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Women united against drought

Women united against drought

6th February 2009 Kitui, Kenya- Women in Kaikungu village came out in large numbers to provide the much needed ‘woman power’ to complete the community sand dam. One hundred and twenty women mobilize ballast, break stones, mix concrete, fetch water and transport construction materials to the site, all in the hope of stopping a chain of drought that has affected the community for more than a decade.

“We are grateful to many things (water projects) church world service has been starting in our community” Kitui Anglican Church of Kenya Bishop Mule said, in appreciative tone. “This is great love”- he added.

Church World Service launched a fundraising initiative to respond to the drought situation in Kenya threatening with starvation lives of more than 2 million people. Church World Service through its local partners have constructed sad dams, drilled bore holes in drought affected areas to provide water.

“we are pleased to walk with you in search of water” said the visiting Community Responding to Overcome Poverty (CROP) team leader from US. “we walk so you can have water”.

The water project has brought hope to a community which has been reduced to begging due to lack of water for irrigating their kitchen gardens. “Church World Service has brought us far, we now have hope with water near us” said Regina Ibrahim Kaikungu sand dam umbrella chairperson. The drought situation presents a livelihood challenge to most women and children in the area. “With water, we can plant our sukuma (kales) and stop begging” said Regina, with optimism.

The community participates actively in other government projects in what is commonly referred to as ‘food for work’ though the government relief is not sufficient to their needs, it contributes into changing the community once infected with deadly ‘dependency syndrome’ to relief supplies. Kaikungu health centre and Nzauni health centre are living evidence of a community hard work. Though the women are dedicated in breaking the drought chain, poverty threatens to reverse those gains.

Crop failure and high prices of fertilizers have compounded the drought situation in Kitui and larger Ukambani areas of Eastern province. Logging of trees, for charcoal and draining sand from rivers have all contributed to the drought in the area. “lets plant trees after the completion of sand dam” urged Mary Obiero Church World Service Socio Economic Development Programs Coordinator .

ACT International member Church World Service through the local partners Anglican Church or Kenya, Kenya Evangelical Lutheran Church distributed food relief to the residents of Kaikungu and visited new sand dam construction accompanied with CROP walkers team involved in fundraising in the US.