RELIEF FOOD
FEBRARY 23, 2010
BY EUGENE OMILO
South Coast regional commissioner Nelson Marua has appealed to well-wishers in the region to assist thousands of residents in drought hit areas in the region faced with eminent starvation.
Speaking at the Telephone house in Mombasa during the flagging off ceremony for a caravan of relief food headed to Ganze and Vitengeni in Kilifi yesterday, Marua said other affected areas are Kinango, Voi, Magarini, Tana River and Lamu.
Marua said there is need to change the syndrome of depending on food aid as the people in drought hit areas can be helped to come up with income generating projects.
“Let’s teach these people how to be self reliant as we contemplate on finding permanent solutions to the food crisis in the country,” said Marua.
He said the launch of the economic stimulus package in parts of the region has helped increase food production in the region singling out the Bura and Ramisi schemes.
Telecom Kenya head of corporate communications Angela Mugo said more than 1400 households in the areas will benefit from the relief food adding that a total of 131 metric tons worth Sh 4 million will be distributed .
Mugo said the initiative which is part of the company’s corporate social responsibility is meant to save thousands of lives in various areas affected by drought.
“We look forward to partnering with the government and the loc al authorities to seek long term solutions to drought through tree planting in the affected areas,” said Mugo.
World Vision’s Regional manager Dr Gashengo Mureu said the food rations which include beans, maize and vegetable oil will help suffice 8300 people for a whole month.
The project was carried out in partnership with World Vision which is one of the relief organizations working in Kilifi.
Other officials present during the ceremony were Telecom Kenya’s regional manager Peter Tonui, and councilors Badi Twalib and Rashid Suleiman who represented Mombasa Mayor Ahmed Mohdhar.
ENDS…
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