How do you teach your children to cope with hunger?

September 25th, 2009 at 1:27 pm.

Over 20 million people across East Africa are facing critical shortages of food and water. Jane Beesley talks to mothers in Kenya who are struggling to feed their children. Oxfam is there, but we need your help.

“Wasn’t there one last year?” was the comment I most frequently heard before leaving for East Africa and the food crisis that is currently affecting millions of people in the region. The correct response would be, “Actually it’s the same one.”

The rains have now failed for four consecutive seasons in Kenya…no chance for people to recover. We’ve just been to one of the worst hit areas and stopped in the village of Kanukurudio. At the end of an interview with Susan Kobongin, a woman who has lost all her livestock and means of living, I ask how she would describe the situation this year, how’s it different? She replied, “If you ask a small child now he, or she, will just tell you, ‘It’s a bad year’ so everyone knows it’s a bad year. For us if the children know it and say it’s a bad year then everyone knows it must be a bad year - this is what’s different this year…the children know it.”

Agnes Nasur [Photo credit: Jane Beesley]

Both her and her neighbour, Agnes Nasur, describe how they try and cope. The daily challenge is getting enough food for the children. The younger children go to school where they are given meals, the older children go to relatives, friends, neighbours and others to work…fetching water, finding firewood, cooking…in return there is no money, there is no food to take home, but they can share the family meal. Meanwhile at home when there is little food Agnes says, ”I cope by reducing the size of meals, and skip some meals…I use little, little, so it might last until the time when there’s the next food distribution…but it compromises the children’s health.”

So how do you teach your children to cope with hunger? In Milima Tatu, Apua Lokarulo tells me, “For those about five years old who can understand we just tell them, ‘There’s nothing today to eat.’ And they understand.” And the younger children? “…the younger ones just cry.” replies Ikimat Ekiru.

In the evening Gabriel Ekuwam, my colleague, and I reflect on the day. It’s his reflection on people’s fear and loss of hope that brings it home. As an outsider I can make many assumptions but Gabriel is a Turkanan - it’s his insight that makes it clear what the difference is - people are really scared this time.

“I appreciate the food distribution but I’m now afraid. If the aid is cut…I’m afraid of what will happen to us. I fear for our lives. Even now the little I get I’m sharing with others…so the amount we are living on is very little…but now it is all we have.” Agnes.

We also reflect on Esther Maraka stark and powerful statement, “We have been wiped away like tree leaves that have died.” Gabriel emphasises that she said wiped away not blown away…the difference maybe subtle but it’s sobering.

My own reflection is…there’s a saying in Africa, “Europeans have watches but Africans have time.” But how much time do people like Susan and Apua have? And do we now have time for them?