World Vision staff member John Kisimir shares his face-to-face encounter with two young girls suffering from hunger in Kenya.
It was another hot day in Turkana, a vast district in Kenya's Rift Valley region. As we drove toward Lodwar, Turkana's main town, we were flagged-down by two young girls who extended plastic cans and asked for water.
"I have not eaten since yesterday," says six-year-old Awoi, stunning us silent.
Awoi realized the impact her statement had on us and self-consciously took a step back, bumping into her sister, Redo. But she regained her courage, stood stoically, and looked at us intently. She portrayed a deep sense of dignity even though her eyes showed that hunger is wearing her down.
As we gave the girls water, I asked: Where is their home? Where are their parents?
The children's mother, like many other adults in Turkana, left home early in the morning, hoping to come back later with food. Awoi's mother used to raise livestock. Now, she tries to make money by selling firewood in Lodwar.
"I am very hungry now," says Awoi. "Sometimes we sleep hungry. We only get food when mama goes to Lodwar," says Redo. If she comes home with food, it will be their only meal of the day.
If their mother does not come home with food, the children will curl up in bed with empty bellies, dreading the dawn of another hot day.
The mood in our vehicle after the girls left was somber. I had a heavy heart.
World Vision is There
More than 3.5 million people in Kenya are facing starvation due to drought. Many farmers have not harvested anything in the last three years. And livestock-dependent communities have lost more than 50 per cent of their livelihood.
People in the neighbouring countries of Somalia, Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Burundi are also suffering due to prolonged drought. More than 14 million people in east Africa urgently need food.
World Vision is distributing food to many of the affected districts and is managing other programs, such as agricultural recovery, as well as health, nutrition, and water supply projects, designed to help communities cope with the drought. In Kenya, World Vision will distribute 26,000 metric tonnes of food over the next six months.
