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Hear the Roar!
7 years ago
Monday, December 14, 2009
Water Fact
Water is essential to the survival of all organisms, it has always been an important and life-sustaining drink to humans. Excluding fat, water composes approximately 70% of the human body by mass. It is a crucial component of metabolic processes and serves as a solvent for many bodily solutes. Health authorities have historically suggested at least eight glasses, eight fluid ounces each (168 ml), of water per day (64 fluid ounces, or 1.89 litres).
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Rain 'not enough' to end hunger in Kenya By Mark Tutton, CNN
Recent rainfall has brought new vegetation to parts of Kenya that haven't seen rain for years, but aid workers say it's too little, too late to undo the damage caused by years of drought.
Kenya is experiencing its worst drought for a decade, according to Peter Smerdon of the UN World Food Program (WFP), with parts of the country having gone for four years without rain.
Smerdon told CNN the drought has brought food shortages to the entire Horn of Africa, with 3.8 million Kenyans and 6.2 million Ethiopians still in need of food assistance.
He said that in some parts of Kenya, one in five children under the age of five is suffering from malnutrition.
Alf Berg is a photographer with aid organization Plan. He was recently in Machakos in south-east Kenya, and Shebedino in southern Ethiopia, where he met some of those affected by years of low rainfall.
"I photographed a family in Machakos where the father was about to die of TB, and he hadn't been eating properly for two or three years," Berg told CNN.
"I talked to another man who had lost 26 of his 32 cattle in the last three weeks -- so it's not just a food security issue, it's a financial security issue too."
October's rains may be enough to officially end the drought, but Berg said they will not be enough to end food shortages in the region.
"Machakos received some rain this year, but before that they had received no rain for four years," he said. "Most of the livestock in the area died over the last two months because there was no foliage in the area."
"The irony is that I tended to photograph lush, green areas, but at the same time I was seeing cows that didn't have the strength to stand up. Two or three weeks into the rain they were still as weak as that."
In fact, Smerdon told CNN that livestock mortality rates actually increased immediately following the rains, as already weakened cows suffered from the cold and contracted illnesses.
Smerdon said that the people worst affected by the droughts were nomadic herders in arid regions in northern Kenya and subsistence farmers on the coast.
"A lot of nomadic herders have lost their livestock and now have less than the minimum number of animals a family needs to survive," he said.
"OK, it rained, but it doesn't change the problems for those people who have lost just about everything," he continued.
Smerdon said these people will need humanitarian assistance for many months, until their herds are replenished or they can borrow money to buy new cattle.
He added that years of drought have meant that many coastal farmers have had to eat the seeds they would otherwise have planted, and have been forced to sell their farming implements and livestock to make ends meet. That means they won't be able to plant crops to take advantage of the recent rain.
"The rains mean they don't have to travel so far to get water, and the price of water has been reduced quite significantly, but it doesn't dig them out of the financial hole they find themselves in -- it just means they're going down slower," Smerdon told CNN.
While the drought hasn't led to famine, long-term food shortages have had a devastating impact on whole communities.
Dr Issa Kipera is Plan's country director for Ethiopia. He told CNN that those who don't get enough food are more susceptible to disease and lack the energy to work, meaning their productivity decreases, creating a poverty cycle.
"Children suffer stunted growth, which affects their development and capacity in later life," said Kipera.
"Many drop out of school because they cannot concentrate on an empty stomach or walk the long distances to get to school, which means they have the consequences of not having an education."
Kipera said the Ethiopian government predicts the food crisis could be over by March 2010, but Smerdon cautioned that rainfall in the region has been declining for the past 20 years and there is a real chance that rains could fail again next year.
"The rains will probably bring down the numbers in need of assistance but not by a great deal," Smerdon told CNN. "The situation is better, but we're not out of the woods yet."
Kenya is experiencing its worst drought for a decade, according to Peter Smerdon of the UN World Food Program (WFP), with parts of the country having gone for four years without rain.
Smerdon told CNN the drought has brought food shortages to the entire Horn of Africa, with 3.8 million Kenyans and 6.2 million Ethiopians still in need of food assistance.
