Page 29 - Aidlink AR 2021

KENYA COUNTRY PROFILE & PROGRAMMES
Continued
Emergencies
Severe drought continued to devastate the lives
of the rural and marginalised in Kenya in 2021 resulting in food shortages, loss of cattle and crop failure, particularly in the Arid and Semi-Arid (ASAL) regions of Turkana and Kajiado. In response, in the run up to Christmas 2021, Aidlink school feeding programmes supported 20,000 children with what was for many, their only daily source of nutrition.
Turkana and Kajiado are susceptible to frequent natural disasters and outbreaks
of disease, resulting in already vulnerable communities losing their livelihoods and pushing families further into poverty. At the time of writing, four consecutive rainy seasons have failed in Kenya, which can be directly attributed to the global climate crisis.
In response to the climate-induced drought, Aidlink increased and extended its school feeding programmes to include a total of
44 schools and approximately 20,000 school going children for an extra three months.
Food was distributed in November and December 2021 ensuring that children received a daily meal during the acute dry period in
the run up to Christmas. Food was distributed in November and December 2021 ensuring that children received a daily meal. This school feeding programme provided critical nutrition and protection for children and led to the increased enrolment of 3,437 children.
Aidlink Annual Report 2021 | 27
Boy collecting water, Turkana. Photo credit GCN