Kenya Missions of Hope: Floods Cause Loss of Life and Lots of Damage

There has been so much damage and loss of life in Kenya due to floods. Just this weekend, flooding struck near where Jonah from Missions of Hope is staying. He went to survey the damage.  You can read the story by clicking the link below.  As always, our hearts go out to these people who have so little and are struck by yet more calamity.

Kenya Missions of Hope: Floods Cause Loss of Life and Lots of Damage: "Three people are missing while close to 40 families have been left homeless in Nakuru town after their homes were swept by raging floods o...

Such a beautiful and dignified looking mama. She holds a lot of the experiences of a hard life in her eyes.

Crisis In the Horn of Africa

In my last post, I let my readers know about the urgent food insecurity situation in Kenya and Somalia, and in the whole of the Horn of Africa.

I was surprised that several people were unaware of the drought in this part of the world. Many people seem to be experiencing inadequate information or not getting updates on the situation there in East Africa.

Here is a map to help you find the countries of Kenya and Somalia. See eastern Kenya just under Yemen in the middle east.

The United Nations has reclassified the situation from a  "drought" to a "famine" due to the severity of the crisis. If I understand correctly, they say the world has been slow to respond to the situation in the Horn of Africa.  By upgrading the description of the situation to a "famine" they hope to illustrate for the world just how critical the situation is. 

So in light of the urgency of the crisis, I've decided to present a few facts and show you some videos.  This will help you to get a quick overview of the situation and to help if you are so inclined.  There is plenty of information on line but I know that some people are unable to go on line for various reasons. Hopefully this overview (in blue font) which I've taken from the World Food Programme website and the videos will give you a quick introduction. If you have a connection fast enough to watch the videos please do. Each of them are only 2 and a half  minutes long.

Overview

Kenya is experiencing one of the worst droughts in recent years. Northern Kenya is particularly affected and the government has declared the drought in this region a national disaster. The poor March to May 2011 long rains, coming successively after the failed October to December 2010, have greatly undermined the food security situation in the country. Up to 3.5 million people are affected by the drought and their plight has been worsened by high food prices resulting from both local and global factors. A mid-season assessment of the March to May long rains indicated a dismal performance of the rains and it is projected that up to 3.5 million people will need food assistance from August, a 1.1 million increase from the current 2.4 million. The actual number will be determined by the July long rains assessment, the results of which are expected in August.

The number of severely malnourished children admitted to hospital has increased by 78 percent this year compared to last year. Malnutrition rates among children below the age of five years have risen dramatically with reports of up to 37 percent in some northern districts -- more than double the emergency threshold of 15 percent. The most affected districts are Turkana, Moyale, Isiolo, Wajir, Mandera and Marsabit. WFP is providing supplementary food assistance to about 80,000 children and pregnant and nursing mothers. To curb the increase in the rate of malnutrition in northern Kenya, WFP is strengthening the supplementary food assistance safety net by linking it to general food distribution to ensure that the supplementary food is used to address malnutrition among those affected. In addition, WFP plans to give blanket supplementary food assistance to all children under the age of five and pregnant and lactating mothers in the six most affected districts in northern Kenya.

Dadaab refugee camp in north-eastern Kenya continues to receive large influxes of refugees mainly from Somalia with about 30,000 new arrivals in June alone. Kenya currently has about 447,000 refugees with Dadaab hosting about 368,000 and Kakuma in north-western Kenya about 79,000. Most of the refugees arriving in Dadaab have high malnutrition rates, having walked long distances with little or no food and water. WFP is providing the new arrivals with a 15-day ration of food at reception centres as they await registration after which they are included in the regular food register for refugees. WFP also provides refugees with supplementary food assistance for malnourished children, pregnant and nursing mothers, in addition to a mid-morning meal for all primary and pre-primary school children and a take home ration for girls.

School meals remain an important safety net for many communities. WFP is providing school meals for 670,500 pre-primary and primary school children in arid and semi arid areas and in the slums in Nairobi. The Government of Kenya, through the Ministry of Education is also feeding 610,000 of school children through the Home Grown School Feeding programme.

WFP is gradually scaling down short term interventions in favour of recovery activities such as food-for-assets (FFA) and Seasonal Cash for Assets (SCFA) through which WFP, in collaboration with the government, is developing appropriate skills to enable communities to improve their resilience and adaptation to climate change in addition to encouraging them to invest in their future. About 830,000 people are benefitting under these projects. In addition, WFP is providing a market for small-scale farmers under the purchase for progress (P4P) programme. WFP, working with partners, also builds the capacity of the small-scale farmers in WFP procurement modalities, warehouse management, quality assurance and record keeping.

Kenya is a low-income food-deficit country with a GDP per capita of about US$759 (2009 World Bank) and a Gross National Income (GNI) of USD 1628 (2010 UNDP). The 2010 UNDP Human Development Report ranked Kenya among the “low human development” countries of the world, placing it 128th out of 169countries.

