Drought Endangers Millions of Children in Southern Africa Amid Rising Hunger and School Dropout Rates

In Zimbabwe, the El Nino phenomenon has led to a significant loss of crops and food for many families, particularly in rural areas where agriculture is the primary source of food and income.

The drought has put the education of close to 2 million children at risk, with some dropping out of school for good or forced to miss class. The UN children’s agency reports that 580,000 children in Zimbabwe are at risk of malnutrition due to the effects of El Nino, worsening a humanitarian crisis of economic hardship and outbreaks of diseases such as cholera.

The crisis is overshadowed by others in places like Ukraine, Gaza, and Sudan, making it difficult to secure funding from donors. In Malawi, fewer children are attending class due to a vicious cycle of floods and drought in the past three years.

A report in May by local and international humanitarian organizations highlights the need for families to choose between feeding or sending children to school.

Neighboring Zambia is using a school feeding program targeting over 2 million children to boost school attendance. Zimbabwe recently launched a similar program amid concerns about increased absenteeism and dropout rates caused by the drought.

However, it might be too late for many who drop out, especially girls, as the immediate defense is marriage. Many end up trapped with older, abusive husbands, taking away their potential and cutting short their dreams, and the poverty cycle continues.