Uganda (MNN) — The United Nations says the world needs to do more to address an East African drought. Over 21 million people in the region experience food insecurity, but the U.N. response plan only has 50 percent of its funding.
The drought has affected Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia, and even Uganda. Every Child Ministries has seen the effects firsthand in the Karamoja region of Uganda. Mark Luckey says, “There is always some food insecurity in a place like Karamoja. And then sometimes things come together, kind of the perfect storm as you might put it.”
“It’s a time when many people are starving, especially the elderly and the small children.”
Things aren’t looking better in the future. Meteorologists have predicted a fifth-consecutive rainy season with less precipitation. When the rains do come, the recovery will still take years. Water shortages also put people at higher risk for water-borne illnesses.
ECM
That’s why ECM helps farmers get the most out of the rain when it does come. Luckey says, “The Karamojong are a wonderful people struggling to adapt to new farming practices and understanding how to survive and thrive in this kind of environment.”
ECM wants to see kids and families in Karamoja thrive. Luckey says, “We’ve worked hard on providing food, some supplies, and just any way we can ensure that people stay alive.”
Pray their love will point to Jesus.
The header photo shows Emily Chebet, a coffee farmer in Uganda who works with ECM. (Photo courtesy of Every Child Ministries on Facebook)
