The drought had a face; a haunting image that Kajiado residents encountered every day - carcasses of livestock scattered across the once thriving-now turned desolate land and hunger that stalked them to bed.
With many families in Kajiado East and Kajiado West in dire need of humanitarian assistance, the Kenya Community Development Foundation (KCDF) partnered with Asian Foundation and Chandaria Foundation to distribute food packages in the two locations.
KCDF is a philanthropic foundation that supports sustainable community-driven development.
KDCF's Head of Partnerships and Resource Development Purity Murugu said the three organisations, working with a local implementing partner, are targeting the neediest such as pregnant mothers, those with babies, the elderly, and persons with disabilities.
Asian Foundation CEO, Meera Pandit, who led the food drive said: "Kajiado is one of the most affected areas and there is a great need for humanitarian assistance. Through this partnership, we have donated food to more than 800 families in Kajiado East and West. Each family has received a food package to cushion them for at least three weeks."
Emilly Omudho, team lead, Livelihoods, Environment, and Natural Resources Management at KCDF said each food package comprised maize flour (6kgs), maize (4kgs), beans (4kgs), rice (4kgs), porridge flour (2kgs), cooking fat and salt. A carcass of a wildebeest at the Amboseli National Park in Kajiado South on October 22, last year. [File, Standard]
Beacon of Hope, a faith-based NGO, was the implementing local partner in Kajiado West while Emali Dedicated Children's Agency supported the food drive in Kajiado East.
According to Senior Chief Keekonyokie West, Samuel Makana, who serves about 10,000 people, the food donations brought a new sense of hope to the residents in Kajiado West.
"I have been getting many reports that people are lacking food and some children have had to miss school. The ongoing drought has exacerbated access of water issues, which was already a big problem here. There are many people who have been making do with very little, others sleeping hungry but now they have food. We are very grateful, and we hope that this can be extended to schools such as Oloikum Nasira Primary School, as some of the children have dropped out due to hunger," he said.
At Oltepesi Primary School, members of the community lined up for food donations; some were relieved while for others, this moment held a promise of respite. As the lines inched forward, an unspoken friendship began to emerge, and they would exchange laughter and silent nods of encouragement.
Dr Manu Chandaria, Chairman, Chandaria Foundation, called upon humanity to extend a helping hand to others.
