Our work About us Support us Donate SPONSOR CHRISTMAS OF FIRSTS 4 MINUTE READ When your one Christmas wish is something to eat How climate change affects food security in Kenya As Christmas approaches… … single mother, Anastacia should be looking forward to cooking chapati and green grams for her children. But this year, for the first time, that won’t happen. Climate change has destroyed any predictability of rainfall in her village. Parts of Kenya have been in various stages of drought since as far back as 2014 and this year has been particularly bad for Anastacia’s region. The added burden of the Covid-19 pandemic has sent food prices soaring and is pushing Anastacia’s family to the edge of survival. They are among the 2 million Kenyans facing famine levels of hunger due to food and water shortages. Christmas promise December in Kenya typically coincides with the arrival of rain. It’s an exciting moment that doesn’t just represent the start of the wet season but the promise of a good harvest and food for the year ahead. Going into Christmas, everyone breathes a sigh of relief knowing they can celebrate the holidays. Farmer and single mother, Anastacia, remembers those days well. “When there was rain, Christmas was good because I would cook my children a good meal,” she says. “They love chapati and green grams.” But now, her 12-year-old daughter, Nzilani says, "When I come home from school, I eat some boiled maize. And I only eat once, sometimes twice, a day." Anastacia, from Kenya, and her daughters travel long distance to collect water during drought Countries on the brink Sadly, it’s not just one village that’s facing a hunger pandemic. It's not only Kenya. Or even Africa. In 2021 the deadly mix of climate change, conflict and the economic fallout from Covid-19 has pushed 40 countries to the brink of famine. 41 million people globally are one step away from starvation. When Anastacia’s crops failed, she turned to making rope out of fibrous plants she collected. “I use the money I get to buy food for my children,” she says, but, it’s not enough. “I feel sad because I may not even be able to buy wheat flour and oil because they are too expensive,” she says. Growing a garden of Eden In places like Anastacia's community, where people face the double threat of climate change and Covid-19, World Vision is working especially hard to build community resiliency for when disaster strikes. One programme that's proving successful is coupling climate-smart agricultural training with financial skills. Victoria, who lives a few miles from Anastacia, joined the programme earlier this year is already reaping the benefits. Her farm is a green garden of Eden against the scorched dusty landscape of her neighbours. Victoria is proud of her fruit trees, thanks to climate-smart agricultural training and sponsorship “This year, Christmas will be fun because I have had a good harvest,” she says. “This is largely due to the training that I got from World Vision on climate-smart agriculture.” Training like this is made possible through sponsorship. Victoria’s 12-year-old daughter, Damaris, is sponsored through World Vision - and the funding it generates supports the community in many ways. Victoria and her family at their homestead. “Since I started these projects, life has been good for us,” says Victoria. “My children have enough to eat, I have enough money for their education and holidays like Christmas will now be fun because we shall be celebrating as a community.” For the first time in a long time, Victoria is dreaming up a Christmas meal for her family. But millions like Anastacia cannot. It’s time to change the course of this crisis. SUPPORT US Related Stories Child Sponsorship Everything you may want to know. How it works, what to expect, the difference you can make. LEARN MORE How Child Sponsorship works Everything you need to know. LEARN MORE Being a child sponsor changed my life, forever Renee wanted to help a child in poverty. Read how Child Sponsorship’s brought joy to her life too. LEARN MORE We use cookies and similar technologies to help personalise content, tailor and measure ads, and provide a better experience. CHOOSE ACCEPT ALL FOLLOW US CONTACT US Donate Sponsor a child Support us About us Annual Report My Sponsorship Jobs Press centre © 2021 World Vision. All rights reserved. World Vision UK is a registered charity no. 285908. Terms and Conditions Privacy and Cookies Policy Modern Slavery Statement Supporter Charter Global Power Claims Safeguarding Policy Whistleblowing Policy