Christian Aid Week 2021

Our Bishop Nicholas has tweeted in support.

Rose Katanu Jonathan, still working the land aged 60-plus, is pictured sitting on the dry earth caused by extreme drought in Dili Village, Kitui, Kenya.

She is caught in a cycle of climate chaos. From severe drought to flooding, extreme weather robs her of what she needs to survive: a reliable source of water.

When she was a child, Rose remembers how often the rains would fall, giving fruit to the baobab trees and providing plenty of nutritious food to eat.

She says: "When I was a young girl, there was plenty of food."

But now the rains are totally unreliable. The climate crisis has galvanised extreme weather and Rose’s community feels the brunt of it. For months at a time, Rose and her family live with drought.

Rose adds:

"Because of climate change, I worry a lot about food. I pray to God that the rainfall will become normal like it used to be."

Also in Kenya, Florence Muthiani, a 55-year-old grandmother, is now able to grow crops to feed her family and sell in the market, due to dam-building finnaced by Christian Aid doinations.

Florence is a widow: when her husband died a few years ago, she had no water to grow crops. Her children were hungry and she had to walk for hours on a dangerous journey to collect water.

"Life was miserable," she says. But she was determined to fight on and not give up.

Now, thanks to Christian Aid Week donations, Florence and her community have built a water dam, just a short walk from her village, with the help of mission partner ADSE.

Original photo by Tom Pilston 

Florence says:

"I am thankful to people who have donated to build this earth dam. I am praying God will increase their giving!"

Christian Aid says:

"This climate crisis hurts us all. But people living in poverty fight the worst of it every day.

"From drought to flooding, climate change robs people of control over their lives. Extreme weather means people like Rose are struggling to survive without a reliable source of water.

"Your gift could help a community build an earth dam, so when the rains do come, they will have the water they need to live. A reliable source of water will help families withstand long drought or relentless rainstorms.

"Every envelope. Every gift. Every challenge can change lives.

"Together we stop this climate crisis."

Please consider giving generously to this life-changing, life-saving cause, here.