Helping my home village cope amid a severe drought crisis, as the risk of
hunger is growing

[ [link removed] ]Mercy Corps

Dear friend,

I recently joined a group of women from Ngilai Village in northern Kenya
as they made their daily, two-kilometer trek to a dried-up reservoir.
Three failed rainy seasons have led to a catastrophic drought — this
reservoir hasn’t had water for years. We came to sing and pray for rain.

Here at the Lesepe Dam is the same place where I came to fetch water as a
young girl living with my grandmother in a nearby village. Returning now,
as a Mercy Corps Kenya team member 15 years later, is an emotional
experience for me.

[ [link removed] ]I invite you to please take a moment to watch and listen to these women
from my home country, as they sing and pray together for rain to fall.


[ [link removed] ][IMG]


[ [link removed] ]Watch the video [ [link removed] ]▸


I feel the pain of the women as they sing and cry for rain. These are
mothers who cannot find water for drinking, cooking, and washing at home —
or for their valuable livestock. There is no smell of water and not a
single blade of grass. I see parched earth stretching in every direction
and it breaks my heart.

The drought crisis has devastated the lives and livelihoods of so many in
Kenya. More than 3.1 million people are experiencing chronic hunger.
Primary sources of food and income have disappeared as crops and livestock
die and grazing land dries up.

Here in northern Kenya, Mercy Corps has helped more than 3,000 families
who have been deeply affected by the drought. To meet their immediate
needs, our team is providing cash assistance so families can purchase
essentials like food and water.

What heartens me most about our work here is Mercy Corps’ commitment to
helping communities adapt to climate shocks over the long term, so that
they can build back stronger and more resilient to future disasters.

For example, we are expanding access to water by making repairs to the
water infrastructure. We’re empowering women to start small income
generating activities. And we work with farmers to improve the health of
their livestock and grazing lands.

Thank you for being part of our Mercy
Corps community. I’m proud of the work that we do together to help people
build brighter futures.

With gratitude,

[6]Florence Nasieku Lesoloyia Florence Nasieku Lesoloyia,
Sr. Private Sector Engagement & Financial
Inclusion Officer

Florence believes that nothing is more satisfying than serving the
community that raised you. In her home country of Kenya, she supports
communities by providing them with tools to proactively manage risks and
adapt to stressors to build more prosperous lives for themselves.

P.S. [ [link removed] ]Please click here to watch the short Instagram video of me as I
joined in the songs and prayers for rain. It was a moment that brought
back childhood memories of this place and challenged me to impact my
community better.

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