EVANGELICAL CHARITY OFFERING LONG-TERM SOLUTIONSAMIDAFRICA'S DEVASTATING DROUGHT BYSAMANTHAKAMMAN globalChristian livestockintheregionhavedieddueto humanitarian dehydrationandstarvation. A organizationisusingits "Theworkwehavebeendoingthere networkofchurchesto inmoisture-constrainedareashashad assistKenyaduringone todowithbuildingtheresilienceof ofthemostdevastatingdroughtstohit thesecommunitiesbecausethe EastAfricainoverhalfacentury,the droughthasbecomeaveryfrequent effectsofwhicharecompoundedby thing,"hesaid."Thepatternisnot challengescausedbyRussia'sinvasion frequent,butdroughtsarecomingnow ofUkraine. andthen." WorldRelief,anongovernmental KamausaidWorldReliefhas inTurkanaCounty. organizationthathasworkedacross createdoveradozenboreholesin WorldReliefpartnerswithchurches 100countriestobringsustainable Turkana—narrowholesdugtolocate thatprovidevolunteersthatthe solutionstovulnerableregions,is water—andsixotherwaterpoints organizationtrainstodoextension operatinginthenorthwestKenyan calledsanddams.Thesedamsstore workandhelpcovermoreareasin countyofTurkanaasadroughthas waterduringrainyseasonsandthe need. plaguedthecountryforthepast18 wateraccumulatesbehindthedam. months. Theorganizationisalsodiggingfour Churchempowerment FoundedastheWarRelief additionalboreholesinatownsouthof zones CommissionduringWorldWarIIby NairobicalledKajiado.Thecountry theNationalAssociationof directortoldCPthatequatesto16 WorldRelieffindsareastohelpby EvangelicalsofAmerica,WorldRelief boreholesandsixsanddamsthat assessingthelevelofneed.Whenit hasmaintainedalong-termpresencein WorldReliefhasdug. entersanareatoofferrelief,thecharity theEastAfricancountrysince2011, Afterestablishingwaterpoints,the locateschurches,invitingpastorsand whendroughtandfaminelastravaged organizationhelpscommunitiesin otherchurchleaderstocraftwhatthe thearea. thoseregionsadapttodryland organizationcallsa"church InaninterviewwithTheChristian farming,anagriculturaltechniquethat empowermentzone." Post,WorldReliefKenyaCountry utilizesmoisturestoredinthesoilto Thesezonesequippastorsorother DirectorEliasKamausaidmanyin cultivatecrops. spiritualleaderstoworkwiththeir Turkanaarenomadicpastoralists, nadditiontooperatingacountry communitiestoaddressissueslike meaningtheymigratewiththeir officeinNairobiwithabout12staff, povertyormalnutritionthrough livestockfromoneplacetoanotherin WorldReliefalsohastwoofficesin leadershipdevelopmentandcapacity searchofpasture. Turkana,threeinKajiadoandNakuru, building. Thedroughthascausedthe aRiftValleyregioninKenya.World "Wecutoutageographicalareaasa depletionofmanywatersourcesin Reliefhasabout64staffonitspayroll whole,andwestyleitasachurch pastoralistareasand60%to80%of inKenya,withabouttwodozenonstaff empowermentzone—theplacewhere 32 VOLIII AUG2022