Tuesday, February 1, 2000 - Acting
as the lead agency, World Vision Kenya has continued to distribute Government
food reserves in the famine-stricken Turkana District.
The drought situation in Turkana District
has continued to worsen with an increasing number of children suffering
from malnutrition. World Vision Kenya is currently undertaking a malnutrition
survey. Livestock mortality rates have been increasing, especially among
goats, in Lokitaung Sub-District, Kalokol and Lokori areas which have been
worst hit by the drought.
The drought situation is also worsening in Tana River District of the Coast Province, Wajir District in the North-Eastern Province and Makueni, Marsabit and Moyale Districts in the Eastern Province. As a result, pastoralists are migrating in large numbers from one area to another in search of water and pasture for their animals. This sometimes leads to cattle rustling and fighting among various communities.
Besides Turkana District where World Vision Kenya is distributing relief food, the organisation is also distributing unimix in Tana River, Makueni and Wajir Districts. World Vision Kenya is providing wet feeding at Wajir District Hospital to severely malnourished children and also distributing unimix.
As the drought situation grows worse in many parts of Kenya, no substantial resources have been made available and World Vision Kenya continues to wait for resources from the World Food Program and other donors, particularly for funds to distribute food in Turkana District donated by the Government.
The Kenya Government has appealed to donors and Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) to help provide relief food to an estimated 1.8 million people in 18 of the country's districts worst hit by drought and famine. An estimated 20% or 360,000 of the hungry are children under five years of age.
Meanwhile, National Cereals and Produce Board Managing Director Wilson Koitaba says Kenya faces a maize deficit of up to three million bags before the next harvest. The deficit is in spite of the current harvest estimated at 27 million bags.
© 1999 World Vision Australia