He said that in some parts of Kenya, one in five children under the age of five is suffering from malnutrition.
Alf Berg is a photographer with aid organization Plan. He was recently in Machakos in south-east Kenya, and Shebedino in southern Ethiopia, where he met some of those affected by years of low rainfall.
"I photographed a family in Machakos where the father was about to die of TB, and he hadn't been eating properly for two or three years," Berg told CNN.
"I talked to another man who had lost 26 of his 32 cattle in the last three weeks -- so it's not just a food security issue, it's a financial security issue too."
October's rains may be enough to officially end the drought, but Berg said they will not be enough to end food shortages in the region.
"Machakos received some rain this year, but before that they had received no rain for four years," he said. "Most of the livestock in the area died over the last two months because there was no foliage in the area."
"The irony is that I tended to photograph lush, green areas, but at the same time I was seeing cows that didn't have the strength to stand up. Two or three weeks into the rain they were still as weak as that."
In fact, Smerdon told CNN that livestock mortality rates actually increased immediately following the rains, as already weakened cows suffered from the cold and contracted illnesses.
Smerdon said that the people worst affected by the droughts were nomadic herders in arid regions in northern Kenya and subsistence farmers on the coast.
"A lot of nomadic herders have lost their livestock and now have less than the minimum number of animals a family needs to survive," he said.
"OK, it rained, but it doesn't change the problems for those people who have lost just about everything," he continued.
Smerdon said these people will need humanitarian assistance for many months, until their herds are replenished or they can borrow money to buy new cattle.
He added that years of drought have meant that many coastal farmers have had to eat the seeds they would otherwise have planted, and have been forced to sell their farming implements and livestock to make ends meet. That means they won't be able to plant crops to take advantage of the recent rain.
"The rains mean they don't have to travel so far to get water, and the price of water has been reduced quite significantly, but it doesn't dig them out of the financial hole they find themselves in -- it just means they're going down slower," Smerdon told CNN.
While the drought hasn't led to famine, long-term food shortages have had a devastating impact on whole communities.
Dr Issa Kipera is Plan's country director for Ethiopia. He told CNN that those who don't get enough food are more susceptible to disease and lack the energy to work, meaning their productivity decreases, creating a poverty cycle.
"Children suffer stunted growth, which affects their development and capacity in later life," said Kipera.
"Many drop out of school because they cannot concentrate on an empty stomach or walk the long distances to get to school, which means they have the consequences of not having an education."
Kipera said the Ethiopian government predicts the food crisis could be over by March 2010, but Smerdon cautioned that rainfall in the region has been declining for the past 20 years and there is a real chance that rains could fail again next year.
"The rains will probably bring down the numbers in need of assistance but not by a great deal," Smerdon told CNN. "The situation is better, but we're not out of the woods yet."
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Water Fact
"In the next 24 hours, diarrhea caused by unclean water and poor sanitation will claim the lives of 4,000 children" - OXFAM
2010 Members
Our final members for 2010 have been selected and we're starting to meet at least once a month. Our meetings are meant to help us get to know each other and to help us ready our minds and hearts for the experiences we'll have while 'in country' and upon our return.
Some of our members are people you've met before and others are the 'newbies'. In the coming months we'll take some time to introduce ourselves and help you to understand why each of us feels this is a great project to invest our time, experience and money in.
And the members are:
Paul M.
Sarah M.
Glen M.
Stewart L.
Dave L.
Janet W.
Lynn M.
Darren M.
Colleen M.
Janice E.
Eric M.
Lisa M.
Some of our members are people you've met before and others are the 'newbies'. In the coming months we'll take some time to introduce ourselves and help you to understand why each of us feels this is a great project to invest our time, experience and money in.
And the members are:
Paul M.
Sarah M.
Glen M.
Stewart L.
Dave L.
Janet W.
Lynn M.
Darren M.
Colleen M.
Janice E.
Eric M.
Lisa M.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Eric Says “Lisa Needs Sleep.”
Airports in general are tiring, hot, sweaty, aggravating, stuffy and crowded. I don’t like them. Airplanes are like miniature airports but with an increased factor of all of the above. I really don’t like planes. I want to be home, in my bed, showered and clean and able to stretch as much as I want.