WFP operations in Kenya support the Government's efforts in implementing all eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

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I think you can appreciate that the already critical situation in Kenya is being exacerbated by the devastating situation in Somalia.  The Kenyan people need help in addressing their own food insecurity issues and on top of that, they need help to address the overwhelming needs of the Somali refugees who are streaming into different parts of Kenya.  I am encouraged that some relief efforts will focus on activities which will hopefully minimize the need for short term interventions in future, at least as far as it is possible to do so for one can't predict natural disasters and wars which impact on food security.

 

This first video addresses the Kenyan food insecurity issues which I addressed in my post here.

This second video illustrates the plight of the Somalis who trek to the Dadaab Refugee Centre in Northern Kenya.

I have put up two buttons on my blog (see right side of my blog)  if you would like to make a donation to help alleviate the food insecurity crisis.  They will be up for a least a few days to make it easier for you to donate if you wish.

One button is for the World Food Programme.

The other button is for World Vision.

These organizations are seeking donations.  There are also other organizations seeking donations and to which you could donate if you choose. Some of these are the International Red Cross, Save the Children international and many others.  I'm sure you will know which ones exist in your respective countries.

Please don't feel that you can't help. I read on one website that even $1.00 (one dollar) will feed four kids. Every little bit helps.

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If you can't give money, each of the international aid organizations also has other ways you can help.  Please check out their websites and find out how.

In closing, I wanted to mention too that the World Food Programme has implemented an interesting way of giving which I just learned about today. It's called "wefeedback".

It's easy: You choose your favorite food, put it into the Feedback Calculator along with the estimated cost, and then calculate how many hungry children this would feed. The next step is to donate exactly that amount.

You can do that here
http://wefeedback.org/calculator

I used the calculator and found out I could have fed 32 children with the $8.00 I spent on an inexpensive dinner out at McDonald's. Now I don't eat out that often but I think I would rather spend it on feeding 32 children so I will be making that contribution very soon.

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 Pastor Jonah, of Missions of Hope also hopes to be undertaking food relief to the Pokot peoples in the Kerio Valley area  next month. 

If you would like to help him do that we would so appreciate it.  

You can click to donate here.

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Do You Know What You Will Eat Today?

My blogging friends,

If you know what you will eat today, you are very blessed indeed.

In case any of you are in doubt about whether there are starving Kenyans in the Nation of Kenya, East Africa, I wanted to post this opinion piece from the country's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Mr. Uhuru Kenyatta, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance. He was making a heart felt appeal to the nation through his opinion piece, which I have reproduced in full below (you can also click on the word "opinion piece" to be linked to the original post).

I also wanted to show you what my friend Jonah from the Missions of Hope has been doing in northern Kenya in terms of food aid.  The food relief effort shown in the photos, occurred in March of 2011. It was a relief effort to help the northern Pokot peoples.  Jonah would like to go again next month if he is able to get more food aid and helpers.

I am not making any appeal for money in this post (although anyone who wants to help Jonah with food aid to the Pokot is free to do so here). Mostly this post is to let you know what is happening at this moment in Kenya in case you haven't yet seen it on the news. My friends in Kenya are working as hard as they can to help themselves and help others. Please keep them in prayer. Pray too for peace and plenty in the Horn of Africa and for coordinated efforts at humanitarian aid.

Pokot tribal people in  northwestern Kenya gather for food relief

Village women gather excitedly around the convoy.

Jonah of Missions of Hope and his team of volunteers were able to take food to the Pokot peoples a few months ago. The food shortage has been ongoing for some time in parts of Kenya. 

 Jonah hopes to take another team with food relief in August. 
Please pray for him to have enough helpers and adequate supplies.
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Let’s help our starving fellow Kenyans

Posted by Opinion Leaders on July 29, 2011

 

BY UHURU KENYATTA
My fellow Kenyans it is abundantly clear that we are faced with a crisis of great magnitude.
Our fellow Kenyans are in dire need of food assistance, and several of them have trekked for long distances looking for food and water in order to sustain themselves.
Despite the efforts that the Government has put in place which includes medium to long term measures to address food security as articulated through the last Budget, I appreciate that this situation is urgent and demands urgent action.
These are times when we have to come together as a people, put aside our differences and realise that we are all Kenyans bound by a common heritage and it is our duty to preserve and uphold the dignity and livelihood of one another.
This spirit has been exhibited in the past; during early years of our independence under the call ‘Harambee’, we came together to build our emerging nation. More recently following the turmoil around the events of the last election we came together to assist one another.
My fellow Kenyans, today we are faced with a similar call to sacrifice. I sincerely applaud the Kenyans who have come together to raise money through the Kenyans for Kenya and Feed Kenya initiatives.
I encourage other Kenyans to also come together as individuals in their everyday lives to form groups and make their own contribution towards these efforts. Let us also keep contributing through MPESA to PayBill 111111 or KCB account 1133333338.
The ideal of Kenyans coming out to help other Kenyans is one that I support and has always been close to my heart. Even once we get through this crisis, because we will, this spirit should remain.
In addition to monetary contributions, I appeal to you to come out and volunteer to help our brothers and sisters who are facing this calamity.
It is in times like this that we must look beyond our differences and act as patriotic Kenyans. Always Remembering that we are Kenyans. One people under one flag.
(Mr Kenyatta is the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance)

