EMERGENCY FOOD RELIEF FOR THARAKA COMUNITY IN KENYA

P.O BOX 2691-60200

MERU.

Tel +254-64730

+254-723431169

Email [email protected]

Webwww.elcm.org

ELCM OF KENYA DROUGHT /FOOD CRISIS RELIEF PROGRAM

YEAR 2019/2020

This proposal is done and compiled by the Evangelical Lutheran Conference and Ministerium of Kenya (ELCM of Kenya) ELCM of Kenya in a dully registered church entity in Kenya with its offices at Marimanti of Tharaka south district in Tharaka Nithi County of eastern province in Kenya. The church is mandated to the ministry of the word and sacrament to the people of Kenya and behold. The church as also a mandate of holistic ministry both social, economic and spiritual aspect. The church has noted for the last three years there has been an substantial rainfall in areas of Tharaka, Kitui Timau and Nyambene where many of their congregation are settled, many or almost everybody in this areas depend on farming which is also dependent on the rains which occurs in two seasons per year as follows.

Short rains in April-May and long rains October- December. All the previous three years these rains have done little or none hence there is very serious food crises as will be discussed in this paper.

BASELINE SURVEY

The Synod committee have paid some visits to the affected areas and had an opportunity to meet with community members of the following dates

>4^th May 2019Met with members of Kitui Gakombe Region at Ciampiu market.

>11^th May 2019 Met with Tharaka Members at Marimanti town

> 8^th June 17, 2019 Met with the Nyambene team at Nibwe near Kawiru Town,

>15^th June 17, 2019 Met with Meru Buri people at Timau Town.

From these meetings we got to know in summerised form that The communities in tharaka practice both small scales farming of millet, sorghum, green grams and peas as well as keep some livestock e.g. cows, goat, donkeys and poetry. Communities in nyambene grow maize, cowpeas, sorghum and many plantations have got miraa trees.while as Buri community grows potatoes pumpkins, maize and vegetables.

All the above depends on the rains as there is no irrigation to supplement when rainfall failed. They sell crops and animals to get money for their house woods as well as clothing’s, school fees for the children’s education as well as other needs like medication, 75% are un employed and only depends on the above income. The failure of rains for the last three years as there for caused the poverty line to go up.

Many students/ children are leaving school to go and look for employments and others staying at home. Food prices have hiked leading to many people diet hence providing malnutrition and other related diseases. Therefore we noted with a lot of concern that communities especially The most affected communities are the ones in Kitui, Tharaka and Lower Nyambene zones and therefore those who are seriously affected be assisted without hesitating or delay.

The following are the methods of help which should be initiated.

LONG-TERM HELP

Creation of water earth dams to capture rain waters for creation of water pools for both domestic use, farming and Domestic animals. A proposal is being worked on by technical professionals

SHORT TERM AND IMMEDIATE HELP

We request Aid organizations, individual donor to partner with usto initiate a food relief program to the seriously affected families and homesteads in term maize, flour maize, beans, fats, sugar and nutritious flour for children and elderly.

INPUT BY THE CHURCH

The church has called upon all able members of the church to collectively donate to the relief pool so that the same can be distributed to the affected and vulnerable people in the society. The church is also appealing to the government relief agencies to donatefood starves so that the same can be distributed.

We appeal to our church partners both in Kenya and internationally to stretch their hands towards this program.

TARGET BUDGETS

We target to reach 500 hit families and therefore requires the following estimates of food commodities

90kg bags x1000of maize each 4000 kshs equal to ksh 4,000,000

90kg bag x 500 bags of beans each 8000 kshs equal to ksh4,000,000

50kg bagsx 100 bags of sugar each 3000 kshs equal to ksh 300,000

1000 kg of fat each 120 kshsequals to ksh 120,000

2kg park x 1000 packets of nutrition’s flour each 150 kshs equals to ksh150,000

Transporting ksh 100,000

TOTAL BUDGET KSH 8,670,000

ADMINISTRATIONS

We have synod relief and crisis committee established which is composed by members from across the region.

• Chairman the bishop
• Secretary of the synod
• Three members from each affected district i.e Tharaka 3, Kitui1, Nyambene 3, meru 3 totalingto 12 members

DISTRIBUTION

Distribution will be done by the church elders with the assistance of the government village administrators who knows the affected people well.

Monitoring is done by the three synod’s committee members of the relief committee from that particular area where distribution is done.

The same committee does evaluation and write a report to the relief committee and the report is shared with donors and other interested parties

The report includes the amount of the fund received, type of the food bought, quantity in bags or packets, amount of money paid for each consignment, transportation and list of beneficiaries and their addresses.

CONCLUSION

ELCM of Kenya is appealing to all well-wishers who wish to partner or assist in any kind of donation or make inquiry in their program to write back to the bishop through this email in order to get the information they may wish to get in relation to the same. Also visit our website www.elcmkenya.org. The word of God reminds us to extend a hand of help to those who are not fortunate or facing some challenges. The summary of the commandments by Jesus >Love your GOD with all your heart and love your NEIGHBOR as you love your self. Also the word of God still reminds us to be hospitable to others, (Isa 58.7, 1Pt 4.9-11.)