Our planet is changing
Val Brown, Community Relations and Fundraising Manager at Christian Aid Scotland considers the plight of Kenya and climate change ahead of Christian Aid Week.
OUR planet is changing. Weather extremes – prolonged drought, erratic rainfall, hurricanes - are now more frequent and more intense due to the climate crisis. One country that has been experiencing extreme weather is Kenya.
Climate chaos and coronavirus pose a double threat to lives and livelihoods. Kenya is currently experiencing a third wave of the virus and cases have been rising. We might remember spring 2020 for being the sunniest on record in Scotland, but in Kenya the year brought drought followed by relentless rainfall and flooding, which damaged struggling crops. In Kitui, eastern Kenya, eight out of ten people depend on sufficient rainfall to grow crops. Without water, staple crops such as maize and beans wither and die. People can’t earn a living and they go hungry.