Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Nairobi (Fides Service) - People in north east Kenya are in danger of starving to death. In response to repeated calls for help from the Catholic Bishops of Kenya (see Fides 12/01/06 and 01/02/2006) the national office of Pontifical Mission Societies Germany - missio Aachen - has made 35,000 Euro available to each of the most affected dioceses to support programmes to supply the people with food. “Among the thousands of people suffering from serious food shortage caused by prolonged drought in dioceses in the north and east of Kenya there are also many catechists and pastoral helpers” says Hans-Peter Hecking missio Aachen Africa desk.
Men and women who work full time for parishes and dioceses in rural areas are often paid in farm products purchased from the local people. But prolonged drought and no harvest makes this impossible. “Farmers have nothing left to sell and their flocks are dwindling. More and more people are dying of starvation”, says Fr. Paul Healy administrator of Kitui diocese in eastern Kenya seriously affected by drought. According to Fr. Healy, Catholic church infrastructures built with many years of work are in danger of collapsing. “Without church helpers programmes to promote peaceful and responsible social harmony cannot be continued”, says Hans-Peter Hecking, “and these programmes are of utmost importance in the present situation of tension”. About 3.5 million Kenyans in the North East, East, Coast and Rift Valley districts are threatened with starvation. (MS) (Agenzia Fides, 13/02/2006 - 24 righe, 280 parole)
