A woman and her toddler suffering from acute malnutrition at the Keita CRENI clinic in Niger.
Niger, located in the arid Sahel region of West-Africa, is in a critical situation with nearly half of its population of 16 million affected by the drought crisis. According to UNICEF, more than 5 million people are facing food shortages – approximately 35 per cent of the country’s entire population. UNICEF also estimates that nearly 394,000 children in Niger will need to be treated for severe acute malnutrition this year. Niger is ranked 186 out of 187 countries on the 2011 UNDP Development Index.