Right now, 23 million people across Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and Uganda are facing life-threatening shortages of food and water, caused by severe drought. Jane Beesley asks us to remember the devastating situation here, which desperately needs financial help and support.

The news from East Asia has been devastating. It has saddened all the staff here â€" our thoughts are with everyone affected and our colleagues working there. 

Back here in Nairobi there is a lot of discussion. We know the impact of the earthquake, the tsunami and storms has not just affected the people in Asia - it has wider repercussions. Now it will be hard to raise funds for the crisis here in the Horn and East Africa, as the media and donor focus turns to what is happening elsewhere. 

It’s hard for my colleagues, as they know what a difference the work they are doing can make. As Pamela Ataa (previous blog) observed “…the people involved in Oxfam’s business support programmes are amongst the few that are doing OK…” and the people I met who were on these programmes definitely support this. When asked about her business Helen Akale told me, “I’m no longer crawling like a baby I’m standing up on my feet.  At least I’m able to save some money in the bank…I’m expanding my business, and the children are going to school.  I’m now able to give a little to relatives…to give a bit of support, which I couldn’t do before.’ 

I’ve just come back from Wajir, north-east Kenya, where once again I heard people talking about the difference that some of our programmes have made â€" especially in this period of crisis.  

Malka Gufu is a community we’ve been working with to develop their water management and infrastructure. In this difficult time, they acknowledge they are not only in a better position themselves…

“If Oxfam had not come and helped us with this water system you would not have found people here. We would have migrated…maybe even to Ethiopia.” (Mohammed Abdullahi, chairman of the water committee)

“We thank God that we have enough water.” (Dayow Maalim)

…but they are also in a position to help other communities without water…

“Wajir North has a major problem with lack of water and the majority of the population are now depending on this water hole. Trucks are coming here and collecting water and then going far. Before it was only this community that was getting water from here, now it’s serving the whole constituency.” (Osman Omar)

 

In 2005 I went straight from Chad (Darfur Crisis) to tsunami hit Aceh…again knowing that the Darfur Crisis would ‘disappear’ in the circumstances. On my first day I met a very small boy he was wearing a t-shirt with a large map of Africa on the front. Chad and Sudan could be seen clearly and across the map was a large tiger (not a native of Africa!). I could read many things into this…though I hoped then, as now, the main one would be for people not to forget Africa, to remember the devastating situation here, which also desperately needs financial help and support.

Maybe the final word should go to one of my colleagues…this morning Philip Aemun sent an email: “On behalf of the team we are equally thankful for the work done by all of you and hope that it will yield into some support (from well wishers) to the vulnerable communities in Turkana - as always we are optimistic that ‘it will rain some day’.”

But even if it rains tomorrow it won’t change the situation much. What we need is long sustained commitment.

More on this: East Africa Food Crisis

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