Maasai Starvation - Kenya’s Rift Valley

Starvation continues to stalk millions of Maasai people in Kenya’s Rift valley and hunger relief supplies are on the way to help the neediest survive.

“These areas of Kenya have not had rain since 2007. There simply is no grass. No grass means no food for the animals. Since Maasai depend almost entirely on their animals, some people began to die – mostly older Maasai,” said project director Bob Calvert. “Their animals were emaciated and could not be sold to purchase food, so things went from bad to worse. They could not eat because their animals were either dead or dying.”

Donations to the World Hunger Fund have made this project possible.

For more information, read this article from the Baptist Global Response website.

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There is another group of Maasai living in the neighboring country of Tanzania who are experiencing the same hunger.  Several of the women formed an artisan group called Nanyok to help supplement their family incomes. The five-month dry season kills the grass, leaving the goats to die, meaning no milk for Maasai children. Each eight-strand beaded bracelet sold through Nanyok creates a savings fund for new goats. In the past year, the women saved $150 from the bracelets and bought 15 goats to nourish their children.

To find out more about Nanyok and to purchase hand-made crafts to support the Maasai visit the WorldCrafts site.