The Missionary Community of St Paul have been based in Turkana, supporting the people there, for over twenty years.

In the last 16 months, since March 2010, practically no rain has fallen in the northern region of Turkana (Kenya). Meteorologists, furthermore, predict that the rains will not arrive until November, in which case pastures for grazing will not be available until the end of the year at the earliest.

In this situation of prolonged drought, there is some water available in only 30 of the 181 rock and earth dams that the Missionary Community of Saint Paul the Apostle (MCSPA) has built in the last 20 years. The nomadic population of the area (approximately 130,000 inhabitants) and their herds, on which they depend primarily for their sustenance, barely survive on the water that springs from the 127 wells that the MCSPA has drilled in the region.

Water is an absolute necessity for the herds, but they also need pastures on which to graze. Some nomadic clans have lost more than 50% of their flocks of goats, sheep, cows and camels. The surviving animals are barely producing milk, and have become so debilitated that the nomads are unable to extract the blood that they need to feed themselves. This situation has generated high levels of malnutrition, especially amongst the children, pregnant and breast-feeding women, and the elderly. In the last recount that the missionaries made in the region on July 18th, 35% of children aged 0-8 years were found to be in a situation of serious malnutrition.

The MCSPA has assessed the needs of the population in this northern region of Turkana- where it is present with several missions, nutritional centers and clinics- as well as the feasibility of taking effective action to alleviate the hunger in this highly delicate situation, and proposes the following measures, that need to be taken URGENTLY:

1. Feed 4.700 children aged 2-7 years in the 27 existing nutritional centers. Due to the drought, the regular number of over 3,000 children who attend these centers daily has increased by an average of 50% (many more nomadic families now come to these centers and we currently have 4.762 children registered). To make matters worse, prices of basic foods in Kenya (maize and beans) have risen by approximately 50% in the last 3 months. In order to feed these children until the end of 2011 we need 121.545 Eur. The Emalaikat Foundation intends to raise 20.270 Eur. monthly through fees and donations in order to feed 4.762 children aged 2-7 years.
2. Distribute food to pregnant and breast-feeding women. In order to distribute daily one kilo of maize and beans to 1.080 women until the end of 2011 we need 18.500 Eur. a month. The Emailakat Foundation intends to raise 18.500 Eur. monthly through fees and donations in order to distribute food to 1.080 pregnant and breast-feeding women.
3. Distribute food to elderly people with no family support. We have registered 240 elderly people in the areas where MCSPA is present, who are alone or receive no support from their families. In order to distribute to them one kilo daily of corn and beans until the end of 2011 we need 3.900 Eur. a month. The Emalaikat Foundation intends to raise 3.900 Eur. monthly through fees and donations in order to distribute food to 240 elderly people with no family support.

In order to urgently meet the needs of the above especially vulnerable groups of people - young children, pregnant and breast-feeding women and the elderly, a total of 6,020 people the amount that is needed 42,670 Euros every month are needed until 31st December 2011.

Please donote at www.newways.org.uk/donate

You can down;load  a full report on the situation conducted by the Diocese of Lodwar in Turkana here