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Contact: Rachel Wolff, World Vision, 253-815-2072, rwolff@worldvision.org
MEDIA ADVISORY, Jan. 30 /Standard Newswire/ -- As violence intensifies in central and western Kenya, World Vision is unable to reach the increasing number of people fleeing their homes for temporary camps, which have built up around police stations and public buildings.
With all roads to Nakuru and Naivasha now blocked, there is no way for aid agencies to reach families who have left home with nothing. World Vision staff have been forced to stop work in the face of renewed violence.
Camps are seeing an influx of people as protests spread into small pockets across the west of the country.
Hiding in the bush
"Families are coming out of the bush where they have been hiding for weeks," said World Vision's Patterson Siema in
"I was at a camp in Cherengany on Friday and 45 families arrived while I was there. The families had been hiding in the bush for 11 days. They have left their crops behind in villages miles away and they are hungry and tired."
Bread basket
"The Rift Valley is known as the bread basket of
"If people continue to flee, the basket will be empty. More and more people will be dependant on food aid."
Since post-election clashes killed more than 700 people and displaced more than one percent of the population, World Vision has been providing food, water, mosquito nets, water containers and blankets to almost 155,000 people across the country.
Long-term impact
Once the security situation has improved, World Vision plans to work with communities on peacebuilding, psychosocial work and the rebuilding of homes and livelihoods.
"The long-term impact of this current instability is a real concern," Siema said.
"In the area of Narok, where World Vision has long-term development projects, 28 schools are now closed. Thousands of children are unable to go to school."
"We cannot even say when we will be able to resume work in the worst-affected areas where we work," he continued.
"The situation is so unpredictable. But we have supplies ready to go when the road is clear and the security situation has stabilised."
Increase in abuse
World Vision is also reporting an increase in abuse against women and children within camps. The increase is largely due to men, women and children sharing the same shelter facilities, said the World Vision's child rights advocate Rhoda Kasimbu.
World Vision continues to urge both sides to stop the violence and the resulting humanitarian crisis by demanding a permanent halt to violence. It calls on all parties to address the root causes of the division, instability and violence, which are contrary to the fair and democratic political system that Kenyans aspire to have.
