Entry dated: 04/12/2011.

Out of Kitui…….working with climate challenges

Jon showing off his new hair style courtesy of the people of Kyatune

25th Jan Blog

Jambo!

Kenya is a land full of contrasts. After arriving in the developed, fairly industrialised Nairobi, we were quite surprised at the rugged, more rural Kitui.

Even the smells are different. In Kitui the air is more tropical, heavy and muggy and temperatures exceed 30° in the middle of the day.

Our first two days in Kitui have been incredibly busy, encouraging and challenging. We have visited CAFOD programmes in eight communities concerning sustainable livelihoods and disaster risk reduction.

World Gifts goats in the Vote community

Driving out of Kitui town into the wilderness is an adventure in itself. The roads aren’t what you would call roads in England. More like dusty, dirt tracks which we share with cattle and goats passing by. Thankfully we have our very own Jeremy Clarkson, the superb Francis to guide us through the terrain. Francis has a penchant for Dolly Parton and we have spent many an hour listening to the same songs over and over on his CD so much so that we know all the words.

drought river, donkeys

We have been warmly welcomed by all the communities we have visited so far. I believe this is the true heart of Africa – the people who are so generous, loving and joyous at seeing the mzungu (white people)! When we meet people and shake hands it’s not a traditional British polite hand shake. It’s a greeting full of feeling – a proper slap of the hands together – “Jambo! Karibu!” (Hello and welcome!)

being welcomed by Kyatune village in Ikanga

The underlining problem throughout the communities is drought. Samuel, a village elder in the Makalongo community said his area of land had not received heavy rain since 1997. This is Climate Change lifted off the page – it is affecting so many people’s lives here and now.

Anna from the Makalongo community collecting water from the Itumbule dam

We visited a CAFOD supported project in Kyatune village, about an hour’s drive on the very bumpy road from Kitui town where we are staying. There the community has a greenhouse where tomatoes are grown using a drip water irrigation system – simple, sustainable development that is changing lives.

lady pruning a tomato plant in the greenhouse in Kyatune

The ongoing work at Mandongoi farm was very inspiring. Using water drawn from a well the community are growing onions, chilli, tomatoes, mangoes and sukumawiki (cabbage to you and me). The crops are planted in small trenches to trap water and 85 people work on the five acre plantation.

on the Ngomoni farm - women working - Lucia and Anna

Benedict Momo, who owns the farm, says: “Our dream is to see it as productive as possible. Before the land was bare, eroded and there was no grass. We hope at the end of this year we see a difference. It is not proper for us to wait for a donor for food. The workers are nice and are happy with what they are doing. They love to work because they know what they will get.”

Ngamione (Let's go and see) - from far left - David (guide), Beatrice, Musembi front row (secretary of committee), Jane (chair lady of committee), Jane's baby Susan cradled by Rachel, Mary and friends

We have been overwhelmed at the problems drought is causing and the severity of the situation. But we have equally been encouraged with the programmes that are supporting communities to adapt and make best use of available resources.

Kwahairy for now and asantee sana for all your prayers and support.

Jon

 

Entry dated: 28/01/2011.

In 2005, after 21 years of brutal war between northern and southern Sudan, the leaders and people of Sudan embraced peace. They agreed the people of the south must decide their own future. So from 9 January 2011 until 15 January 2011, the southern Sudanese are voting whether or not to become a separate nation.

The Sudanese Church has asked us to stand alongside them, to call upon the UK government to keep its promises , and to pray for peace – before, during and after the referendum.

It’s a moment of hope – and of fear. The political temperature in Sudan is rising. If the way in which people register and cast their votes is not clearly fair and transparent, the current fragile peace could be at risk and violence could break out again.

The UK government, as guardians of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement , has a crucial role to play in ensuring long term peace for Sudan. They must continue to provide support so that January's referendum is free and fair, Sudanese citizens are protected, and pre-referendum commitments made by the Sudanese authorities are fulfilled. Whatever the outcome of the referendum, we must urge the UK government to keep their promise and do all they can to build lasting peace in Sudan.

"The atmosphere in the south is emotional," says Vincent Bolt, CAFOD's Country Representative in Sudan. "But the referendum is not a cure-all for peace in Sudan. Money for infrastructure, health and education are critical whatever the outcome, but especially if this potentially new country is going to survive."

Our Sudan referendum photo gallery>>

Entry dated: 13/01/2011.

Based on the gospel for Sunday 19 December – Matthew 1:18-24                  Forward to a friend

Look! The virgin is with child and will give birth to a son whom they will call Immanuel, a name which means “God-is-with-us”. Out of love for us God sent Jesus to live among us and be with us. God is with us always, although in times of difficulty it can sometimes be hard to remember that. Bourn Phanna was nine when his aunt took him in following the death of his parents from AIDS-related illnesses. She was offered support from Salvation Centre Cambodia (SCC), who run the Happy Happy Club, a place where children whose lives have been affected by HIV and AIDS can receive an education and have some fun again. Phanna has been taught how to play the organ and now has the skills and confidence to make a living from his talent. Without SCC he and his younger brother would still be scavenging on the streets of Phnom Penh. How can we accompany others in their time of need so that they do not feel abandoned and alone? God-with-us, you walk with us always, may we never forget your presence and love for us. Help us to live in solidarity with people who are poor, so that they too may know that they are not forgotten. Amen

Entry dated: 20/12/2010.

With our partners, we’re continuing to deliver much-needed aid to Pakistan, as the scale of the disaster continues to grow.
We have now pledged £250,000 in emergency funds to ensure help reaches those who need it most.

Donate to our Pakistan Appeal >>

The worst flooding in a generation has cut a swathe of destruction from the northern mountain regions to wheat fields in the south. More than 14 million people have now been affected by the upheaval brought by the heavy rains.

Hundreds of thousands have lost their homes, at least 1,600 people have been killed. Crops and livestock have been destroyed, and arterial roads and bridges have disappeared.

In the last two days our partners have distributed vital supplies including plastic sheeting, water purification tablets and other relief items to people in the Swat Valley.The destruction of key roads and bridges hampered early efforts to reach those in remote villages. Aid workers are now starting to reach those in desperate need that have been cut off from outside help for days.

Lucy Morris, Programme Officer for Pakistan says: ‘Conditions are still extremely difficult for those who’ve managed to escape the floods. Our partner CRS has now reached more than 2,300 people in hard-hit Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in the north, with further distributions planned over the next few days.”

Getting aid through

CRS has also previously distributed supplies to 4,000 people in the Kohlu and Barkhan areas of Balochistan in the southern part of the country.

In one area of Shangla district in northern Pakistan almost all the existing water systems and walking paths were washed away, but CRS engineers are now working to repair five separate water systems in the region.

Our partners briefly had to evacuate their office in Besham, a town in Shangla district, because of rising floodwaters, but staff were able to return the next day to continue the delivery of vital aid. They have now opened an additional office in the Sharpor Valley of Shangla in order to better serve this remote area.

Once immediate needs are met, we will focus on helping farmers and others resume work and rebuild their lives. In several areas, including Swat, CRS is planning cash-for-work projects that pay survivors for their labor on projects, such as irrigation channels, pathways and retaining walls that benefit whole communities.

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Entry dated: 13/08/2010.