Published: 09 March 2006
Africa in Crisis Again
Christian Aid is launching an emergency appeal for East Africa where millions of people are facing starvation after the region’s worst drought in years.
The United Nations says 11 million people are at risk in Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Djibouti.
Domimic Nutt, Christian Aid’s emergencies specialist is in the region to document a first hand account of the worsening crisis. He was travelling with a professional photographer and his shocking pictures bring home the gravity of the situation.
Dominic reports people begging for water by the side of the road and children walking for miles in search of something to drink. Sadly, because of the dire security situation in Somalia, very few accounts of the suffering there are reaching Britain.
“This is a crisis on the verge of becoming a catastrophe,” he said.
There are dead cattle everywhere and people have sold everything they have to buy food. These are the last few weeks that many people are going to be able to survive without help.”
The aid operation in Somalia, which has no central government and is fragmented into several clan-based factions, is particularly dangerous.
Across the region Christian Aid offices have received reports of people dying of thirst, while up to 70% of livestock have been lost as the predominately pastoralist communities move their cattle in a desperate search for food and water. But the watering holes have dried up and food and animal fodder are scarce across the region.
Food, water and humanitarian aid must reach those affected by the crisis urgently if they are to prevent widespread starvation.
Christian Aid is already working with partners across East Africa in Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia and Tanzania to provide immediate aid.
In Kenya, 3.5 million people are in need of urgent help and Christian Aid is funding water tankers that are providing 52,000 litres of water a day to vulnerable communities.
In southern Ethiopia they are working with the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (EECMY) to distribute water to people in the southern part of the Oromiya region on Kenya’s northern border.
In Somalia they are working with partner Norwegian Church Aid to provide clean water to 30,000 people in the south of the country.
Although drought may be the immediate cause, Christian Aid believes that it is poverty itself that leaves people vulnerable and without alternatives when a disaster strikes.
Evidence now strongly suggests the region will continue to suffer drought caused largely by environmental degradation and climate change.
After the immediate crisis Christian Aid will support partners such as the Anglican Church of Kenya to help people recover from the effects of the drought by providing seeds and tools and repairing or rebuilding local irrigations pumps and engines.
In the longer term we will look at lessening the vulnerability of communities reliant on ever decreasing rainfall.
Further information
East Africa Emergency appeal
Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (EECMY)
Norwegian Church Aid
Anglican Church of Kenya
Challenge yourself to change the world - take part in one of Christian Aid's overseas or UK events
Related articles:
UK Initiative to Improve sanitation in Africa
To find a business you can trust, click on the related categories below: