(Photo courtesy of Kenya Hope)

Bryan Haley with Kenya Hope points to climate change: “Even this last season of drought that we’re just coming out of was more severe than it would have been had they missed their short rain season a decade or two ago.” 

No surprises: drought brings livestock losses, crop failure, hunger, and worse. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification projects that between April and June, 3.7 million Kenyans in the country’s Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) will face crisis levels (or higher) of acute food insecurity. Already, 3.3 million people are in this stage of emergency.

Kenya Hope has already stepped into the crisis with practical, long-term help. Haley explains that one of the first things they do when they enter a community is drill a borehole well. They currently serve 17 distinct communities in Kenya. 

One woman recently told Haley she hadn’t recognized the effects of the water her family collected from local rivers and dams. 

“They didn’t realize how sick their kids were — waterborne illnesses like diarrhea and all of these different things,” says Haley. “But as soon as they had clean, safe drinking water, those health issues were erased.”

As part of Kenya Hope’s long-term maintenance of each well, local families contribute to a small fund to support the well’s upkeep.

“So their community is actively engaged in providing for the services to keep it ongoing and to keep it accessible for their entire community, which is really just a beautiful thing to see people participate in,” says Haley.

One particular community has always used this river as its source of water. They have never known anything different. Today, this community now has clean, clear water!
(Photo courtesy of Kenya Hope)

A well is more than just water. 

“It’s an automatic level of trust that you’re earning when people are just not sick anymore because of something simple, like water,” Haley explains. 

“Clean water really opens the door to education, food security, dignity for widows, and increasing income. And that all leads [to] or is the chance to share the hope of the gospel or living water.”

Would you prayerfully consider supporting Kenya Hope’s future well projects? Visit kenyahope.org to learn more. 

“When someone helps fund a well in Kenya, they’re not just giving water, but they are giving children a safer childhood and a healthier future,” says Haley. “It really impacts an entire community with just a few dollars.”

Kenya: Acute Food Insecurity Situation for January – March 2026 (left) and Projection for April – June 2026 (right). (Map courtesy of IPC)

Header photo courtesy of Kenya Hope.

“People were not prepared — even our systems. It appeared that our systems are not ready to handle the kind of flash floods,” says Njoki Chege, the executive director of TWR Kenya and SIFA FM stations. 

CARE International reported that more than 70,000 people were displaced by flooding in western and central Kenya. Floods killed at least 108 people and destroyed thousands of acres (over 1,200 hectares) of cropland. 

Chege says the flooding has been described as apocalyptic, with images of destruction that people initially thought were AI-generated rather than reality.

“It has been a tough season for Kenya and Kenyans. But it has also been a season of introspection about asking questions around disaster preparedness and how we can prepare for such occurrences — because this is indeed a possibility to happen again next year,” she says. 

More than 80 percent of Kenya’s land is classified as arid or semi-arid, making communities highly dependent on rainfall patterns. Floods and droughts are both familiar challenges across the country. 

“We feel a sense of responsibility and the heaviness of the task to speak hope to people who otherwise would have given up hope because of the dire situation,” says Chege. 

TWR Kenya shares programs on topics like flood safety and climate awareness, alongside Bible preaching and teaching content. For low-income rural communities, TWR Kenya comes alongside them with specialized development programs and occasionally radio set distributions.

“Our job has been to speak hope in the form of devotional programs — unpacking the Bible and unpacking biblical lessons around hoping God, about trusting God, and about leaving everything to God while also doing our part,” says Chege. “We have also been involved in minimal food distribution. That’s not what we do normally, but because of the situation and the places that we find ourselves, people actually lack basic food, basic needs.”

Many of TWR team members are themselves living in places the Kenyan government classifies as “hardship areas.” Chege asks for prayer for strength, encouragement, and provision for their gospel-centered work. 

“We also want to pray that God continues to guide us in this noble task. It takes a special kind of grace [to speak hope], and so we are asking for the guidance of God,” she says.

(Photo courtesy of Bennett Tobias via Unsplash)

The TWR Kenya team is grateful for the support of partners, which has brought the organization to its 50th anniversary this year. They are also celebrating the recent addition of new staff members, whom Chege describes as “mission-driven, willing and able to use the gifts God has given them for the advancement of His kingdom through the media.”

Despite the challenges Kenya is facing today, Chege wants others to know that Kenyans are not in a state of despair.

“People have lost their property, they’ve lost their loved ones, but we still remain very hopeful,” she says. “Yes, we went through some really tough times, but we are also a very resilient people, and we have bounced back. Now people are moving on. They’re recovering, and I’m really grateful to see that.” 

Learn more about TWR Kenya’s work and how you can partner with their ministry by visiting their website. 

This story has been updated from its broadcast with a more recent death toll from Kenya’s flooding: 108 people instead of 88 as originally reported. 

Header photo of woman and child in Samburu, Kenya (Stock photo courtesy of Polina Koroleva via Unsplash).

In response, the European Union has pledged €250,000 in relief funds for Kenya’s drought-impacted communities.

One ministry working on the ground is Kenya Hope, which supports Hope Centers in Narok villages. Each Hope Center has a well for clean drinking water and provides meals and other community resources.

Bryan Haley, executive director of Kenya Hope, says, “This area really missed out on all of the rain and water that they rely on for the entire year. So a lot of…the communities that we serve are really dry and in drought right now.”

(Photo courtesy of Kenya Hope)

As the drought drags on, Kenya Hope is pivoting to meet people’s growing needs.

“We’ve increased the water supply that we are providing. Normally, we ask our centers to collect a small fee for water so that they can prepare for ongoing maintenance and things. But we’ve stopped that so that water is free and accessible to everybody,” Haley says.

“We’ve also increased the amount of…meals that we are providing so everyone in the community is still being fed during drought because obviously, without water, that means they can’t sell their livestock. A lot of their sources of income have dried up, literally, because there’s no water. So we want to make sure that people are cared for in the most essential way possible.”

Even as Kenya Hope responds to physical needs, Haley says the ministry’s mission goes deeper.

“The word hope in our Hope Center means so much more than just water. The Gospel is key to that as well…. We want to see the Gospel flourish in every area of life.”

(Photo courtesy of Kenya Hope)

As Kenya Hope meets peoples physical and spiritual needs, your prayers are an encouragement. Haley asks, “Pray for rain. The next rain season isn’t really until March, but we are praying for God to deliver water at any time and to sustain people during the drought.”

You can find ways to support Kenya Hope’s mission at kenyahope.org.

Header photo courtesy of Kenya Hope.

Cloud-seeding is a method of spraying chemical salts into cloud formations, which encourages condensation that can lead to rain. Iran’s largest lake, Lake Urmia, received cloud-seeding over its watershed on November 15. 

But there’s no quick fix to the drought, even if rainfall surges. For example, rain did come over the weekend in the west and northwest of Iran — and it led to damaging floods.

“This drought is happening at the same time as years of bad management in the old infrastructure, and climate change. So recovery will take a long time,” says Edwin Keshish Abnous with Heart4Iran. 

Iranians are already struggling with daily life needs, especially in Tehran. “The general feeling is that life is getting more and more fragile,” says Abnous.

“Water shortages have also an effect on health, sanitation, and food supply, which are all problems that hit the poor hardest. But despite that, we still see amazing bravery and spiritual hunger in Iranians who are looking for hope in the middle of a crisis.”

Heart4Iran’s call center team sees God at work in even these crippling challenges.

“As things get worse, our team is getting ready to answer more questions about fear, provision, and God’s faithfulness,” Abnous says. “Every time there is hardship and challenges in the land, the spiritual curiosity goes up.”

Pray for families already facing financial difficulties to get the help they need. 

”Pray for emotional strength. If this uncertainty lasts long, people [will] start feeling hopeless,” says Abnous.

Iranians know they can’t solve the water shortage themselves. Pray that they discover Jesus in their searching. 

“Pray that God will use this time to bring people closer to hope, bring [them] closer to truth and peace that comes from the Christ,” Abnous says.

Tehran, Iran (Stock photo courtesy of Shiva Mardahi via Unsplash)

Header photo courtesy of Mostafa Meraji via Unsplash. 

The year-long drought in Zimbabwe presents challenges beyond physical needs. Survival is not just a matter of food and water but also a matter of faith. There are three major obstacles hindering the Gospel from reaching many.

Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2024. Photo courtesy of European Union, Copernicus Sentinel-2 imagery via Wikimedia Commons.

The first challenge stems from the limitations of the church. Melinda Kajilima from Trans World Radio says: “The church at the present moment is going through a difficult time, a hard time.” The difficulty arises from their inability to fully meet the growing needs of the people for water and food. Despite many pastors partnering with the government and various organizations, there has yet to be a sustainable solution.

The second challenge is the doubt that some have about their faith or God’s love during their suffering. As the TWR radio team broadcasts the good news and offers biblical encouragement, they often receive positive feedback.

However, they also hear this complaint from listeners, as Kajilima mentions:

“[They] are excited about what you are giving them, how they are growing in Christ through your broadcast. [Then] they also turn and say, but with this drought I don’t have food on the table. We are listening to the programs, but we still need food to eat!”

As a result of these two issues, a third challenge emerges.

The third challenge is that representatives of other religions exploit the suffering of Zimbabweans to convert them. Kajilima recalls one pastor saying: “I have many, some of my congregants have actually moved out because of some other religions that have come and say, Look, we have this. We have food. And you can, you can have access to the food if you join our religion.” The cause for losing faith is spiritual isolation. While some Christians receive help and encouragement from their churches, those who don’t are left to give up. Kajilima adds:

“[It] is a situation where some Christians will then lose faith. They can’t stand. They will just trade their faith for survival.”

Pray for the TWR team and local churches to be beacons of hope during this time. Pray also for the rain to come, so people can have good harvests and sustainable provisions.

To support TWR, visit their website here.

Header photo courtesy of Global Aid Network.

For over a year, Zimbabwe and some neighboring countries have endured a severe drought. Despite local and international efforts to address the water crisis, the situation continues to escalate, creating additional challenges. Melinda Kajilima from Trans World Radio describes the impact of the drought:

“There is this wild fruit that we find in bushes. Some people are now taking that to prepare, to cook. But our livestock, they feed on that. It’s now a competition between the people and the livestock.”

Eating livestock feed is just the tip of the iceberg. While both rural and urban areas are severely affected by the drought, farmers bear the greatest burden. Kajilima explains, “With the drought, severe food insecurity has been experienced.” Relying on subsistence farming for survival, rural Zimbabweans have been unable to grow enough crops, especially maize. Without these essential harvests, securing a proper meal becomes nearly impossible. As a result, over 7.7 million people in Zimbabwe face hunger, and an increasing number of children are being hospitalized due to severe malnutrition.

(Photo by Lil Artsy, courtesy of Pexels, https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-photography-of-corn-3040710/)

With their resources depleted, many rural families placed their hope in relatives living in cities. However, the drought has also affected urban areas. “They are no longer able to [fend] for them, and that even makes it even worse for those in the rural areas,” Kajilima adds. In many regions, access to tap water is nonexistent, forcing people to travel long distances to find it. Across Zimbabwe, communities are on the brink of survival.

Neighboring countries like Zambia are also grappling with drought, compounding the crisis.

“The government realized the need and [has] taken it upon them to be able to partner with organizations, with churches, in providing immediate relief for those that are affected,” Kajilima says.

Local churches, the government, and international organizations are working together to find solutions. However, addressing one problem often reveals another, as the root cause — drought — remains unsolved and spans a wide geographical area.

The situation opens the door for God’s miracle. Join Zimbabwean churches in prayer for a lasting solution.

“Pray for the rains,” urges Kajilima, “that God will send the rains to replenish the land and yield a good harvest, providing food for the people. Pray for those affected by the drought, that they may find strength, resilience, and hope, and that their faith may sustain them through this difficult time.”

Join Kajilima and the TWR Africa team as they encourage Zimbabweans during this time of drought.

Header photo of Harare, Zimbabwe is a representative stock photo courtesy of Pixabay.

The El Niño phenomenon has led to below-average rainfall across southern Africa, forcing Zimbabwe among other nations in the region to declare a state of disaster earlier this year. 

But even if rain came today, the drought carries long-term consequences.  

“It doesn’t mean they just don’t have food now,” Greg Yoder with Christian World Outreach, “but it [also means] there’s going to be a food shortage in the future.”

Vulnerable children in the “Our Kids” program in Zimbabwe. (Photo courtesy of CWO)

Families in Zimbabwe have lost their crops. They have to spend hours a day securing water, sometimes even digging holes in dry riverbeds for even a bucketful of dirty water. Children are at risk of losing the opportunity to go to school as their parents and grandparents have to focus on getting the next meal on the table. 

In the midst of this, CWO serves families taking care of orphaned children.

“There are times where we’re going to need to supply these families with food that we hadn’t planned on — as well as the pastors of the churches we work with,” Yoder says, explaining that “The people will come to their pastors with their needs, and so they’re (the pastors) going to be swamped with requests for food.” 

October is the hottest and driest month of the year for southern Africa. Would you consider a gift to CWO’s work in Zimbabwe ahead of time?

“If somebody’s hungry and their stomach’s growling, I don’t know that they’re going to hear you share the gospel with them,” Yoder says.

He points to Jesus. “Most of the time, he met physical needs — he met people where they were in their need — and then he shared who he was and shared the gospel with them. We mimic that in what we do. Whether it’s giving food or clothes or medical care, education, we come alongside people and try to meet them right where they are. That opens the door to share the gospel with people.”

Visit cwomissions.org/zimbabwe to make a donation to help serve the people of Zimbabwe’s physical needs.

Header photo contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2024 and is courtesy of European Union, Copernicus Sentinel-2 imagery via Wikimedia Commons. These Copernicus Sentinel-2 images, acquired in March 2023 (top) and 2024 (bottom), show the changes caused by the drought along the borders of Zambia, Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe. See the full image comparisons here. 

For the past five plus years, drought has been an unwelcome reality in Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia and other East African countries. Poor rainfalls have devastated the land and displaced millions in the urgent search for food and water. 

“They have experienced many crop failures because of drought. A lot of animals have died,” says World Concern’s Peter Macharia. 

Woman collects water from a protected water well.
(Photo, caption by Daryl Finley/World Concern)

In East Africa, World Concern serves as the hands and feet of Christ. They work among communities to provide water, nutrition and medicine in the face of hunger and disease. This help is critical, but today Macharia asks us to take a brief step back and consider how water points us to spiritual realities. 

“When we talk about physical drought, we should also be thinking about the spiritual drought. You know, water refreshes our weary bodies; so is the gospel. It refreshes our weary souls,” he says. 

“The Word of God in John chapter 15:3 says, ‘You already clean through the Word which I have spoken to you.’ So when you think about what water does to us physically, the gospel does the same to us spiritually.”

Macharia asks that the Church would take deliberate action to meet the practical needs of people in the Horn of Africa. 

“Think about people across the globe that are suffering without water, and find ways of how do they help? We are all living in a global village and we need to see the other person, the other country as my neighbor, because when they suffer, we all suffer,” he says.

Learn more about how you can partner with World Concern’s relief work here. 

Finally, in a world full of trouble, advocacy is another way you can stand with East Africa. 

“Prayer is able to go where we cannot go,” Macharia says. “(People) can also be participating by sharing the word and speaking about the suffering of the people wherever they are.”

Header photo of young girl in East Africa drawing water from unprotected well, courtesy of Daryl Finley/World Concern.

The floods have displaced more than 280,000 people since early April, and at least 277 have lost their lives.

“For the better part of the last couple of decades, so much of Kenya has been in drought,” Unknown Nations’ Greg Kelley says.

“Anytime you go from the extremes of drought conditions into excessive rains, it’s always going to be traumatic.”

While a large percentage of Kenya’s population knows and follows Christ, there are pockets of unreached people groups – mostly in the refugee community. These groups are affected by the flooding, too.

Flooding in Kenya. (Photo courtesy of FMI partner, Pastor Caleb)

“It (natural disaster) creates a tremendous opportunity for us, as the body of Christ, to come alongside people and love them in Jesus’s name,” Kelley says, describing efforts to help Kenyan believers affected by the flooding.

“But also, let’s not miss the opportunity to share the Gospel where it’s most needed.”

Pray that responding Christians can identify groups who don’t know the Lord and will share the Gospel as they give out humanitarian aid.

“Unreached people have the same concerns as the Christian community has. They want to provide for their children, have a roof over their heads, clothing, and access to food, just like any other human being,” Kelley says.

“When you are in a disaster situation, that desperation makes you question everything. What better time for the Body of Christ to come alongside and declare the love of Jesus?”

Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Hermann Traub/Pixabay.

Kenya is among many countries whose people struggle find enough water to live.

“Don’t we just take clean water for granted?” says Brian Dennett with AMG International. “Our national leader (in Kenya) shared stories of people they work with that travel 12 miles in a day just to fetch water for cooking and drinking. Talk about how precious that water is with the amount of labor it takes to get it.”

Photo is of a bore well AMG installed in India to help fight extreme heat. (Image courtesy AMG India)

Multiple years of low rainfalls in the Horn of Africa led to a terrible drought in 2020–2023. Losses of livestock, crops and natural water sources were devastating. Then, heavy rainfalls and floods in late 2023 brought a different kind of destruction. It’s going to take a long time to recover, and in the meantime, help is needed. 

“In many countries like Kenya, we provide water filter systems. We’ve done hundreds of borewells just in the last several years. Like everything we do, we include the gospel,” says Dennett. 

The next time you turn on a faucet, would you pray for thirsty people in the world? Pray that ministries like AMG would be able to be the hands and feet of Jesus, offering physical water and the true spiritual water that Jesus is. 

You can partner with AMG to do this very thing. A gift of $60 covers one filter that can work for around seven years. Or you can give toward a borehole well, which costs as little as $3,000. 

“We’ve actually targeted five villages that are in desperate need of clean water. We’re going to be building wells in each of those five villages. Then in other parts (of the world), we want to be able to continue providing hundreds, maybe thousands of water filters,” Dennet says. 

(Header photo is a representative stock image taken in Kenya in 2023, courtesy of Evans Dims via Unsplash.)