East Africa Drought: an update

East Africa is in the grip of a devastating food crisis. 

The area has been severely impacted by drought. The situation is becoming serious, people have died, livestock and crops have died and conflict over natural resources is escalating. Famine has been declared in parts of conflict-stricken South Sudan. Northern Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia are also affected.

Practical Action works in Kenya and has projects in the north of the country in Turkana. Practical Action is not an aid agency, we focus on providing long-term sustainable solutions to poverty.

We have constructed 33 solar water pumps in the region, in addition to other non-solar powered points we have constructed in the past. 

These pumps use the power of the sun to bring freshwater up from huge underground reserves which lie far below the surface. They have become a lifeline to local communities.

The solar powered points normally serve almost 35,000 people but the number has doubled in some areas because of water scarcity people moving to settle near water points that we constructed.

As a result some have broken due to the extra demand placed on them. Out of the 33 pumps, seven are currently not working.

Many communities are becoming empty as men leave with their livestock and women and children search for food and water elsewhere.

Our staff in the region are working with communities offering help and advice on where the best water sources are located and advising local Government on the situation faced by these communities. We are also working to determine what is needed to mend the broken pumps.

If you would like to support our work in Kenya during this extremely difficult time, donate here.