#Kenya #Episcopal Relief #ADS Kenya #Drought Response #Kitui, Marsabit

Episcopal Relief & Development Partners with ADS Kenya to Respond to Drought Crisis

Overview

In a significant initiative to address the severe drought impacting eastern and north-eastern Kenya, Episcopal Relief & Development has announced a strategic partnership with Anglican Development Services (ADS) Kenya. This collaboration aims to provide essential support to communities grappling with escalating food and water shortages due to prolonged periods of insufficient rainfall.

Kenya is currently facing one of its harshest droughts, especially in arid regions such as Kitui and Marsabit. Here, thousands of families are feeling the pinch from soaring food prices, scarcity of water, and declining livestock productivity due to the challenging climate conditions.

Immediate Response

The partnership aims to facilitate a locally driven emergency response that interweaves immediate humanitarian relief with strategies to bolster community resilience and recovery. Key interventions will include:

• - Cash assistance for the most vulnerable households
• - Provision of bulk water supplies from tanks
• - Mental health support and spiritual guidance

Prioritizing households in critical need, this mission underscores the importance of aiding families with young children, pregnant and lactating women, elderly individuals, persons with disabilities, and households led by women or youth.

Community-Centered Approach

Bwibo Adieri, Executive Director of ADS Kenya, points out that the current drought is symptomatic of a recurring cycle of hardship. “Our focus is on equipping communities to cope now while fortifying the systems they rely on for recovery and resilience against future droughts,” he states.

ADS Kenya, as the development arm of the Anglican Church of Kenya, leverages deep-rooted local knowledge and established relationships with dioceses, county authorities, and community leaders to ensure that efforts are not duplicated across agencies but are rather systematically coordinated for maximum impact.

Episcopal Relief & Development works closely with ADS regional offices throughout Kenya, enhancing integrated early childhood development programs, building climate resilience, and reducing community violence. Through these partnerships, caregivers are afforded opportunities to adopt nurturing parenting practices, acquire new skills for income generation, and engage in savings and loans groups for future planning and economic stability.

Long-Term Resilience

“Effective drought response hinges on local leadership and collaboration,” emphasizes the lead Program Officer on behalf of Episcopal Relief & Development. By teaming up with ADS Kenya, they endorse a community-centric, dignified method that aligns with expert guidance, addresses immediate needs, and fosters recovery.

Beyond the urgency of immediate relief, the initiative strives to enhance resilience by harnessing local community assets, reinforcing coordination mechanisms, and fostering dialogues around preparedness for recurrent climate shocks. Principles of safeguarding, inclusion, and accountability are woven throughout the response framework, ensuring that feedback and complaint channels are readily accessible to those in need.

Call to Action

The plight of those affected by drought in Kenya is dire, and Episcopal Relief & Development encourages individuals to pray for these communities. Donations will significantly aid efforts in providing critical support where it’s needed most.

About ADS Kenya

Anglican Development Services Kenya stands as the humanitarian arm of the Anglican Church of Kenya, primarily engaging in community-based programs that tackle emergencies and promote sustainable development throughout the nation.

About Episcopal Relief & Development

For over 85 years, Episcopal Relief & Development has collaborated with a broad array of faith and community-based partners to implement impactful changes in communities that endure injustices, poverty, disasters, and climate change. Touching the lives of over 3 million people annually, Episcopal Relief focuses on four main priorities: enhancing the potential of caregivers and young children, curbing violence against women and girls, fortifying community resilience to climate change, and facilitating humanitarian responses to disasters. Together with their partners, they aim to innovate sustainable practices that lead to meaningful progress in communities nationwide.