Terminal three at Heathrow is like a mini Chinook mall with just as many people cramming themselves into less retail space. It’s wonderful! Unfortunately it doesn’t have a shower like terminal four did on the way to Kenya and so I will stink when I get home and you hug me at your own risk.
Eric also says “Lisa has to write two positive things about Heathrow so everyone doesn’t think we’re going through hell.”
Heathrow terminal three has a Starbucks.
Heathrow terminal three has a sushi bar which I plan to snack at before getting on the plane. I hope it’s good.
PS – I’m grumpy!
Lisa
Terminal three at Heathrow is like a mini Chinook mall with just as many people cramming themselves into less retail space. It’s wonderful!
Eric also says “Lisa has to write two positive things about Heathrow so everyone doesn’t think we’re going through hell.”
Heathrow terminal three has a Starbucks.
Heathrow terminal three has a sushi bar which I plan to snack at before getting on the plane. I hope it’s good.
PS – I’m grumpy!
Lisa
We Are Baptists...
And that means we eat. We like eating, especially goooooood food. Turns out the Acacia Camp has really good, good, good, food. We had pasta bars, omelette bars, kabobs, salad, and curry’s and all of it was so yummy. Needless to say any of us who lost weight have gained most of it back if not all. Don’t get me wrong, we are NOT complaining!!!
Not only does the Acacia Camp have great food but also great scenery. We saw, Guiney Fowl, Oryx, Thompson Gazelle, Grant Gazelle, Antelope, Giraffes, Zebra, Mariboo Stork, Ostrich, Warthog, Civet Monkeys, Eland, Wildebeest, Impalas and lots of birds. Between debriefing sessions and meals we got lots of opportunities to experience all that the camp has. If you ever get the chance go for a visit.
Lisa
Not only does the Acacia Camp have great food but also great scenery. We saw, Guiney Fowl, Oryx, Thompson Gazelle, Grant Gazelle, Antelope, Giraffes, Zebra, Mariboo Stork, Ostrich, Warthog, Civet Monkeys, Eland, Wildebeest, Impalas and lots of birds. Between debriefing sessions and meals we got lots of opportunities to experience all that the camp has. If you ever get the chance go for a visit.
Lisa
A Day of Rest
We went to church at Nairobi Baptist Church, it’s basically Center Street Church and at least as big as the old building and most likely bigger. Some of the worship songs were ones that I would normally do back in Calgary with Hearts Wide Open and I found it really comforting but I think others found it a little unnerving. All around it was a good service but very similar to services at our church which I found a little unexpected.
After church a number of us watched some Olympics for a couple hours. I really found this to be a treat since it’s really the first time we’ve seen or heard any coverage of the games. It’s rather bizarre to have the biggest sporting event in four years happening and to know nothing about it. I guess it’s not that bizarre when you consider that most of the people we’ve been working with have WAY bigger problems to deal with, like where am I going to get the water I need to be able to drink today.
Post lunch we packed all our crap into vans and headed out to the game ranch that Tim lives on. Wow is all I can really say about it. There are MANY, MANY, MANY animals here to watch, hear and chase away from the compound. It’s kind of like living on the farm but having no fences. We are here for the next two days and will have our debriefing while here. I think this means that all the weight I lost will be back by the time we’re home, the food here is really, really good!!!
Lisa
After church a number of us watched some Olympics for a couple hours. I really found this to be a treat since it’s really the first time we’ve seen or heard any coverage of the games. It’s rather bizarre to have the biggest sporting event in four years happening and to know nothing about it. I guess it’s not that bizarre when you consider that most of the people we’ve been working with have WAY bigger problems to deal with, like where am I going to get the water I need to be able to drink today.
Post lunch we packed all our crap into vans and headed out to the game ranch that Tim lives on. Wow is all I can really say about it. There are MANY, MANY, MANY animals here to watch, hear and chase away from the compound. It’s kind of like living on the farm but having no fences. We are here for the next two days and will have our debriefing while here. I think this means that all the weight I lost will be back by the time we’re home, the food here is really, really good!!!
Lisa
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