If you’ve been visiting our website, you know we’ve written a lot about the ongoing food crisis in the Sahel. A million children’s lives are at risk, and UNICEF and partners are working tirelessly to help them survive. But if you’re like me, you’ve probably wondered what that work on the ground actually looks like.
We recently received photos from Mauritania, and we thought we would share them with you, so you can take a closer look at UNICEF’s work in the field.

I recently had the opportunity to organize a roundtable discussion on the emergency in the Sahel region of Africa. The event, co-hosted by the U.S. Fund for UNICEF and the Corporate Council on Africa, provided corporate participants an overview of the crisis and the impact of the drought and malnutrition on the region. Guillaume Sauval, Emergency Specialist at UNICEF’s Office of Emergency Programs, explained that the causes of hunger and malnutrition in the region are deeply rooted, with chronic underdevelopment and multiple droughts in recent years leaving the population vulnerable, even to small shocks.

Mauritania—one of the nine Sahel countries that are grappling with a life-threatening nutrition crisis—is facing a double emergency. In addition to the food crisis, the country must handle an influx of refugees from neighboring, conflict-torn Mali. All told, some 700,000 people in Mauritania are struggling to get enough to eat. U.S. Fund for UNICEF’s Managing Director of Communications, Mia Brandt, recently traveled to Mauritania and witnessed firsthand the challenges facing families.

Last month, from May 7-11, over 1,000 U.S. Fund for UNICEF volunteers participated in Live Below the Line, a project implemented by the Global Poverty Project. Volunteers were encouraged to live in solidarity with the 1.4 billion people (25% of the world’s population) surviving in extreme poverty, by living off of just $1.50 per day for food for five days. UNICEF Volunteers of all ages took part in this “…movement of passionate people willing and able to make a meaningful difference to those who need it most.” Collectively, UNICEF supporters fundraised over $29,000, which will go directly to supporting UNICEF’s relief efforts in the Sahel.

Tune in to World News with Diane Sawyer and Nightline tonight on ABC for an on-the-ground report on the food crisis threatening the survival of more than 1 million children across the Sahel region of west and Central Africa. ABC is reporting from Niger, one of eight countries reeling from the current crisis. UNICEF has been at the forefront of sounding the alarm for the children across the region suffering from the effects of a severe drought, rising food prices and the resulting food crisis.

We have been working especially hard to raise awareness of the catastrophic crisis unfolding right now in the Sahel region in Africa. It’s hard to fathom, but a million children could die if they are not given the urgent help they need. The response from our supporters has been terrific, and we’re especially fortunate to have UNICEF Ambassador Selena Gomez on our team. The talented actress, recording artist and designer has once again lent her support to UNICEF and spread the word about this crisis. Recently, Selena visited OPSCEN—UNICEF’s Office of Emergency Operations Center—in New York, where she toured UNICEF’s behind-the-scenes operations, and recorded a PSA, urging people to donate to UNICEF’s emergency relief efforts in the Sahel.