We have been hearing about the difficulties of rising food prices from our OLPC program sites in Bungoma (in Western Kenya near lake Viktoria) for several months.  The drought has affected this area and pasture for animals is poor and animals are dying.  Our programs provide stipends for teachers and some of the funds do go to food.  The government is supposed to provide lunches for all children in school, but if you read the reports the government has not kept up with that comittment in part due to food shortages, and also due to poor agricultural policies.

Although our mission is not to provide foods, our funds, however small provide critical cash and investment in communities that are marginalized. Our mission is to reduce the marginalization through access to technology and education.  
 We have not yet increased the teacher stipends to account for the increased cost of living, but will consider this in our negotiations for the next school semester. If you donate to our programs, we can provide more stipends. Our partner has encouraged you to provide cash directly to Hands of Charity, and they will purchase extra food for these communities.  It is your choice.  Much of the international aid is focused on the Kenya Somalia border where the large camps are, and refugees are coming in from Somalia by the thousands.  These small villages inside the border are likely not targets for the large NGOs.

   Oxfam explains "Extreme drought and changing rainfall patterns have compounded a combination of other factors including long term entrenched poverty, rising food prices and conflict. These issues, along with years of marginalisation and under-investment, have led to millions now facing catastrophe". Our communities are among the "marginalized".
The Democracy Now report, documents that market speculation and manipulation by US firms Cargill and Glencore have contributed to the rising prices of food and availability of supplies to the World Food Program.   
Our partner E4N Foundation has more severe issues.  They serve people further north in the "arid zone".   They have had to close one of their XO programs because the children have no food and can't go to school.  He says that many animals are dying every day.  It is really terrible.  Please go to http://e4nfoundation.blogspot.com to get more information.  John Valent can be reached at valent518@aol.com
Following is the report and request from Hands of Charity, a Kenyan based charity that serves communities in Bungoma in Western Kenya.

Sandra Thaxter Executive Director Small Solutions Big Ideas

THE DROUGHT SITUATION IN KENYA
From: Hands of Charity,Kenya
Project Management
To our friends/sponsors, wellwishers,humantarians in the United States of America,
Through Sandra Thaxter and the Small Solutions.
This tis to make a passionate appeal for support from you about the worsening prolonged drought situation in our country. We have had a long period of drought that most parts of the country lacks food stuffs. Crops dried before maturity. Farm produce failed in most parts of the country.
A number of families are going without a meal or just taking one meal per day. Animals/livestock are dying due to lack of pasture. In Northern Kenya and sections of other areas, people are dying due the  big shortage of food.  The government and other relief agents are trying but have been overwhelmed. The most affected are women and children.  In some parts even drinking water can easily be found.
This information is now being aired in most media stations; radio and TV stations like KTN,KBC,NTV and CITIZEN.
The Daily Nation newspaper on 29 July 2011 at www.nation.co.ke  has a report on the front page continued on page 5.The Standard newspaper at www.standard.co.ke  has similar stories on the same date
Food prices have escalated- increased by more than half the price.e.g the staple food for most Kenyans is Maize.2kg tin used to be sold at Kshs 50.It is now retailing at Kshs 120-130
Sugar retailed at Kshs.70 now is at Kshs.130.Fuel prices are still very high. The OLPC group project in Kenya is not exceptional, we have many pupils from such families who are suffering  due to food shortage. Please send us your support/donations through our partners like Small Solutions who have done a lot in supporting the OLPC programmes in Kenya. This will help us to reach out the families in the best way best way we can. Our students and volunteers are ready to take part in the distribution of donated food to the affected groups.  Donations can be inform of funds so that food stuffs can be purchased from Kenya .
Donations can be sent through the Hands of Charity Project Manager  via Sandra Thaxter in The USA.
Thanks you in advance for assistance
Fred Juma Wakasiaka,
Project Manager
Hands of Charity Kenya.