BALTIMORE—Lutheran World Relief has launched an emergency response to assist families affected by flooding resulting from torrential rain in eastern Kenya that has claimed nearly 100 lives and damaged numerous homes, displacing almost a quarter million people.
The flooding has also damaged infrastructure, limiting humanitarian access to the affected areas. Extensive losses to crops and livestock have also been reported.
Lutheran World Relief is responding to the immediate needs of families now living in temporary camps in Tana River County, which currently hosts about 3,000 families. In collaboration with Pastoralist Girls’ Initiative (PGI), a local non-governmental organization, Lutheran World Relief is providing food and emergency supplies, including water purification tablets and material to construct temporary shelter.
We expect our response to grow in coming weeks to meet the needs of more families, as more rain falls in the region. The climate outlook for May 2018 indicates continued above-normal rainfall in western and central Kenya, and the Kenya Red Cross Society says it may be four months until families are able to return to their homes.
PGI was formed in 2001 with a focus on girls’ education, livelihood development, environment and natural resource management, and health for Tana River and Garissa Counties in eastern Kenya. The recent flooding displaced many of the girls — and their families — with whom PGI works.
Lutheran World Relief opened its regional office in Nairobi, Kenya in 1983 to respond to the frequent food crises facing East Africa. Today, we collaborate with local community-based organizations, church partners, and national and county government departments on programs to improve food security, livelihoods of communities, climate change adaptation and to respond to emergencies.
How to Help:
Donate By Phone: (800) 597.5972
Donate By Mail: Lutheran World Relief, PO Box 17061, Baltimore, MD 21297-1061
Donate Online: donate.lwr.org/worldofgood
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Lutheran World Relief is an international NGO with nearly 75 years of demonstrated expertise that works in partnership with local communities to build their capabilities and collaborate on long-term solutions to reduce extreme poverty. In times of emergency, Lutheran World Relief is also a trusted partner to distribute aid and en sure people are prepared to withstand the next unexpected challenge. For more information, visit lwr.org.
