Humanitarian aid is not keeping up with the ever-growing needs of the millions of people impacted by record-long drought in Somalia.

As famine looms, parents are going to extreme lengths to keep their children fed. "I poison my children in order to survive," Maceey told The New Humanitarian, as the mother described intentionally making her children sick with a beverage of water and detergent so they can be admitted to health centers and have access to basic food.

Some struggling families have even sold their young daughters into marriage in exchange for money for food.

"My father told me I had to marry this old man," said 15-year-old Maryan. "He told me this would improve our family’s life because we would be able to stay in the camp free of charge and receive additional support."

Maryan told The New Republic she initially resisted the marriage, but eventually gave in because she was so worried about her family’s dire financial situation. Unfortunately, the marriage did not provide the promised assistance.

Please, rush in an emergency gift to deliver lifesaving care to women and girls in Somalia and beyond. While the world looks away and international funding slows, your donations have never been more important.

Another mother described resorting to desperate measures by renting babies while begging for food and money. "When I beg with this baby on my back, people pity me," Amino said. "When I take this child with me, I get an average of about $12 worth of donations a day."

"Sometimes I feel guilty," Shumey, who rents her children to beggars in exchange for a share of the profit, told the publication. "But I have no choice, because I have to feed them and I don’t have any skills to help me get a job."

Stories like Maceey’s, Maryan’s, Amino’s, and Shumey’s will only become more prevalent and commonplace as Somalia plunges toward famine and funding for humanitarian aid can’t keep up with the crisis.

Their only beacon of hope in the darkest days is the lifeline made possible by generous donors, like you, who are stepping up to fill the funding gaps.

UNFPA is on the ground thanks to your unwavering support — opening centers to address the deep scars of violence against women, deploying midwives to assist safe births, distributing dignity kits to ensure displaced women and girls can still manage their periods with dignity, and delivering care where it’s needed most.

As needs mount, millions are counting on your support. Make an emergency gift today to deliver lifesaving care to the forgotten women and girls facing the most disparate impacts of drought, famine, and crisis around the world.

Thank you for not looking away.

— USA for UNFPA