Facing a famine - Mags Gargan

The Irish Catholic. Date: 4 Aug 2011



Thirteen million people across Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia are living in a humanitarian crisis as a result of what has been described as the most serious drought to have hit east Africa in 60 years. Conditions have become so dire that the UN declared that Somalia is now in famine. However, for the people living in this area, drought and hunger are an almost annual hardship.

''This is a very arid area and the rainfall is very erratic. Last year wasn't too bad but 2008-2009 were very bad. It affects everything; animals die and the people are nomadic pastoralists who rely on goats and sheep,'' explains Tony Woods, a lay missionary with the Voluntary Missionary Movement (VMM), from Doon, Co. Limerick living in Kenya since 1968.

Tony is chancellor of the Diocese of Lodwar, in Turkana, in one of the most remote areas of North West Kenya. The diocese is a key development and emergency actor in the district with a wide range of projects in all sectors including education, livelihoods, peace-building, health, water, sanitation, HIV/AIDS and microcredit.



Irish connection



Since the Kiltegan Fathers first arrived here to a famine camp in 1961 there has been a strong connection with Ireland. Two out of the three medical facilities in the area are administered by the diocese and coordinated by Sister Margaret from Cork. The bishop of the diocese from 2000 until March this year was Bishop Patrick Harrington from Co. Kildare, and there are also a number of Irish Medical Missionaries of Mary (MMM) sisters, Kiltegan Fathers and VMM lay missionaries working in the diocese.
(Top: The remains of a goat on the outskirts of Lodwar, northern Kenya. Photo: Eoghan Rice/ Trócaire.)

As chancellor for the diocese, Tony is responsible for famine relief, providing food to 25 parishes across an area almost the size of the island of Ireland, with support from the financial administrator, Tim Flynn, a VMM lay missionary from Co. Clare. ''We provide emergency food relief on a parish level, through small Christian communities who can identify the needy people,'' Tony says.

''Malnutrition rates among children became sky high this past year. It is 37 per cent in parts of the country. We find people are trying to eat inedible plants. Many of the men have moved away to the mountains with whatever animals remain alive in hope of finding pasture. They leave women, children and the elderly at home, and these are the people very much at risk and who are parishes go after.

'' The diocesan team have daily strategic planning meetings and everyone is involved from the bishop down. ''We have about 600 pastoral agents, we are using catechists and church assistants to distribute food, and we have hired some new people to help,'' Tony says.

''Trócaire is one of our big supporters. We have worked with their justice and peace departments for many years, as well as the livelihoods programme. They just finished a four month emergency response, and they are back again because of the prolonged famine and drought.'' (Left: Locheramoe Kuwom, Lokori in northern Kenya. "I am getting weaker every day.")



Irrigation




Tony says the team is also thinking long-term, looking towards after the emergency by setting up water interventions, rock catchments, dams etc. ''One river, the Turkwek is still flowing at this time, and where it is possible to have irrigation we are encouraging people to grow food like maze; small harvests. We are looking to the future where they can have some other livelihoods, like making baskets; something to rely on in an effort towards a sustainable economy on a small scale.''

When asked what message he would like to send home to Ireland, Tony asks for prayers. ''We believe in God and have hope. We need donations and emergency relief, but we also need prayer that the situation will improve.''





You can donate to Trócaire by phoning 1850 408 408 (RoI) or 0800 912 1200 (NI), see www.trocaire.org













Als u het project voor de armste ouderen in Turkana wilt steunen kunt u dit doen door uw bijdrage over te maken op Ewoi programma Lodwar, Fraters van Utrecht ABN Amro 231.687.338 code 1545 Janssen.