CARE Canada

Published purpose

March 2014 – The small east African nation of Djibouti faces a number of serious humanitarian problems. Current estimates indicate that some 70,000 people in Djibouti (or about 9% of the total population) do not have access to sufficient, safe or nutritious food. Djibouti also faces some of the worst rates of child malnutrition in the world. Some 49 percent of rural households lack any access to safe drinking water and a further 15 percent must walk for at least three hours to access safe water. The country continues to host more than 21,000 Somali refugees, who are placing a strain on already stretched local resources. With DFATD’s support, CARE Canada is helping to protect the lives and livelihoods of some 3,700 Djiboutians. Activities include: (1) providing cash to improve household purchasing power during the lean season; (2) providing households with water and sanitation kits; (3) establishing four school-based community gardens; and (4) distributing information on water, sanitation and hygiene issues.