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Mothers’ stories of the drought


September 19, 2011
By Milka Choge

Here I am giving a severely malnourished two-year-old named Akuta a vitamin-enriched peanut paste called Plumpy'nut. His mother told me that her family lost all of their livestock -- their means of making a living -- to cattle rustling and the drought.

Phot: IRC
TURKANA NORTH, Kenya -

The International Rescue Committee has been scaling up our relief efforts to help people who have been affected by East Africa’s worst drought in decades.  One of the places hit hardest by the drought is Turkana North, where most people lead nomadic lives, tending goats and cattle to make a living and provide nourishment for their families.  

Here in this arid corner of northwestern Kenya losing livestock can be a matter of life and death. That’s why the IRC has started an emergency nutrition program and 30 new mobile clinics that aim to reach nearly 19,000 people, including children under three, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers. 

I recently visited some of our mobile clinic teams in the remote Lokichoggio area of the district, near the South Sudan border. There I met some courageous mothers who had walked for hours to find help for their children.  Here are some of the stories they shared with me: 
 
Lokwara and Atabo
Photo: Milka Choge/IRC
 
“I don’t have milk to give my children.  That is why they are skinny and malnourished.”  
- Ikwaro Ingolan, 38, with her one-year-old daughter Atabo 

Ikwaro heard about the IRC’s nutrition program from the local chief and walked four hours to reach the clinic the IRC set up in the village of Apasto.  After losing most of their large herd of goats and camels to the drought, her family has been surviving on wild fruits and what little milk the remaining animals can provide.
 
The IRC clinic staff who examined little Atabo found her to be severely malnourished and gave her Plumpy'nut, a vitamin-enriched peanut paste. Lokwara told me that she is happy her daughter will be well again with the IRC’s help.
 

Alinga and Elemach
Photo: Milka Choge/IRC
“At the beginning of the year I had fifty goats but I lost most of them to the drought.” 
- Alinga Ekuru, 35, with her daughter Elamach Ekroi, 2 ½
 
I met Alinga, who has eight children, in the same clinic where I met Ikwaro.  Alinga told me that since she lost all but 13 of her goats, relatives in nearby towns have been giving her family milk from their own herd.  But this wasn’t enough to keep her little girl in good health.
 
After she heard that the IRC was treating children with malnutrition, Alinga left early in the morning to reach an IRC clinic about four hours’ walk from her village of Locherareng. Fortunately, the clinic staff who examined Elamach determined that while she was malnourished her condition was not severe. They gave her nourishing food and nutritional supplements and asked Alinga to bring her back for a checkup in two weeks.
 
 
Akadeli and Akuta
Photo: Milka Choge/IRC

“We lost our livestock due to cattle rustling – and the animals that were left were wiped out by the drought.”

- Akadeli Namuya, a mother of 12, with two-year-old Akuta
 
In an IRC clinic in the village of Napeikar, mother of 12 Akadeli Namuya told me about the effects of the drought and insecurity in the area.  “We don’t have food at home,” she said. “I heard from the chief of our village that the IRC were coming to support us, that is why I came.”

Akadeli’s youngest son, Akuta, is severely malnourished.  He weighs just over 18 pounds – which is very low for a two-year-old. The clinic staff gave Akuta Plumpy'nut and nutritional supplements to help him get to a normal weight.  They also gave the toddler his immunizations.
 


Photo: Milka Choge/IRC

“All my animals have died. Lack of water and food is a problem. We don’t have access to safe water.” 
- Lokanya Ebenyo, 32, with Kopeto Ebenyo, 1 1/2

Lokanya, a mother of eight from the village of Lomunyenilakirino, lost ten goats to the drought. She told me her family has very little food and must travel far to collect safe water to drink. 
 
When she heard that the IRC was treating malnourished children, Lokyana walked six hours to the nearest clinic to get help for her son, Kopeto Ebenyo. The medical team there treated the baby for severe malnutrition.  Lokyana told me she is relieved that the IRC was able to help her child.  
 

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The IRC is helping children and families as famine and severe drought ravage East Africa. Your donation can help support our emergency response efforts as well as other programs worldwide that are helping refugees.  Donate Now >>
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1 comment

Comments

This is to pass my sincere

Submitted by mwangi lenah waithira (not verified) on July 24, 2012 - 11:01am.

This is to pass my sincere gratitude to the whole fraternity of IRC in Kenya for the glorious work you are doing in Turkana of saving lives. My point of interest is to note with keen that you are really determined to rescue the women especially the breastfeeding and expectant ones together with their young ones. This is a good initiative as i am pretty aware of the contribution of the women's effort in the Kenyan economy which is about 40% and if not well guarded might lead to a great negative impact. May you continue to rescue lives and may the Lord bless you and open doors for sufficient funds that you may not lack.

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