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For those of you unfamiliar with the MPesa is a system in Kenya of transferring money to others or paying bills through your mobile phone. This is a wonderful mechanism because many Kenyans live in rural areas without access to banks and bank accounts. In virtually every part of the country you will find a cell phone service provider. Safaricom is, I think the largest provider and they have MPesa but other cell providers have a similar service.

 In addition to starving Kenyans in parts of Kenya, there are now many Somalian refugees streaming into Kenya due to drought and famine. Please pray for this situation as international aid agencies and the United Nations grapple with the crisis.  Also pray for food to be able to be equitably and safely distributed in both Kenya and Somalia to people who really need it. Read more here about hunger in the Horn of Africa.

Photo credits: Jonah at Missions of Hope
Story Credit:  Capital FM Kenya Blog

A Pause - Blue Monday, January 24, 2011

Hi friends,

I have organized a schedule of posts for the next week or so while I'm travelling. I hope you enjoy them.  Right now though I would like to draw your attention to two worthwhile posts which you probably won't have had a chance to read.

First, there was the installation of the new Bishop for the Africa Gospel Church in Kenya. The installation of Rev. Doctor R. Langat was a huge event which included his family and many dignitaries in attendance. You can read about his installation here. There was also gospel music by the renowned singer, Emmy Kosgei and performances by traditional Kenyan dancers.

Second, there is a serious drought problem in some parts of Kenya. This has led to a build up of tensions and clashes in various communities over food and water.

My friends are doing their part to try and assist the people. Please see their efforts in a photo essay here.  I was so proud of my friends. They are of humble means but they go above and beyond the call of duty to assist and lift up their countrymen.  It is very touching to me to see this kind of love in action.

Feel free to leave a comment at either of these posts and say a prayer that the wounds would be healed and that these people would have adequate food and water. You can see by their faces and by their bodies, that the challenges are taking a huge toll on the people.

For more Blue Monday, join Smiling Sally and many others here.

How are you Spending Christmas?

Hello blogging friends,

I am sending you Merry Christmas wishes and praying you are having a good time so far for the holidays. I myself am visiting with my family and will shortly begin to prepare our traditional breakfast waffles before putting in the bird for the dinner later in the day. We are not extravagant in our meal as we once were when my mother was well and able to prepare food. She was well known for hosting large dinners annually for the relatives. It was a bit of an open house at our home every year as children growing up. We always had many drop in guests on Thanksgiving Day, Easter, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

Those days may be gone but mom still likes to host the gathering at her home with me doing the preparations and cooking. I am able to help her in this way to keep her connection as strong as she can as our family is no longer very large and we live far from most relatives.

I am grateful I can provide this support to my family at these special times of the year. This year will be somewhat poignant as mom is not well and she will go into a nursing home in order to get more daily support and overall help.

One of my own personal traditions is remembering those who are not able to have a Christmas full of food, gifts and goodies. I have several places where I like to help a bit and bring some cheer. Recently I took a visit to Kenya. There I distributed some small food items to widows in several villages. You would not believe how HAPPY they were. It warmed my heart so much. I wish I could have done a lot more for these precious people.

Here are a few photos of that special day.

Being led into one of the village homes by the ladies.

Greetings are being made as we settle into the cooking hut.

A widow leads us in prayer.

Waiting for the program to begin.  I don't have all my photos uploaded yet of all the day's activities.  I wish I had one for you now showing the actual food distribution. But I will add more photos later when I get back to  my own home.  These are some of the widows and orphans who were assembled.

The following photos were added December 28, 2010

The widows speak.

A local leader who supports the widows self-help group. He acted as my translator.

The chairwoman of the widow's group smiles broadly after receiving her gift of food.

The secretary of the women's group receives her food.

Widows and orphans gather around and sing a song of happiness during the food distribution.

See the smiles. I was told that they were singing about how God is good and had not forgotten the widows at this time of Christmas.

Here the widows pack up the food and children and head home. Some of them headed to the food that had been prepared for us.

It was a wonderful day there in the village near Kericho, Kenya. I would like to go back again and do more of this kind of work as God enables and blesses me. This distribution of food came about because of the Jiko Stove Project I was working on. You can read more about the project here.

