By the time mothers bring their malnourished children to the IRC health facility in the Imvepi refugee settlement, in the north-west part of Uganda, they are often deeply worried because their child is in an extremely weakened state. As the IRC nutrition assistant that meets them, Esther, 28, gives hope to these mothers, letting them know she is there to support their child and to help provide the critical care they need.

In northeast Nigeria, community leaders and government representatives are coming together in hopes of achieving a common goal: to improve their neighbourhoods.

The town of Chaman is located in the Balochistan province of Pakistan, where it also serves as the Afghanistan-Pakistan border crossing. The significance of Chaman’s location, joining Afghanistan's Kandahar province, has led to its use as a trading hub between the neighbouring countries for a long time. However, because its residents face several socioeconomic challenges, Chaman is also a hub for smuggling and other illegal trading activities.

Climatic shocks have created a devastating food insecurity crisis across East Africa. Over the last few years, the dangerous combination of prolonged drought and flooding has led to soaring levels of severe malnutrition, especially among children.