2021 - 2023

Between 2021 and 2023, Somalia and northern parts of Kenya experienced their worst drought in recent history, driving food insecurity for millions and intensifying a decades-long conflict over natural resources.

The unprecedented climatic crisis forced over one million people to leave their homes as the land could no longer provide adequate resources and their livestock succumbed to hunger. These newly displaced populations sought refuge in overcrowded urban settlements throughout the country, where they hoped to access aid and find alternative means of survival.

These photographs were taken over two years in Somalia and Kenya’s hardest-hit areas while working as a Communications Officer the International Organization for Migration (IOM). They contributed to document the harsh reality faced by tens of thousands of women, men, and children as they confronted the dire consequences of climate change.

Extreme weather events became increasingly frequent and intense in the Horn of Africa, disrupting the lives of a population that primarily relied on agriculture and livestock. With little time to recover between these shocks, many people have been forced into informal settlements in major cities and towns. These makeshift communities have became a last refuge for millions witnessing the disappearance of their traditional lifestyles as the impacts of global warming intensify.