Church launches bid to collect donations for starving Kenyans in Kerio Valley amid security operation

Touched by the plight faced by hundreds of households who are staring at death due to the effects of drought in the North Rift region, a group of volunteers have come up with an initiative aimed at
cushioning them from hunger.

The volunteers who collate under the umbrella of Friends of
Harbinger’s( The Home of Mission) in Eldoret is led by James Cullen
and evangelist Susan Mwangi.The initiative has attracted support from scores of well-wishers among
them prominent farmers,individuals, business community and non-governmental organizations.

Speaking to the media in Kaptagat area today, Cullen said they have so far received a consignment of more than 50 bags of maize, several
bales of clothes, cooking oil, beans and blankets to support and reach the unreached with the gospel of Christ.

“Our target areas are mainly Baringo, West Pokot, Turkana, South Sudan and Nuba mountains among others to save the vulnerable households from starving to death,” said Cullen.

He said that in response, more people from across the country and
abroad were ready and willing to do whatever little they have, to
alleviate the hunger stricken families through the initiative.

“We are just happy with the overwhelming support that we are receiving in the form of foodstuff, money, clothes and donation of trucks to help transport the consignment to affected areas,” added Cullen.

Describing the pitting drought in the targeted counties as severe,
Cullen said that not all the people who live in Pokot Baringo and
Turkana which bore the brunt of deadly insecurity are criminals.

“We are targeting school children, women and the elderly in the
distribution of the foodstuff and other items as they are the most hit by pitting hunger due to lack of rain,” said Cullen.

According to evangelist Susan Mwangi, they also plan through the noble initiative to focus on sustainable income generating projects for the affected communities.

The move, Mwangi stated, was aimed at ensuring the vulnerable
households were not dependent on relief food donations whenever the
region is hit by drought and other calamities.

“We want to supplement the national and county government’s efforts
by starting irrigation projects for the targeted communities to enable
them to be self reliant in food production,’ she said.

The situation in the vast region for the affected victims has been
worsened by the ongoing Kenya Defense Force and Kenya Police service operation to deal with sustained banditry attacks that has led to lossof several lives and displacement of families from their homes.

The move to deploy KDF to support the Kenya police service to stem
cases of banditry and cattle rustling activities in the volatile
region followed President William Ruto’s order for a joint military
operation to weed out the decade long menace in the region.

Cabinet Secretary for Interior Kithure Kindiki, was quoted saying that for the last six month, over 100 civilians and 16 police officers have been brutally killed by marauding bandits.