Parents in Kenya fear their children may be just days away from starving to death as large numbers of the animals they rely on for food and income become victims of drought.
Interviews carried out by Save the Children in Wajir, North East Kenya, revealed that people's greatest concern is that the drought which caused the death of their livestock will soon take a greater human toll.
Catherine Fitzgibbon, Save the Children's Deputy Director in Kenya, said: "Children are on the brink of death. Malnourished children are weak and vulnerable and can easily succumb to diarrhoea, dysentery or malaria. The numbers of malnourished children coming to our feeding centres is going up and up and we expect it to get worse. If we cannot get more food or cash to help families buy food to the region urgently, more children will die."
The majority of the rural population in the areas where Save the Children is working is heavily dependent on relief food and many children are only eating one meal a day of corn porridge. Milk from animals is normally a large part of children's daily diet but has almost entirely dried up so children only have water to drink. This poor diet means they are missing out on vital nutrients, which can mean they grow up stunted and their brains and bodies can suffer permanent damage.
Save the Children UK is appealing for urgent funds to support our life-saving work in Kenya. To donate to the Kenya Emergency Appeal please visit www.savethechildren.org.uk or call 020 7012 6400.
For further information or interviews please contact the Save the Children press officer on our out of hours number +44 7831 650 409 or on the office number: +44 207 012 6841.
Notes to editors:
The numbers of severely malnourished children arriving at the aid agency's emergency feeding centres in North East Kenya have risen dramatically over the last month, with a 25 per cent increase of children arriving for emergency treatment since July.
The 'East Africa Food Crisis Appeal' launched on September 14th.
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