AFRICA/KENYA - The Bishops of Kenya launch an emergency fund to help people affected by drought

Nairobi (Agenzia Fides) - "We are all deeply concerned about the crisis caused by drought and suffering of so many Kenyans. Our concern is for the millions of vulnerable people who risk dying of hunger and for the many communities that have lost their livelihoods ", the Bishops of Kenya say in a statement and launch a national fund-raising for the people affected by drought that has raged in several East-African Countries.
If the most dramatic situation is in Somalia, Kenya also heavily suffers the food crisis, not only because it hosts on its territory hundreds of thousands of Somalis escaping from their Country, but also because the drought has affected several areas of its territory.
The message of the Episcopal Conference of Kenya states that the most vulnerable people are: the shepherds of the north, north-east, north-west and south, and the poorest families living on subsistence farming in the coastal plains and southeastern regions.
The drought, caused by very little rain in 2010 and, this year has caused, the Bishops recall, "food shortages, sharp rise in food prices, lack of water, migration and conflict, malnutrition, school dropout on behalf of children and loss of livestock".
The Episcopal Conference of Kenya has decided to launch an emergency fund (Catholic Charity Emergency Fund) and has launched a fund-raising in favor of this initiative. Food collections in parishes, diocesan offices and other structures of the Church have been organized. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 04/08/2011)