Special Appeal for children displaced by drought

We have had a reasonable amount of rainfall in Kenya this year in the main farming areas.  However, we also had extremes of sever flooding earlier in the year in Nairobi and insufficient rain in northern areas.  We have learned we must accept what appears to be permanent changes to traditional weather patterns and increasingly long spells of drought in northern Kenya.  This results in ongoing migration of families and youths to areas where there is less scarcity of food and water.  Kitale has an ever increasing population of tribes such as Turkana from northern Kenya.  It is difficult for them to leave family and community behind and start new lives.  We do all we can to help, in particular working with the youth to obtain education and vocational training.  We accept that this is not a temporary situation.

Thank you for any help you can provide for these people who have to leave a harsh climate for an area unknown and not always easy or welcoming. 

There is no doubt in the minds of those living in this part of the world that climate change is very, very real.  In recent years we have observed drastic changes in our weather patterns and increasing episodes of severe and prolonged drought.  This drought is occasionally relieved by short and heavier than usual rainfall which invariably causes horrific flooding and landslides in areas where the soil conditions cant cope with the deluge - often due to the impact of the previous drought. 

Kenya made international headlines a few weeks ago due to horrific flooding in parts of the country which displaced over 100,000 people and killed more than 200.  Hundreds of schools remain closed due to flood damage and nationwide schools had to close for two weeks at the peak of the crisis.  

In Kitale, we were lucky and, although we experienced incredible rainfall, we did not suffer too much flooding.  However, areas north of our town in West Pokot and Turkana were not so lucky and many were displaced and major roads damaged cutting off supply lines.  As soon as we could, we linked up with our colleagues in those areas and assisted in sending emergency supplies of food, bedding, clothing etc.  At the end of last year, we were sending food because of drought - only a few months later we were doing the same because of flooding.  

We hope that over the coming weeks, many of those displaced will be able to find alternative long term housing options but this is becoming more and more difficult in regions where the climate brings so much danger. 

Thank you for any help you can provide.