for the future, protecting the most vulnerable children from the ongoing impacts of climate change and extreme weather, while strengthening their communities to withstand future crises.
Resilience building and systems strengthening — key aspects of UNICEF’s long-term approach to the climate crisis
Resilience building and systems strengthening are key aspects of UNICEF’s long-term approach. That approach focuses on enhancing the capacity of health, education, water, sanitation, child protection and social protection systems in countries profoundly impacted by El Niño, La Niña and climate change.
Here are three examples of how UNICEF and partners are turning hardship into hope.

Climate-smart water systems in Kenya
For many years, Naram, a 30-year-old mother of two in Sesia village, Samburu County, Kenya, endured a grueling daily routine. She would walk nearly 10 miles to fetch unsafe water, leading to frequent illnesses for her children. Today, she gets her water from a kiosk just steps from her home, installed by the community with support from UNICEF and partners.
As Naram fills her jerrycan, her 2-year-old daughter clings to her back. Naram says she feels profound relief knowing her family now has access to clean, safe water. This life-changing resource, provided by a rehabilitated climate-smart borehole, benefits over 400 households and a nearby early childhood education center.
“I am happy and grateful,” she says. “I don’t have to walk long distances to get water, and I now have plenty of time to care for my children.”
In Samburu County, over 26,000 people now enjoy climate-resilient water services thanks to three new sand dams and eight boreholes rehabilitated to run on solar power.
One of the advantages of a solar-powered water system is that it provides sustainable, safe water without relying on grid electricity or expensive, polluting diesel generators. The community builds resilience by reducing its reliance on fossil fuel-based electricity, and the solution helps mitigate climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The boreholes also support livestock and agriculture, protecting livelihoods. For Naram, the improvements mean a flourishing kitchen garden with maize, kale and spinach, ensuring nutritious meals for her children and a secure future.
UNICEF has undertaken similar projects in other countries in the region, including:
- installing 45 solar-powered boreholes in Malawi
- rehabilitating boreholes In drought-prone areas of Somalia
- providing clean water to displaced populations in South Sudan
- supporting climate-smart borehole projects in Ethiopia and Zimbabwe to address drought-related water scarcity
Youth driving climate resilience in South Sudan
In Jonglei State, South Sudan, where devastating floods threaten both people and wildlife, a group of young advocates is stepping up to lead resilience efforts.

These UNICEF Young Reporters, hailing from flood-prone Bor, are not just documenting the challenges they experience but actively working to combat them. As rising waters disrupt education, health and livelihoods, these young people are urging the government and other key stakeholders to construct flood-resilient school structures and ensure access to health supplies during emergencies.
They know that without immediate action, girls in particular are at risk when they don‘t have access to appropriate education, exposing them to increased vulnerability — including being forced into early marriage.
Among the youth advocates is 17-year-old Nathaniel, who highlights the looming threat of malnutrition as floods devastate agriculture. Nathaniel is using his voice to call for urgent government intervention. Meanwhile, his peer, 18-year-old Abuol, expresses her deep concern over the potential rise in the number of school dropouts and early marriages due to the economic impact of climate change.
Their pleas are backed by personal experiences, like fellow advocate Awon’s struggle to access medical care for his mother during the 2020 floods. Awon urges the government and NGOs to help the community ensure easy access to health supplies and facilities during the floods and other extreme, climate-induced weather events.
To build resilience in their community, these and other Young Reporters have initiated a large-scale tree planting campaign in Bor Town, aiming to plant at least 500 trees to mitigate the effects of flooding — a proactive measure that sets a precedent for future environmental efforts. Through their dedication and commitment, these young leaders are not only protecting their community today but also paving the way for a safer, more resilient future for the children of South Sudan.
UNICEF and the World Food Program, alongside multiple partners, are implementing a multi-year Joint Resilience Project that is reaching 550,000 children with integrated health, nutrition, WASH and education services and support — providing nutritious meals to students, developing school gardens to supplement meals with fresh fruit and vegetables and supporting community nutrition volunteers to help prevent malnutrition with screening of young children and education for mothers.
UNICEF also supports nutrition centers that provide counseling to mothers on best feeding practices and the importance of vaccination, school hygiene clubs and the construction of latrines and water kiosks.
Reducing emissions in Madagascar
In Madagascar, the use of renewable energy sources such as solar power enables UNICEF and partners to maintain essential activities, such as health, nutrition and education in environments where access to grid electricity is limited.
The decision to use renewable energy started with UNICEF's sub-office in Ambovombe, which suffered from unreliable, unsecure and unsustainable public grid electricity until it shifted to solar. Today, all zone offices are using 100 percent sustainable energy sourced from solar power.
The approach helps reduce emissions and mitigate the effects of climate change, and community workers are able to keep services going, even when traditional electric power grids go down.

With the increased pressure on humanitarian funding and the insufficient climate mitigation and adaptation funds available — just 2.4 percent of key global climate funds can be classified as supporting child-responsive activities — donor support is needed now more than ever.
Learn more about how UNICEF is responding to the global climate emergency — and how you can help.
Right now, the lives of vulnerable children hang in the balance. UNICEF's work to save and protect them is made possible through support in the form of voluntary contributions from governments, intergovernmental organizations, foundations, the private sector and individuals. For decades, the U.S. Government has been a critical partner in supporting UNICEF's work to deliver results for children. Please contact your members of Congress and urge them to support ongoing U.S. investments in foreign assistance.
This article is based on a report written by the UNICEF Humanitarian Funding Unit. Part of the Division of Private Fundraising and Partnerships (PFP), based in Geneva, HFU steers global efforts to maximize fundraising for humanitarian crises and sudden onset disasters. Access the full report here.
HOW TO HELP
There are many ways to make a difference
War, famine, poverty, natural disasters — threats to the world's children keep coming. But UNICEF won't stop working to keep children healthy and safe.
UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories — more places than any other children's organization. UNICEF has the world's largest humanitarian warehouse and, when disaster strikes, can get supplies almost anywhere within 72 hours. Constantly innovating, always advocating for a better world for children, UNICEF works to ensure that every child can grow up healthy, educated, protected and respected.
Would you like to help give all children the opportunity to reach their full potential? There are many ways to get involved.


