Prolonged drought in Kenya has led to a serious shortage of water. In Nairobi, power is off for three days each week as power stations rely on water to operate.
But more seriously, reports suggest that nearly 4 million people are starving in Kenya today. So much so that World Food Programme are appealing for $230,000 for famine relief.
MAF flights which are able to reach inaccessible areas have taken in emergency food supplies to some of the worst-affected areas.
Ruth Moores, Information Co-ordinator for MAF in Kenya, warns, ‘The situation in northern Kenya is extremely serious. The prediction is that there will be good short rains from October to December. But if the short rains don’t come then I fear that Kenya is heading for a disaster.’
Lack of rain earlier in the year has caused crops to fail. Affected regions usually harvest crops once a year, planting in April and harvesting in September but this year the rains failed to come.
Cattle herders are struggling to keep their herds alive.
According to the WFP it is the worst drought since 2000.
MAF carries out regular flights to the Lodwar area in arid northern Kenya. When our operations team observed that an aircraft was travelling to Lodwar with room for freight, it was an opportunity to bring food supplies.
The team contacted the Diocese of Lodwar who collected the food and distributed it to two nursery schools having difficulty getting relief supplies.
Other flights to Lodwar were filled with one tonne of Unimix - an enriched high energy porridge mix, suitable for malnourished people.
Pilots also flew to Laisamis taking 1000kg of food.
Notes to editors:
Photos are available.
Supporting the work of over 1,000 organisations, Mission Aviation Fellowship has been flying in the developing world for over 60 years. Flights support healthcare, education, relief work, as well as missions and churches. In Kenya, a fleet of 7 aircraft are reaching remote parts of Kenya and Sudan with vital supplies and essential staff.