Emergency appeal as drought hits Turkana

You will have seen television reports, articles in the newspapers and appeals from emergency relief bodies, all concerning the drought affecting the whole of the horn of Africa. The area with which the charity New Ways is most concerned, Turkana, in north western Kenya is in the middle of this natural disaster and its consequences.

Among the main effects is the fact that the severe drought is killing the animals on which the local population depend for survival. As a result, people, particularly small children and babies, are suffering from malnutrition and are far more susceptible to disease and infection. Common infections are proving fatal.

To make matters worse, there is a huge influx of hungry people. Conflict between different groups is an ongoing problem as different tribes and nationalities fight for water. With the current emergency these tensions are highlighted as mass migration of people from other areas including Ethiopia and Somalia is placing enormous strain on relief efforts

The work of New Ways is crucially important in addressing these problems on an ongoing basis. What is needed in the area is not only food and water but also the infrastructure to enable the people of the area to cope with future droughts. New Ways is active in both these areas.

New Ways supports projects in Turkana to provide food aid to more than 2000 children in 10 nutritional rehabilitation centres across the region - a donation of £90 will provide a child with two meals a day for a year. This is a significant increase as food prices have risen by 50% this year alone.

New Ways supports projects to build water infrastructure that will help alleviate the problems of drought in the long term. We build sustainable water infrastructure including dams, wells and windpumps with the agreement, help and support of the local community who continue with maintenance of the structures once they are build. These are some of the most efficient, low cost solutions and provide long-term benefits. To make a long term, sustainable difference we also need to focus on the long term projects which will help to avoid future emergencies - please continue to help us with your donations and support for this.

Emergency Programme

In the current emergency we also need to look at how best to meet the immediate challenge and our partners in the MCSPA have been very involved in working with the Diocese of Lodwar to draw up an emergency plan for the next few months which builds on existing knowledge and contacts and addresses the needs of the people of Turkana.

Specifically, this emergency plan seeks to fill the gaps in the major relief efforts by targeted distribution of food – there is a significant increase in the number of children attending nursery so they get two meals a day, pregnant and breast feeding mothers need food so they can feed their babies and the elderly who have little food need our support. Please read more on the web page we have set up.

To help with this important emergency work please click and donate at: www.justgiving.com/newways1 or send your cheque to the New Ways office at 47 Cumberland Street London SW1V 4 LY marked emergency appeal.

New Ways is a charity which supports the work of the St Paul's Missionary Community in Turkana. For more information see: www.newways.org.uk/

Angela Docherty