Churches respond to Kenya flood-drought dilemma
-07/11/06
Churches and development age
Churches respond to Kenya flood-drought dilemma
-07/11/06
Churches and development agencies are continuing to assist in Kenya, after Heavy rains in drought hit parts of the country caused severe flooding leaving thousands of people in the north homeless last week.
Among those helping are those aligned with the international ecumenical ACT (Action of Churches Together) network, and the UK-based aid agency CAFOD (Catholic Fund for Overseas Development), which has explained that the rains would not end the drought, but threaten to worsen the already fragile food situation.
On-the-ground observers in Northern Kenya report that the rains have made up to 3,000 people homeless. They have washed away key roads that are used to deliver humanitarian aid to vulnerable communities, who are already coping with the effects of last year’s drought.
Matt Wingate, CAFOD’s Drought Response Manager in Nairobi, the capital, said: “The rains earlier this year were not enough to restore people’s livelihoods. Recovering from drought takes time and many households will be struggling on minimal food until at least the end of the year, The floods have only made matters worse.”
Joseph Samal, the Catholic Diocesan Development Coordinator for Isiolo, added: “We are extremely concerned about possible outbreaks of waterborne diseases and malaria. The floods have damaged pit latrines, which could contaminate drinking water. We are now responding to the immediate needs of the people by providing food and mosquito nets for a thousand families whose homes have been washed away.
CAFOD’s drought response work in Northern Kenya will be ongoing despite the floods. Communities will continue to receive supplementary feeding for the most vulnerable and support will be given to help people find ways to cope during droughts.
Joseph Samal said: “The programme has already improved the nutritional condition of thousands of individuals in Isiolo. The Diocese wants to work alongside CAFOD and communities in Isiolo and Mwingi to help people cope with drought by themselves. Where they cannot, we want to be faster and stronger to respond.”
Esther Busquet, CAFOD’s humanitarian nutritionist, has trained around 80 nurses and community health workers in supplementary feeding programmes. Esther said: “I have been training people how to identifying malnutrition based on a height to weight ratio. The training really helps because it means the most vulnerable receive food quickly.
“If moderate malnutrition becomes severe malnutrition then it is a deadly condition which becomes very hard to cure. If our partners are equipped to deal with malnutrition in the early stages then it can save lives.
Churches respond to Kenya flood-drought dilemma
-07/11/06
Churches and development agencies are continuing to assist in Kenya, after Heavy rains in drought hit parts of the country caused severe flooding leaving thousands of people in the north homeless last week.
Among those helping are those aligned with the international ecumenical ACT (Action of Churches Together) network, and the UK-based aid agency CAFOD (Catholic Fund for Overseas Development), which has explained that the rains would not end the drought, but threaten to worsen the already fragile food situation.
On-the-ground observers in Northern Kenya report that the rains have made up to 3,000 people homeless. They have washed away key roads that are used to deliver humanitarian aid to vulnerable communities, who are already coping with the effects of last year’s drought.
Matt Wingate, CAFOD’s Drought Response Manager in Nairobi, the capital, said: “The rains earlier this year were not enough to restore people’s livelihoods. Recovering from drought takes time and many households will be struggling on minimal food until at least the end of the year, The floods have only made matters worse.”
Joseph Samal, the Catholic Diocesan Development Coordinator for Isiolo, added: “We are extremely concerned about possible outbreaks of waterborne diseases and malaria. The floods have damaged pit latrines, which could contaminate drinking water. We are now responding to the immediate needs of the people by providing food and mosquito nets for a thousand families whose homes have been washed away.
CAFOD’s drought response work in Northern Kenya will be ongoing despite the floods. Communities will continue to receive supplementary feeding for the most vulnerable and support will be given to help people find ways to cope during droughts.
Joseph Samal said: “The programme has already improved the nutritional condition of thousands of individuals in Isiolo. The Diocese wants to work alongside CAFOD and communities in Isiolo and Mwingi to help people cope with drought by themselves. Where they cannot, we want to be faster and stronger to respond.”
Esther Busquet, CAFOD’s humanitarian nutritionist, has trained around 80 nurses and community health workers in supplementary feeding programmes. Esther said: “I have been training people how to identifying malnutrition based on a height to weight ratio. The training really helps because it means the most vulnerable receive food quickly.
“If moderate malnutrition becomes severe malnutrition then it is a deadly condition which becomes very hard to cure. If our partners are equipped to deal with malnutrition in the early stages then it can save lives.