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On the way to a borehole for water. Photo by Stephen H. Padre, ACT
Situation
Many Kenyans are suffering extreme drought-caused food shortages. Without immediate intervention and assistance, assessments indicate that starvation in parts of Kenya will become a reality.
Reasons for the lack of food are many and varied. Violence followed the disputed presidential election in December 2007; this severely affected the planting season and stalled maize production across the Rift Valley, the country’s breadbasket — including Kenya’s Western and Nyanza provinces. In 2008 a massive drought struck large sections of Kenya’s Arid and Semi Arid Lands (ASAL), leaving farmers with failing crops. Failure of the short rains in October—December 2008 followed a succession of poor rainy seasons.
PDA Response
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance is working with our mission partner the Presbyterian Church in East Africa (PCEA) and ACT members to minimize human suffering for more than 38,000 households in the worst hit areas and to prepare communities to withstand future droughts.
Specific Response
What PDA is doing right now:
PDA’s One Great Hour of Sharing and designated funds are helping to meet the following needs:
- AGRICULTURE — Provision of drought-tolerant seeds; post-harvest management; provision of farm inputs, tools and equipment
- LIVESTOCK — Support for livestock pest control through dipping and livestock off-take
- HEALTH AND NUTRITION — Mitigation of possible acute malnutrition through provision of supplementary feeding to vulnerable groups
- WATER — Provision of potable water through water trucking; borehole rehabilitation; desilting water pans; rain water harvesting; construction of masonry tanks; provision of PVC tanks; rehabilitation of shallow wells; construction of sand dams
- FOOD — Provision of relief food to most vulnerable families in Ukambani, Kajiado & Turkana areas; supplementary feeding (for a limited period) to the most vulnerable groups affected by drought/famine in Mandera
What you can do
You can stand in the gap for disaster survivors and help the church in this response.
GIVE. The generous sharing of your financial blessings through the One Great Hour of Sharing offering and special designated giving provides the resources needed to assist with immediate and long-term recovery needs.
Individuals may give through their local Presbyterian congregation, on the secure PC(USA) Web site, or by sending their check to:
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Individual Remittance Processing
P.O. Box 643700
Pittsburgh, PA 15264-3700
Please include the special designated giving account DR000131 - Kenya.
Congregations should send donations through their normal mission giving channels.
ACT. Stay informed. Sign up to receive PDA-RIN notices to alert you of additional needs.
PRAY. Please continue in prayer for all who have been affected by the drought and famine situation, especially internally displaced persons still seeking to return to their homes. |
