Christian Aid in Farnham
CHRISTIAN AID WEEK 2021 APPEAL
Karen Fewster (Chair, Farnham & District Christian Aid) writes:
“With every gift, with every voice, with every prayer, with every action, together we can stop this climate crisis. Our planet is changing, but some people are feeling the effects of this more than others. Weather extremes are now more frequent and more intense due to the climate crisis.
One country that has experienced this is Kenya where, in 2020, drought was followed by relentless rainfall and flooding, damaging crops that had struggled to grow. Climate chaos and coronavirus are a double threat to lives and livelihoods, the former causing a hunger crisis in Kitui, eastern Kenya, where eight out of ten people depend on rain to grow crops.
Without water, staple crops like maize and beans wither and die; people cannot earn a living and they go hungry. People are forced to walk further and further to collect water, a daily burden robbing them of the chance to farm and grow food for their families.
Elderly women and children are especially vulnerable on these dangerous journeys and can face robbery or conflict as people battle over scarce resources. Cows, sheep and goats become weaker, unable to produce milk or be sold. People are struggling to cope; lives are at risk. Families need every last drop to survive this climate chaos.
Christian Aid has been working in Kenya since 1997. With our long-standing partner Anglican Development Services Eastern (ADSE), we are helping communities in Kitui county to adapt to drought and flooding, as climate chaos robs people of control over their lives. We are helping with building earth and sand dams, and rock catchments to harvest and control water near their homes.
Dams are simple, cost-effective solutions, catching rain when it falls and defend against intense rain and flooding. This frees women and girls from their long, dangerous journeys to collect water, often involving six hours walking whilst carrying 40 litres of water. Water from the dam supplies irrigation, allowing crops such as tomatoes, onions and chillies. As well as improving nutritition, the improved microclimate encourages bees to produce honey, for sale or consumption.
This Christian Aid Week (10th to 16th May 2021), will you support the people of Kenya. Your gift could help build an earth dam, supplying regular, reliable water in affected areas.
- £4.40 could teach 10 farmers how to plant drought-tolerant crops that can survive the drought.
- £10 could buy a pair of taps at a water point which will be installed at an earth dam, making it easier for people to fetch water.
- £42 could buy 350kg of cement, which is needed to build an earth dam.
- £545 could pay for a skilled labourer to work on the construction of an earth or sand dam.
Every pound raised, every prayer said and every action taken, is an expression of our Christian love and compassion, our belief that all life is equal and precious in the sight of God. Together, we stop this climate crisis.
To find out more about Christian Aid’s appeal, visit: caweek.org
To donate to Christian Aid please go to Farnham Christian Aid’s just giving page: justgiving.com/fundraising/farnhamca2021
Thank you for spreading hope where we need it most.
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You can contact Karen directly using the information below ...
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