Locusts devastate drought-ridden Turkana, Kenya!
“The locusts have no king, yet all of them march in rank” (Proverbs 30:27)…
… marching across the crops at the Natoot farm in Turkana, Kenya!
Imagine... You’re up early to check on the growing watermelons, tomatoes, and leafy greens. Your family and many others depend on the community farm for food and ongoing income. Without this farm, many families may not survive another devastating drought like you had last year.
Just over a year ago, Turkana, a hot, dry region in northern Kenya, endured a devastating drought that wiped out livestock, vegetation, and took many lives.
But in the village of Natoot, they didn’t want to just survive the next drought. They wanted to thrive through it. Before the horrible drought last year, Bright Hope was already helping our friends in Natoot plant a farm. But when it hit, the farm project had to be put on hold.
This farm project marked a complete lifestyle change for the Natoot villagers. As a people who had historically only worked with animals (pastoralists), they had NO background in farming!
So, to transform scrubland into an oasis, our Kenyan friends had to drill a well, and install solar panels, fences, and drip irrigation systems.
They also partnered with agricultural experts to train the local farmers how to compost, plant crops, ride out the drought seasons, and become self-sustainable.
And now, after an overwhelmingly successful harvest, the locusts have attacked. And that’s exactly what it feels like—an invading army looting everything!
We could spend pages and pages explaining what it’s like to witness the ground crawl with locusts, and to watch what’s left of your watermelon vines bend with the weight of these scavengers.
Or..... I could just show you!
Doesn’t this video break your heart? The people in Turkana have endured so much in the last few years. And now locusts, too?
You may be wondering, what can I do to help? It’s hard to imagine what it’s like watching those creepy critters eat up the last of your family’s livelihood!
Our brothers and sisters in Natoot, Kenya, need your help! As a people with no history in farming, they need ongoing training to equip them to replant after the locusts leave. Would you consider a gift of $25 (or more, if you can) that could help provide 16 weeks of training for these farmers (most of whom are women)?
Bright Hope plans to hold these 16-week long trainings for 80 farmers (split into 10 groups to maintain social distancing), and will also record the sessions so farmers can review what they learned over and over again.
It is important to remember that the Turkana people are pastoralists so farming is completely new for them. These ongoing training sessions will not only impart practical, farming knowledge, but they will help bond the farmers together and provide encouragement and opportunities for friendship!
Your gift can make a huge difference in the lives of these new farmers in northern Kenya, and will also enable us to meet other urgent needs!
The Bright Hope Promise
Bright Hope is a registered 501(c)(3) charity, and a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. We have been engaging the local church around the world for more than 45 years in the global fight against extreme poverty in their communities. We are committed to helping the extreme poor with the most effective and efficient methods, and we promise to treat every penny donated as if God, Himself, gave it to us.
