This timeline gives a very brief rundown of both west and east Africa. This made the explaining of the crisis and order of it much easier when writing the paper.

http://donate.worldvision.org/OA_HTML/xxwv2ibeCCtpItmDspRte.jsp?cmp=KNC-113655240&item=2327282&go=item&section=10339&xxwvCampaign=113655240&prod=Fq-DDx3D0ddiRShBtTartwZs:S&prod_pses=ZG0778C1842764790A1CF30E6539E264C3F8F3A18639B9273EECA51073BF8ED92345CA28D3F25CC42A0ABB12045E00974F27BF90CBEC61959B

^^^The Famine has begun to spread to the western region of Africa. People in the area of Niger are at risk of dying just like the people the Horn of Africa. Again, the ones who the most at risk, are children pregnant women, and the elderly. The areas under the biggest threat in the west are Niger, and Mali.


I have found another blog doing basically the same thing as me, but this person has found some good info concerning both the east and west parts of Africa and the food shortage. It also gives a timeline of each.
http://30hourfamine.org/blog/2012/03/africa-the-west-and-east-side-story/

In the Horn of Africa, lack of rain in the past has caused the people of those regions to declare a famine. People from regions such as Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Djibouti are in jeopardy of losing their lives because they have no food or water. Many people, mostly children are suffering from malnutrition. They are all being forced to leave their homes to refugees, which are in some cases a hundred miles away. They are forced to walk with their families in order to get any kind of help. On these trips, families are dying from lack water, food, as well as from the harsh conditions of the land.

The most affected area of the famine is in Somalia, but thousands of people are fleeing to to refugees in Kenya, and Ethiopia where hundreds of thousands of people are being kept in the refugees. It is the worst drought in more than 60 years, and it has affected more than 12 million people in the regions. People are in need of food, water, medicine, and shelter. They are being crammed into places that are way over the max already, and it is not making things much better. The disaster started in Somalia, and has expanded to these other regions, and now it is also spreading toward Western Africa.

Many groups and organizations and governments are trying to raise awareness and help out the people of East Africa. The crisis is a huge problem, yet not many people really know what is going on. This is along-term problem, and will affect the lives of many forever.

http://www.osv.com/tabid/7621/itemid/8279/East-Africa-famine-threatens-lives-of-12-million.aspx
The Kenyan government does not want to open more refugees because they feel it leaves them open to attacks by terrorists. “We cannot allow uncontrolled influx of refugees from Somalia, because that will make us vulnerable to terrorist attacks by the al-Shabab,” Raila Odinga, Kenya’s prime minister, said. “It is a very risky situation.” Al-Shabab has said that they will attack Eastern African countries for supporting the Mogadishu governemnt. Obama has stated that the crisis needs more attention here in the US as well as international attention.

http://www.unicefusa.org/work/emergencies/horn-of-africa/?gclid=CJLU1orY-q4CFcRM4AodG1Wsvg

Worst drought in 60 years. People from famine-declared areas are going to refugee camps in Kenya and Ethiopia. It is very dangerous for the famine struck people to even reach the refugees. Some have to travel up to a hundred miles on foot to reach the nearest refugee camp. Many do not survive the trip because of the scorching heat and lack of water and food.
http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2011/07/famine-in-east-africa/100115/

Areas affected by the Drought/Famine: Horn of Africa, which includes, Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti.