Aid Continues in Kenya

February 11, 2008—After nearly a month of postelection violence, Catholic Relief Services and our local partners continue to assist tens of thousands of displaced Kenyans who were forced from their homes.

As of the first week of February, most schools have reopened and the streets are a lot calmer. However, the country is still tense, and some teachers have not returned to school due to alleged threats. Sporadic violence continues to flare up, and more than 300,000 people are still displaced from their homes.

The conflict erupted in late December, shortly after it was announced that incumbent President Mwai Kibaki had narrowly defeated challenger Raila Odinga. Allegations of vote-rigging quickly turned into riots, looting, arson and killing across Nairobi and up the Rift Valley. Gangs primarily in Nairobi and in areas of western Kenya, such as Eldoret, threatened families and burned houses, taking advantage of the disputed results to drive people from their land. By the end of January, postelection violence had killed more than 1,000 people and displaced more than 304,000, according to staff and news reports.

To date, CRS has provided $300,000 worth of emergency supplies, primarily to Eldoret, where our activities have already assisted more than 40,000 people. CRS is now developing longer-term response plans with affected dioceses, Caritas Kenya and the U.S. Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance.

Using a $2.8 million funding commitment from OFDA, CRS and partner agencies will implement emergency response, protection, peacebuilding and humanitarian coordination activities over the next nine months that will help more than 190,000 people affected by the violence.

CRS is also supporting the peace and reconciliation efforts of the Kenya Episcopal Conference and Inter-Religious Forum, helping to fund meetings to foster interfaith dialogue.

"The political crisis in Kenya is far from resolved, and unfortunately we fear that the humanitarian challenges are just beginning," said Ken MacLean, CRS Kenya's country representative. "Of critical concern is the upcoming planting season. Families must prepare fields and plant seeds soon to have sufficient food, but until people feel safe from the threat of violence, they will not take action to secure their futures."

Providing Refuge and Relief

Immediately following the outbreak of violence, more than 200,000 displaced Kenyans sought refuge in churches, schools and police compounds. CRS with Caritas partners CAFOD and Trocaire provided the dioceses of Eldoret and Bungoma with $50,000 to immediately purchase food and other essential supplies for people they were assisting.

In coordination with United Nations agencies and the Kenya Red Cross, CRS' emergency response team staff helped build latrines, showers, and water and solid waste disposal systems at the main displacement camp in Eldoret, where more than 13,000 people are now living. Staff and our partners are planning for other water and sanitation needs, as an expected 10,000 families relocate to Eldoret.

Some displaced families are now moving to designated locations to receive longer-term services. CRS has delivered 7,000 blankets, 10,000 mosquito nets, 5,000 water cans, and 7,500 plastic sheets for shelter to be distributed by the Kenya Red Cross at three of these sites in Eldoret and Kitale. Purchase of these essential items was funded primarily by a $250,000 donation from Latter-day Saint Charities, a humanitarian arm of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

As CRS Kenya plans to aid residents in the most affected districts, staff is further assessing needs and has remained in close communication with various bishops and parish priests throughout the country.

Our Work in Kenya

CRS has worked in Kenya for more than 40 years, collaborating with local partners to serve some of the country's poorest communities through programs focused on food security, health care, HIV, orphans and other vulnerable children, agriculture, clean water, sanitation, and natural-resource management.