US First Lady Jill Biden Calls for Concerted Efforts to Rescue Suffering Children in Drought Areas

US First Lady Jill Biden has called for an immediate rescue mission for hungry children and women in drought-stricken Counties. 

Mrs Biden said the hunger situation in the country had reached dire levels and promised that the US will stand to be counted in working with the people of Kenya to save lives. 

The First Lady, accompanied by US Ambassador to Kenya Meg Whiteman and several country directors of international humanitarian organizations came face to face with children suffering from malnutrition. She also encountered emaciated men and women who had lost livelihoods through the prolonged drought.

She was taken through the drought situation by the USAID head of Emergency, George Ombis, who enumerated the various interventions taken by the organization.

Governor Joseph Ole Lenku updated Mrs Biden on the situation in pastoralist counties and emphasized the need to focus on children under 5 years who were suffering heavily from malnutrition.

Mrs  Biden was taken through the medical and nutritional interventions by the USAID before she held an intimate and exclusive meeting under a tree with a cross-section of Maasai women where they exchanged their experiences on nutrition, maternal health and empowerment of women and youth.

World Food Program County director for Kenya Lorin Landes says Lisha Jamii Program initiative has been key in drought mitigation measures through cash transfers for the past six years.

She said besides giving food donations WFP is also focused in creating resilience through farming diversification. 

Lisha Jamii has currently benefitted 5, 035 vulnerable families. We are also encouraging drought-stricken farmers on resilience and providing nutrition services for children under the age of five. 

Other speakers echo the US initiative in the country pledging more support to save vulnerable families from severe hunger.