Nairobi, 7 October 2025 — The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has launched an emergency appeal for 25 million Swiss francs to help the Somali Red Crescent Society (SRCS) respond to a worsening humanitarian crisis that has left millions struggling for survival amid failed rains, food shortages, and collapsing local systems.
Naemi Heita, IFRC Head of Delegation, Nairobi Country Cluster for Kenya and Somalia, said:
“This climate-driven drought is deepening an already complex humanitarian crisis, stripping communities of water, food, and fodder. SRCS volunteers remain on the frontlines, committed to helping their neighbours.”
A crisis that’s far from seasonal
Somalia remains one of the world’s most complex humanitarian contexts, shaped by decades of conflict, economic fragility and climate extremes.
The country is grappling with the aftermath of its worst drought in 40 years and catastrophic floods in 2023. The failed Gu rains (April – June) triggered new drought declarations, while forecasts warn that Deyr rains (October – December) will also fall short. More than 2.5 million people are facing severe shortages of food, water and essential services.
Health centres are closing, displacement is rising, and community coping mechanisms – once a vital safety net – are now at a breaking point. Some communities have been relying on sharing scarce resources, migrating in search of water and pasture, selling livestock, and reducing meals, but these strategies are no longer enough.
After years of recurring droughts and limited recovery time, these traditional safety nets are collapsing, leaving families with no options and in urgent need of sustained, life-saving support.
Local responders on the frontlines
Despite insecurity, damaged roads and shrinking funds, the Somali Red Crescent Society continues to reach those most in need.
With over 1,000 staff and 20,000 volunteers across 18 branches, SRCS provides health care, clean water, sanitation, shelter, and food support, often in areas inaccessible to others. In 2024 alone, SRCS reached 1.2 million people, demonstrating its unmatched community reach and trust.
Yusuf Hassan, President, Somali Red Crescent Society (SRCS), said:
“This appeal is an urgent call to the international community to help sustain life-saving operations, as communities exhaust their final coping strategies and essential services scale down. We must act now to protect lives, save livelihoods, and offer a chance for recovery and hope.”
Scaling up the response
The IFRC emergency appeal will enable the Somali Red Crescent Society (SRCS) to scale up life-saving and early recovery efforts across the country. This includes restoring clean water, improving sanitation, supporting food and livelihood recovery, and delivering essential health and nutrition services.
All activities will integrate protection, gender, and inclusion to ensure communities are supported safely and with dignity. The IFRC and SRCS are urging donors, governments, and partners to stand with the people of Somalia and help close the growing funding gap.
Note to editors: Audiovisual materials of the emergency response are available for download.
For more information or to request an interview, please contact: [email protected]
In Nairobi:
SRCS: Abdulkadir Afi: +254 725 687 768
IFRC: Timothy Maina: +254 110 848 161
Susan Mbalu: +254 733 827 654
In Geneva: Tommaso Della Longa: +41 79 708 43 67
Nora Peter: +36 70 953 7709