  I'd love to know how you are spending your Christmas Day.

Merry Christmas to each of you. May you find a special day wherever you are. 

If you are alone, reach out to someone else or volunteer your time to help someone in need if you are able and help to spread the season's cheer. 
God bless you all.

Wordless Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Hi friends,

I thought you might be interested in seeing two very short videos about the water drilled in Marigat, Kenya and the people who will receive the gift of water. For more information about this project see Jonah's blog here.





Meet others here for more Wordless Wednesday.

My World Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Hi friends,

I  am so blessed to bring you this guest post from my friend Pastor Jonah who writes to share the excitement of locating the well water in Marigat, Kenya! It really blesses my heart. If you haven't read the background to this project, you may do so here.


Otherwise read on about this huge blessing of God.
 

We have located the water in Marigat, Kenya.  I am so excited!

The engineer in charge, Bernard, informed me that we have enough water. More than we need. What a joy this is! For those who study water, Bernard talked of 10 cubic meters. Apparently when drilling water they often get 2 or 3 cubic meters. So we are truly blessed. Bernard is so excited. That is the excitement that comes with getting water for indeed water is life.

By Friday we will have test pumping for 24 hours just to check if the machines measured well. What an excitement this is.

The villagers here have done their part. We have had enough food for the hard working men. The chairman of the project has donated a big big goat for them, and the chief will do so too. This was all done yesterday at the sight of water. Earlier I had bought some food too for the group just to get us started.

We look forward to the celebrations of 'officially' getting this gift of water from the donors, the Is There Not a Cause team from Trinidad. We are looking forward to that great day. Already gifts of goats and sheep have been given for that 'Big day' which we hope will be maybe October, November or December. Whenever it is, I look forward to it.

In the other pictures, you can see us trying to cross over the River Perkerra. The water was down and we thought we could go and purchase some food in Marigat town. For me it was a tough choice and I had to be courageous to cross this river.

For a peek into what other people are doing on Tuesdays click here.

The Gift of Water

The water situation or the access to clean drinking water is a problem of major proportions for many Kenyans.  In 2007, I travelled to a very hot part of  Kenya to a community called Marigat, located north of Nakuru. There I was introduced to a missionary, a Kenyan national, who was hoping to build a church for the people and bring water to them as well.

I could not raise the funds myself to build a proper well in the community.  Neither did I know anyone or any organization that could bring water to the people. I did what I always do in this situation. I prayed and I scoured the internet for anyone that could help the people I had met; whether it was regarding water or any of the many other needs required in the villages I had visited.

One day, one such group I wrote to was located in Trinidad and Tobago. The group is called Is There Not a Cause. With very little information, the Executive Director, said that her group would visit my friend, Pastor Jonah and his people in Kenya.  While she couldn't be specific about the kind of help her group could provide, she promised to do something.

Many months later, this group did indeed visit Kenya. You can read more about their arrival in Kenya here . I was so happy to hear that they made it to Kenya.  In fact, I was overjoyed!  You see it had been my experience up to that point in time to have many people promise to do something for these Kenyan friends of mine.  In the end those who made promises failed to follow through.

This group indeed made good on their promise. They did many things while in Kenya and brought much relief to the people. You can read the series on their missions trip by clicking here.  On the trip to the community of Marigat in August 2009, one of the young people on that trip  felt touched to help the community get a well and the gift of clean water. You can read about their visit to Marigat here.  After the team returned home to Trinidad they raised the funds needed to dig the well and slowly the work of putting the well in place began.

In November 2009, a water survey was done and the geologist found water in Marigat. This was a huge blessing. Please read the story here.  In February 2010, preparatory work was still on going. You can read about some of this background here.

Well you can see that it has taken just over a year.  But at last the other day, Pastor Jonah sent me a message to say that the drilling trucks were on there way to Marigat to begin drilling the well>  Jonah also said that he was on the way to meet the lorries and the drillers and also the community members of Marigat. You can imagine the excitement and surprise I had. I can also imagine that the villagers in Marigat were even more excited than I was as they have literally been waiting for years and years to get clean water!!!

Here are a few photos of the lorries and the scenes in Marigat this past few days.

The lorry convoy makes it's way from Nairobi to Marigat.

A close up of one of several lorries on the way to Marigat, Kenya to dig the new well.

A drilling lorrie gets stuck in the mud. The irony is that this area doesn't get a lot of rain or water to make mud on the roads.

Here the people are praying before the digging begins.

This is a typical village hut in Marigat. A mother and her child who will benefit from the community well stand in front of their home.

Representatives from Life Water International meet with the beneficiaries of the well. Life Water has been contracted to over see the drilling of the well.

I hope you enjoyed this post. If you or any of your friends would like to help some of the Kenyan villagers, please read more about the Missions of Hope, here and here.