“This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24. Each day is a rich and precious gift from God, with new grace and new opportunities.
On this day through God’s grace, the Lotto Foundation were a blessing to Nakwamekwi Internally Displaced People (IDP) and Loturerei Community in the hunger stricken and water scarce Turkana County.
Turkana County residents receiving food donations from Lotto Foundation
Lotto rushed to the rescue of the starving in Turkana with food donations and water who were in a desperate situation.
The County has been facing severe drought seasons leaving the residents with little or no food and water supplies for them and their livestock
The team led by the Lotto Foundation chairman Mr. Keith Leahy and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Joan Mwaura were on the ground to carry out the distribution of food hampers to the needy 1,100 households.
They donated over 200,000 seed balls of 3 different types of indigenous trees. This will go along way in improving the tree cover within the County.
The Lotto Foundation saved the residents from thirst due to water scarcity caused by the drought with six water tankers which distributed the precious commodity to them.
Drought had negatively impacted on water sources that supply Turkana hence limiting recharge potential of boreholes across the County.
Lotto Foundation providing water to thirsty Turkana County residents through tankers
Drought has particularly affected pastoral communities as it has caused pasture and water sources to dry up, resulting in livestock deaths and a lower output from remaining livestock. By mid-2022, the lack of water and pasture had killed 439,400 livestock in Turkana.
“We have brought some food and water to families affected by drought to cushion them against the effects of hunger and thirst,” said Lotto chairman Keith Leahy.
He deplored that the drought situation is at alarm stage and has affected nearly 800,000 residents of Turkana with Global Acute Malnutrition rate rising to 34.8 per cent.
The families that received the donations appreciated the effort by the Lotto Foundation for the food relief and water supply.
James Ebei, a resident of Kakalel, decried that drought and starvation has been caused by lack of rain for the last three years.
He said drought has ravaged water sources and pastures that their livestock depends on for survival.
“For the last three years we have not received rains, the situation is worsening. Our livestock that we depend on to support our livelihoods are emaciated and dying.”
Ebei has urged the government and humanitarian agencies to provide the necessary support to the affected families.
Lotto Foundation chairman Mr. Keith Leahy and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Joan Mwaura distributing food relief to starving Turkana County residents
Esther Atabo, a resident of Kangalita said for decades they have never experienced such a drought that has forced them to depend on relief food for survival.
“We are in starvation because of the drought. We are even going for days before getting something to eat. Our children are the most affected by this biting drought, if we don’t get enough food and water on time we will all perish,” she said.
According the health report seen by the Star, in the last one month, 449 children out of 605 under five have been admitted in Kangalita dispensary Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition programme.
Another 387 were admitted in supplementary feeding programme, 62 children have been admitted in Out Patient Program. Some 84 mothers are admitted in Supplementary Feeding Program and this left about 220 children under five children at risk of malnutrition.
COMMENTS